Ryuichi Murai


Quick Info

From: Japan 🇯🇵
Date of birth: 24th June 1994
Age: 31 years old
Gender: Male
Hardest Boulder (Worked): 9A

Contributors
171 contributions since 8th February 2021.
61 contributions since 12th November 2025.
27 contributions since 29th October 2025.
12 contributions since 4th June 2024.
6 contributions since 26th November 2025.

Quick Info

From: Japan 🇯🇵
Date of birth: 24th June 1994
Age: 31 years old
Gender: Male
Hardest Boulder (Worked): 9A
Contributors
171 contributions since 8th February 2021.
61 contributions since 12th November 2025.
27 contributions since 29th October 2025.
12 contributions since 4th June 2024.
6 contributions since 26th November 2025.

Lists


Pics + Vids

No pics or vids yet.


Ascents

44 recorded ascents.

This timeline is missing some ascents where the date of the ascent is unknown.
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Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Burden of Dreams 9A Boulder | did not finish 2024

Ryuichi made rapid progress on the problem, linking it from one move in on his third session and dropping the last hard move on his fourth session, but was unable to complete it on this trip.

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXW0pTnkQjc

Return of the Sleepwalker 9A Boulder | worked Before 26th Nov 2025

I finally achieved what I came here for. The desert was surprisingly rainy at first, but I stayed fresh every session, physically and mentally, and in the end everything fell into place. The real crux was the full span sloper after linking into Sleepwalker. The day I finally stuck that move was the day I sent. For a total of five days, I just kept slapping that sloper and falling again and again. Looking back, everything came down to sticking that one move. Behind it were endless micro adjustments and tick tweaks, so subtle they probably looked like nothing from the outside. Still, I threw every bit of technique and creativity I have built up into making that sloper reachable. On the attempt where I first stuck it, I was too pumped and fell on the last jump. But after a long break and a reset of all the mixed emotions inside me, the next try was the one, and everything clicked. When I barely topped Sleepwalker two years ago, “Return” felt like a dream. I never imagined I would stand on top of this boulder again. This success reminded me not to put limits on myself. I would love to say I can head home satisfied now… but Shaolin is still waiting. I do not know how far I can push it, but I am going to enjoy every remaining day. The clip is from the attempt right before the send, when I stuck the sloper for the first time. [1]

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/DRh1Ky2AVcV/

[2] https://www.desnivel.com/bulder/ryuichi-murai-resuelve-return-of-the-sleepwalker-9a/

United 8C+ Boulder | worked 7th Nov 2019
Nexus 8C+ Boulder | worked 23rd Oct 2021
Floatin 8C+ Boulder | worked 10th Dec 2021
First ascent.

Last day best day! Just before the gate closed, realized my dream “Launch Pad project” In the process of completion, struggled with many physical and mental factors.. severe finger skin damage from sharp granite, 0℃ cold condition, two low-probability savage cruxes but the sense of fulfillment gained after overcoming them is immeasurable. It was best day to find growth in my climbing life💯

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CXU6H2KpR6k/

[2] https://youtu.be/zIOCIRd8Mxk

Sleepwalker 8C+ Boulder | worked 6th Feb 2023 8C+
Livin' Large 8C+ Boulder | worked 22nd Jul 2023 8C+ (soft)

Mega psyched! This line, which is over 8m high, was called the Real Big Project at the time. It was very intimidating to imagine the climbers who tried this in the past fell from the same height as a balcony on the third floor. The first half consisted of compression moves with friction slopers, and the second half was a mental battle(V11-ish) that required delicate footwork. It was only possible to try in perfect conditions in the early morning (~9:00), evening (17:00~), or a cloudy day. However, the approach takes 45 minutes, so early in the morning there weren't enough time to warm up. In the evening there's only a short time after the rock cool down untill the sunset, so a cloudy day is the best. Due to friction issues, the damage to the finger skin was quite severe. If I tried, I had to rest for 2-3 days. So this cloudy day near the end of the tour was my last chance. The conditions were great on this day and every move worked perfectly on the second try. I just focused on each hold in front of me, and didn't feel any fear of heights. It would have been really bad if I missed the last move. I'm glad I climbed, but more than that I'm glad I didn't fall. [3]

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CvHzDqhNdtR/?img_index=4

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOVVCJ01qto

[3] https://www.8a.nu/crags/bouldering/south-africa/champagne-sector/sectors/unknown-sector/routes/livin-large/

Orochi 8C Boulder | worked 20th Oct 2015
Fifth ascent. 2 sessions.

References

[1] https://youtu.be/2xy1fgDmrUI

Babel 8C Boulder | worked 17th Mar 2016 8C
Fourth ascent?
Vanitas 8C Boulder | worked 28th Mar 2016
Second ascent.

