KATHMANDU: Ikeda Chikao, a Japanese climber with no prior mountaineering experience, successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest on May 20, 2026, at exactly 9:15 am Nepal Time, turning what began as a Base Camp trek into an extraordinary accomplishment in less than a year.

Standing atop the world alongside veteran mountain guides Ramesh Gurung and Sushil Gurung, Ikeda's triumph marks a historic milestone in high-altitude climbing. His journey from a first-time trekker to an Everest summiteer in a single season is believed to be among the fastest such transitions on record.

The expedition was organised and supported by Himalayan Guides Nepal Treks & Expedition, Hayashi Travel Works Inc., Ghale Treks & Expedition, and Liberty Holidays.

A dream born at Base Camp

Just last year, Ikeda had walked the Everest Base Camp trail as a trekker, captivated by the grandeur of the Himalayas. With no previous peak-climbing experience, he conceived what many would call an impossible dream: to stand on the roof of the world. Within a year, that dream became reality.

Driven by legacy, funded by community: The '-NO LIMIT-' mission

Ikeda's climb was deeply inspired by his late friend, Nobukazu Kuriki, the renowned Japanese mountaineer who tragically lost his life on Everest in 2018. Kuriki had once expressed a desire to "climb Everest together with everyone" rather than completely alone.

Taking that dream to heart, Ikeda transformed his 2026 ascent into a shared community project called "-NO LIMIT-" under his "Everest Pilgrimage Project." Operating on a philosophy of "Give and Join," he gathered support from 426 backers. Rather than treating them as passive donors, he carried their names, dreams, and written prayers on his custom-designed summit suit.

A message of world peace: The CHIKAKEN bamboo lanterns

Beyond mountaineering, Ikeda is co-founder of CHIKAKEN, a creative company that produces bamboo lantern light festivals (Takeakari) across Japan to advocate for community revitalisation and global unity. By reaching the summit at 8,848.86 metres, he extended his life's work of bringing light, connection, and a message of world peace to the highest point on Earth.

'We empower dreams to match reality'

"We extend our heartiest congratulations to Ikeda Chikao on this monumental feat," said Iswari Paudel, Managing Director of Himalayan Guides Nepal Treks & Expedition, and Ram Bahadur Ghale, Founder and CEO of Ghale Treks & Expedition and Liberty Holidays.

"To transition from an Everest Base Camp trekker to an Everest summiteer in a single year, without prior peak-climbing experience, is nothing short of extraordinary. It underscores Mr Ikeda's indomitable spirit and validates the world-class logistics, safety protocols, and unparalleled expertise of our veteran guides, Mr Ramesh Gurung and Mr Sushil Gurung. At our core, we don't just guide — we empower dreams to match reality."

The expedition team reported that Ikeda and his guides are in good health and are safely descending to the lower camps.