Message From the Founder

Message from the Representative

On August 25, 2025, NPO Monkey Magic celebrates its 20th anniversary. Reaching this milestone has only been possible thanks to all of you who have joined, supported, and encouraged our activities. We are deeply grateful. Monkey Magic was founded in 2005 when our Representative Director, Kobayashi, set out with a simple yet unwavering ambition: "If I can continue to enjoy climbing even as my vision fades, I want to share this incredible world with others who are visually impaired."

From the very beginning, we wrestled with the question of how to spread something that had never been done before. Yet each time we met visually impaired climbers, witnessed their moments of triumph, and heard their joyful cry of "I did it!", our conviction only grew stronger. That original spark continues to guide us today.

From the Past to the Future: 20 Years of Progress and Challenge

Over the past 20 years, the climbing world has undergone significant changes. We believe our activities have helped fuel these changes not only in Tokyo, our home base, but nationwide through the surge in opportunities for people with disabilities of all ages to experience the joy of climbing. Just as important, opportunities have also grown for people without disabilities to share in these experiences. This, too, is an achievement we are proud of.

And yet, our journey is far from complete. There are still prevailing notions in society, such as the belief that people with disabilities "can’t do." There are, of course, things that may take more time or require support. But we believe the mindset of "Yes, we can!" - when paired with direct human connection - can spark awareness and change for both people with and without disabilities.

Our goal is not only to open doors for people with disabilities to participate in climbing but also to create opportunities for diverse individuals to meet and connect through this shared experience. Beyond that lies a society where individuals take action on their own initiative, grow as people in a more mature society that truly embraces diversity.

Our Commitment for the Future

To bring this vision of society to life, Monkey Magic will focus on three key pillars:

1) Promoting an inclusive society through interactive climbing

Our first priority is to establish climbing bases where people with and without disabilities can participate side by side, eventually across all 47 prefectures. Through these bases, we aim to deepen public understanding of disabilities and move closer to a truly inclusive society.

Beyond opening new regions, we will strengthen existing ones, host intergenerational events that involve children, promote international exchange with other Asian countries, and spread this social value to new spheres.

We have seen firsthand that climbing is more than just a sport: it can enrich society. We will continue to expand and evolve interactive climbing opportunities.

2) "Climbing Beyond Sight, Seeing What Truly Matters"

The world of climbing without sight is not about "helping and being helped." Instead, it reveals the essence of cooperation, mutual understanding, and growth through communication. It embodies the kind of inclusive society where diversity is respected and everyone can flourish while enjoying the sport.

Rooted in our beginnings of promoting climbing for the visually impaired, we now seek ways to expand and maximize this experience for the broader society. We believe that effective communication can lead to new forms of value and connection in the climbing community.

3) Global networking and sharing knowledge

Intergenerational and interregional collaboration across diverse backgrounds is essential for our growth. We need more participants and organizers to join us in these experiences. To achieve this, we will strengthen our ties not only within Japan but also with international climbing and disability organizations, sharing knowledge and collaborating on projects together.

Through our interactive climbing events and lessons, we contribute to the growth of adaptive climbing while also sharing Japan’s efforts globally, helping to nurture a broader movement.

The magic that turns "I can’t" into "I can."

The "magic" in Monkey Magic is not some supernatural force. It is the transformation and sense of growth that comes from believing in the limitless potential of every person—disabled or not—and continuing to enjoy climbing together. Climbing creates a space where everyone can share experiences, enjoy triumphs, feel setbacks, and support one another. When such spaces begin to spread across society, we believe society itself matures, and more people find their place to shine.

With the experience and know-how we have built over the past 20 years, we will continue to climb step by step toward the future—just as we do on the rock.

We envision a society where everyone can shine as their authentic selves, regardless of disability. In the coming decade, we believe the very meaning of "disability" will evolve. We ask for your continued support and partnership as we climb toward that future together.

Koichiro Kobayashi
Representative Director, NPO Monkey Magic

Our organization was founded on August 2005 with our adamant desire to further climbing activities for people with sight disabilities. I first started free clibming in the summer of 1984, when I was sixteen years old. In 1996, I was told by the doctor that I will completely lose my sight in the future from my progressive eye-disease.
For years since then, I lived in desperation. I was, however, fortunate to be inspired by so many people I have become friends with, and through those experiences I founded NPO Monkey Magic to further free climbing - the sport I truly love - to others with sight disabilities just like myself.

Free climbing is a sport where we as human beings use our hands, feet and many other primitive abilities which we are born with to climb natural rocks and cliffs. Rocks and cliffs sit still for decades and centuries. As I, myself have now become being able to only sense light and darkness, I discovered that climbing those immovable objects with our own pace and goals is very much suited for sight disabilities.
This - "climbing with our primitive abilities" - is true not only for us with disabilities, but every single person living together in today's society.

10 years have past since Monkey Magic was founded. Since the foundation, there were many trial and errors to expand our activities to establish our mission as NPO wishing to further climbing activities not just for people with sight disabilities, but the whole society we live in.

We often get questions like these.
"Can someone like ME free climb?"
"Would my daughter be able to do THAT?"
Our answer is always this.
"We don't know. So come on over and let's try!"
When you achieve something you have never thought you could do, you climb over one invisible obstacle in your life.

Monkey Magic Founder
Koichiro Kobayashi