Hakkōda Mountain Disaster Day

What Is Hakkōda Mountain Disaster Day?

Every January 23rd is "Hakkōda Mountain Disaster Day" (八甲田山の日, Hakkōda-san no Hi) in Japan. On January 23, 1902, a Japanese Imperial Army unit — the 5th Infantry Regiment from Hirosaki, commanded by Captain Yasukata Tsugitarō — suffered one of the worst peacetime military disasters in Japanese history while conducting winter mountain exercises on the Hakkōda Mountains in Aomori Prefecture. Of 210 soldiers who set out on January 23rd, only 11 survived. The tragedy — caused by a catastrophic blizzard and the failure of command — remains a solemn reminder of winter mountain dangers.

The Hakkōda Tragedy

The 5th Infantry Regiment's exercise was intended to test soldiers' ability to survive and navigate in severe winter conditions — part of Japan's preparation for potential military operations in cold climates. The unit set out in the early hours of January 23, 1902 in already severe conditions that rapidly deteriorated into a blizzard with temperatures plummeting to -41°C (also the record low recorded at Asahikawa that same day). The unit became hopelessly lost in the whiteout conditions; command broke down; and soldiers died of hypothermia over the following days as rescue parties searched. Only 11 of 210 survived.

Lessons and Legacy

The Hakkōda disaster prompted major reviews of military training protocols, cold-weather equipment, and command decision-making in extreme conditions. It also entered Japanese cultural memory through Jiro Nitta's 1971 novel "Hakkōda-san" and the 1977 epic film adaptation directed by Shirō Moritani — one of the highest-grossing Japanese films of its era. The disaster site on the Hakkōda Mountains is now a hiking and ski area, with monuments to the soldiers who perished.

Winter Mountain Safety

The Hakkōda disaster's lessons about winter mountain conditions — the speed with which weather can deteriorate, the danger of inadequate preparation, and the critical importance of knowing when to turn back — remain highly relevant. Japan's mountain rescue services respond to thousands of incidents involving hikers and climbers each year, many in winter conditions. Mountain safety education emphasizes the same lessons the 1902 disaster taught at such terrible cost.

Fun Facts

• Record cold: The -41°C recorded at Asahikawa on the same day as the Hakkōda disaster remains Japan's all-time lowest recorded temperature — the two events on January 23, 1902 combined to make it one of the most catastrophically cold days in Japanese recorded history.
• Hakkōda Ropeway: The Hakkōda Ropeway (八甲田ロープウェー) now carries tourists and skiers to the mountain summit, passing through the landscape where the 1902 tragedy unfolded.