Gasherbrum I (Hidden Peak) Reconnaissance from the North. There were two Japanese expeditions that approached Gasherbrum I from the Chinese side. The first one conducted by Masaaki Fukushima and Jin Tamada from the Yokohama Alpine Association spent a month looking at possibilities. After arriving at Base Camp on April 30, they went from May 5 to 9 to the Urdok Glacier. On May 13 and 14, they explored the upper part of the Shaksgam River Glacier. From May 18 to 23, they investigated the Sagan Glacier where they could study both sides of the east ridge of Gasherbrum I. They were on the Gasherbrum Glacier and then the East Nakpo Glacier from May 27 to June 1.

They found the Gasherbrum Glacier very broken up and many ice towers on the Nakpo. They looked at possible routes on Gasherbrum I, Gasherbrum II and Broad Peak. A second group of 12 from Miayagi Prefecture Alpine Club was led by Hiroshi Yajima. They actually tried to get high on the mountain and reached 6100 meters on the east ridge but gave up on July 9. Yajima was nearly killed in an avalanche and they had several minor accidents.