Steamed red bean rice and dirty jokes may have been the key for climbing Mount Everest at age 80, famed alpinist Yuichiro Miura and his son, Gota, said Thursday.

Miura on May 23 became the oldest person ever to climb the world's highest mountain, after setting the record twice before, in 2003 and 2008.

"The two previous times I succeeded just because of luck," he said at the Japan National Press Club, adding this time was no different.