References

[1] https://youtu.be/ZeBSmBAzXnk

Asagimadara 8C Boulder | worked 15th Oct 2016
Epitaph (Pre-Break) 8C Boulder | worked 29th Mar 2017
Second ascent. 8 sessions.
Byakudo 8C Boulder | worked 7th Apr 2019
Third ascent.

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZG9znW0JcA8

The Game 8C Boulder | worked 12th May 2019
MinerBuster 8C Boulder | worked Before 26th Oct 2019 8B+/8C
Second ascent.

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/B4FYnTujpk9/

The Story of Two Worlds 8C Boulder | worked 30th Nov 2019
Dreamtime 8C Boulder | worked 7th Dec 2019
Rokudo 8C Boulder | worked 7th Apr 2021
Third ascent.

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CNaNBxejR3N/

Loca 8C Boulder | worked 19th Oct 2022
Second ascent.

Stoked to make the 2nd ascent Shinichiro Nomura bloc. I tried this line four years ago when it was an old project and couldn't find a vision for it at the time. Since then I've been working on other projects and never came back, but exactly a year ago Nomsin finally finished this one as "Loca". There are two cruxes on this line. One is a savage jump to one finger pocket. And the other is a technical move that makes full use of the foot jam in the middle. In particular, the former is overhanging and the strength of the move is high, and high precision is required because I have to aim at the one-finger pocket of the blind. After adjusting the grip and jump output many times, I was finally able to hit the pocket with a perfect trajectory just before the time limit. The foot jam part after that was steady, but somehow I managed to send it. [1]

References

[1] https://www.8a.nu/crags/bouldering/japan/shiobara/sectors/unknown-sector/routes/loca/

[2] https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj8IbQeyLop/

Monkey Wedding 8C Boulder | worked 26th Jun 2023
Fantasmagoria 8C Boulder | worked Before 4th Nov 2025 8C
UMA 8B+ Boulder | worked 4th Mar 2016
Decided 8B+ Boulder | worked 3rd Nov 2018
Utsushiyo 8B+ Boulder | worked 21st Nov 2018
Ukiyo 8B+ Boulder | worked 21st Nov 2018 8B+ (hard)
Mona Lisa 8B+ Boulder | worked 27th Dec 2018 8B+
Second ascent.
Birth of the Cool 8B+ Boulder | worked Feb 2019
Mirror Reality 8B+ Boulder | worked 20th May 2019
Midnight Express 8B+ Boulder | worked 21st May 2019
Off the Wagon 8B+ Boulder | worked 29th Nov 2019
Hades 8B+ Boulder | worked Before 3rd May 2020
First ascent.
Hōtō 8B+ Boulder | worked 14th Oct 2020
Second ascent.

References

[1] https://youtu.be/JKT3uhIcxr4?t=389

Fūjin 8B+ Boulder | worked Before 19th Mar 2021
Oiran 8B+ Boulder | worked Before 11th Apr 2021
First ascent.

References

[1] https://youtu.be/p1K5rWara98?t=184

Geisha 8B+ Boulder | worked Before 21st Apr 2021
First ascent.

References

[1] https://youtu.be/9FMk_o4NYWw?t=404

Meikyoshisui 8B+ Boulder | worked Before 15th Aug 2021
Ninth ascent.

References

[1] https://youtu.be/tO2uuX0cq-Y?t=306

Gakidō 8B+ Boulder | worked 2nd Nov 2022 8C

This line is an old project completed by Nomsin in March of this year and consists of only 4 moves. Moreover, the actual difficulty is concentrated in the second move (aiming for the next hold while fully locking the body in an unstable state). This day was the third day of trying, and the temperature was cooler than when I tried for two days last year, so the conditions were perfect. Thanks to that, I was able to grab the pinch hold in a hard direction in a stable state, and I continued to make a lot of close tries. After several adjustments to the trajectory of the move, I finally succeeded in the second move and was able to send it. As for the grade, it's difficult to evaluate because it's very short, but I feel it's easier than the V16s I've climbed so far. The low start project joins Gakido after four crimpy moves like V13. The most difficult part was reaching the start position of Gakido, and unfortunately I couldn't do it on this day. Connecting from below will increase the difficulty of Gakido greatly. [2]

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CkgMghwp5Bw/

[2] https://www.8a.nu/crags/bouldering/japan/chigobutai/sectors/unknown-sector/routes/gakido/

Squoze 8B+ Boulder | worked 8th Feb 2023
Menage a Trois 8B+ Boulder | worked 25th Jun 2023
Emotion 8B+ Boulder | worked 2025
Prethem 8B+ Boulder | worked 2025
Echale 8B+ Boulder | worked
Utsusemi 8B Boulder | worked Before 20th Feb 2016
Kannagi 8B Boulder | worked Dec 2023
Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade