Skip to content
Gear Loop

Climbing gym chain · Japan

PUMP grades, explained

PUMP is a Japanese climbing-gym group whose first gym, PUMP1, opened in Toda, Saitama, in April 1993 and moved to Kawaguchi in 1996. It now has five gyms around Tokyo: the bouldering gyms B-PUMP Tokyo (Akihabara), B-PUMP Ogikubo and B-PUMP Yokohama, and PUMP1 Kawaguchi and PUMP2 Kawasaki, which also have roped climbing. The five share one website and a lower registration fee for climbers already registered at another PUMP gym, but Ogikubo (since 2024) and PUMP1/PUMP2 (since 2025) are run by separate companies. All grade boulders on the Japanese kyu/dan scale, written 8Q, 1Q, 1D and so on.

Find a gymGym website

Bouldering grades

Problems use the Japanese kyu/dan scale, written by the gym as 8Q (8級, easiest) to 1Q (1級), then 1D–3D (初段–三段). The gym does not publish a conversion; standard grades below use the kyu/Font/V comparison table on Japanese Wikipedia, which cites climber Dai Koyamada (2009).

LevelFont≈ V-scale
8級 (8Q)About VB on the same table.1+–2VB−–VB
7級 (7Q)About VB to VB+ on the same table.2+–3VB–VB+
6級 (6Q)About V0− to V0 on the same table.3+–4VB+–V0+
5級 (5Q)About V0+ to V1 on the same table.4+–5V0–V3
4級 (4Q)About V2 on the same table.5+–6AV2–V3
3級 (3Q)About V3 to V4 on the same table.6A+–6BV3–V4
2級 (2Q)About V4 to V5 on the same table.6B+–6CV4–V5
1級 (1Q)About V6 on the same table.6C+–7AV5–V6
初段 (1D)About V7 on the same table.7A+–7BV7–V8
二段 (2D)About V9 on the same table.7B+–7CV8–V9
三段 (3D)About V10 to V11 on the same table.7C+–8AV10–V11

PUMP doesn't say so outright, but its gyms appear to share this grading. From climbers' descriptions and photos of the gym's grade boards. Gyms reset and regrade often, and grades vary between setters, so treat this as a guide and check the boards when you visit.

5 PUMP gyms

Each gym's page has its address, how to book, and links to prices and opening hours.

Kawaguchi

Kawasaki

Tokyo

Yokohama

Is this page accurate and helpful?

Questions

What Font grade is 8級 (8Q) at PUMP?
8級 (8Q) at PUMP is 1+–2, about VB−–VB in V-scale.
What Font grade is 7級 (7Q) at PUMP?
7級 (7Q) at PUMP is 2+–3, about VB–VB+ in V-scale.
What Font grade is 6級 (6Q) at PUMP?
6級 (6Q) at PUMP is 3+–4, about VB+–V0+ in V-scale.
What Font grade is 5級 (5Q) at PUMP?
5級 (5Q) at PUMP is 4+–5, about V0–V3 in V-scale.
What Font grade is 4級 (4Q) at PUMP?
4級 (4Q) at PUMP is 5+–6A, about V2–V3 in V-scale.
What Font grade is 3級 (3Q) at PUMP?
3級 (3Q) at PUMP is 6A+–6B, about V3–V4 in V-scale.
Convert any gradeAll gyms

Sources

  1. PUMP: home page (five gyms)
  2. PUMP: About us (history 1993–2025, operating companies)
  3. PUMP: for beginners (store list, which gyms have roped climbing)
  4. PUMP (English): home page (sizes, stations)
  5. B-PUMP Tokyo: gym page (set post '7Q to 2D')
  6. B-PUMP Yokohama: gym page (set post '8Q to 1D')
  7. PUMP2 Kawasaki: gym page (boulder posts by Q grade)
  8. bouldering-club.com: B-PUMP Tokyo guide (grade chart 8級–2段, black tape 3段+)
  9. のぼログ (2016): B-PUMP Ogikubo, hold-colour circuits with tape on start/finish only
  10. B-PUMP Ogikubo: Finished BLEAU SET (2018-06-06; 8Q to 3D counts)
  11. B-PUMP Ogikubo: Next set Rocklands (2019-11-15; '8Q-3D')
  12. B-PUMP Ogikubo: THE10 announcement (2023-10-18; classes by Ogikubo grades)
  13. Wikipedia (ja): ボルダリング, grade comparison table
  14. Cycle Style: interview with B-PUMP Ogikubo manager (2017-10-28)

Checked 3 October 2026. Gear Loop isn't affiliated with PUMP.