(MENAFN) Kokichi Akuzawa, a 102-year-old Japanese climber, has been officially recognized by Guinness World Records as the oldest person ever to scale Mount Fuji — Japan’s highest peak at 3,776 meters (12,388 feet).

According to a statement from the Guinness World Records website, Akuzawa completed the demanding ascent on August 3, just years after recovering from heart failure.

The iconic Mount Fuji, an active stratovolcano located on Honshu island, is no stranger to Akuzawa. He previously reached its summit at age 96, but this time, he admitted, the experience was not the same.

"This climb felt a lot different from the last time," Akuzawa said, reflecting on the physical challenge. Unlike his earlier climb, which took just one day, this ascent spanned three days, with Akuzawa resting for two nights in mountain huts before reaching the top.

Asked whether he plans to climb the mountain again, the centenarian responded with humor: "Never again."

Yet he left room for reconsideration, adding, "If you ask me next year, maybe you'll get a different answer, but for now, I'm happy with that climb."

A seasoned mountaineer, Akuzawa reportedly hikes nearly every week and previously celebrated his 99th birthday by summiting Nabewariyama, a 1,272-meter (4,173-foot) peak.

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