The Hakone Ekiden: Japan’s Greatest New Year Relay Race
The Hakone Ekiden: Japan’s Greatest New Year Relay Race
A two-day, 217km university relay watched by 50 million people. Here is how the Hakone Ekiden works and why Japan loves it.
The Hakone Ekiden is the most-watched annual sporting event in Japan — a two-day university relay run every 2–3 January between Tokyo and Hakone. Twenty Kanto-region universities race over ~217km in ten legs, each runner passing a tasuki (sash) to the next. First held in 1920, it now draws television audiences of around 50 million people.
1. What it is
A New Year institution.
Officially the Tokyo-Hakone Round-Trip College Ekiden, the race is held on 2 and 3 January and is one of the defining images of the Japanese New Year, watched by tens of millions live on TV.1
2. The format
Ten legs, two days, one sash.
Twenty universities from the Kanto region race over roughly 217km in ten legs — five out to Hakone on day one (about 107.5km) and five back on day two (about 109.6km). Each runner hands a tasuki sash to the next, symbolising continuity; a team that arrives too late to pass it on must restart separately.1
3. History and meaning
A century of tradition.
The race began in 1920, promoted by Olympic marathoner Shiso Kanakuri to develop Japanese distance running.1 It has since become a national talent pipeline — a stage where future Olympic and ekiden stars first emerge.
4. Why it matters
The heart of Japanese running.
No event better captures Japan’s obsession with distance running. The drama of the tasuki, the team sacrifice and the New Year timing make Hakone a cultural event as much as a race — the foundation of the running culture that produced champions like Naoko Takahashi.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Hakone Ekiden?
Every 2–3 January, over two days.
How long is it?
About 217km across ten legs — five each day between Tokyo and Hakone.
Who competes?
Twenty universities from the Kanto region; each runner passes a tasuki sash to the next.
Keep exploring
Explore the stories, systems and culture behind Japanese sport.
Sources & notes
- Tokyo-Hakone college ekiden, 2–3 Jan, ~217km/10 legs (d1 107.5/d2 109.6km), tasuki, 20 Kanto universities, since 1920 (Shiso Kanakuri), ~50M TV viewers. Wikipedia; World Athletics.
A guide dated 21 June 2026. No copyrighted material is reproduced.
📅 更新履歴
| 日付 | 変更内容 |
|---|---|
| 2026年6月21日 | 初回公開 |
| 2026年6月22日 | 情報を更新 |
✅ ファクト再検証
最終検証日：2026年6月22日
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