Raising Others Up and the Power of Community: Speaking to Paraclimbing Legend Koichiro Kobayashi

Koichiro Kobayashi, known as “Koba,” is a “paraclimbing legend.” Koba went blind at age 28 from a degenerative eye disease and at age 31 decided to take up climbing. He has since racked up a number of gold medals around the world! Koba envisions a world where various groups of people can live together without being worried about their handicaps. To pursue his vision, he established a Tokyo-based non-profit organization called Monkey Magic that promotes free climbing among those with visual impairments. Koba believes climbing “is a lifetime sport that people with disabilities can enjoy throughout their lives which increases exercise opportunities, promotes self-reliance and social participation by empowering, and improves quality of life.” Koba is joined today by his guide, Naoya Suzuki.

Erik and Skyler speak to Koba and Naoya about their journey into paraclimbing and how they work together in this adaptive sport. They speak about all the different techniques they use together on a technical level to communicate and get Koba up the rock face. One example is that Naoya uses the “clock method,” and explains which hold to grab by saying 1 o’clock or half past 2 etc. They have traveled the world together and discuss the challenges of entering the World Championships and what being on that level of competition means to them.

Koba also reflects on how he heard of Erik back when he was beginning to go blind and the inspiration that meeting provided. In Japan, the blind people he had met stayed away from sports and being active. But, Naoya bought Koba Erik’s first book about his ascent of Everest and he was blown away. So, he reached out. Naoya and Koba came to the U.S. and met Erik together and they have all been close ever since.

Trust is an integral part of their relationship. Naoya reflects on times Koba has lost competitions, essentially on bad calls he has made, and how Koba never blames him. They make mistakes together but:
“I trust him. No matter how much he makes mistakes, I feel big passion from him, so I trust him.”

After Koba climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro with Erik and other blind people in 2005, he was inspired to start a climbing gym in his home country of Japan for folks with disabilities. The climbing is an essential service he offers but Koba recognizes that the social aspect is almost even more impactful. Going blind can lead people to isolate and stop going out but Koba realizes how important it is to meet new people and be connected with others.

Koba talks about how climbing has become like a friend in his life and his pursuit of the sport has led him to find satisfaction. He does not need his sight to feel fulfillment in his life and to have the love of his community around him. From his climbing community to his wife to Naoya, Koba has met so many supporters in his life since going blind that he has discovered that: “blindness made him big.”

As Erik puts it, “sometimes even hardships end up giving us gifts we might never have gotten otherwise.”

In Koba’s case, going blind led him to tdiscovering the climbing community building and building deeper relationships with the people in his life.