Hakone Ekiden

Description

The Hakone Ekiden is a two-day relay race that takes place every January, attracting millions of viewers from around Japan. The course starts and finishes at Tokyo's Otemachi Financial City, taking runners on a 217-kilometer journey through the mountains and countryside of the Kanto region. The course is known for its steep hills, winding roads, and breathtaking views, with runners pushing themselves to the limit to pass the sash to their teammates. The Hakone Ekiden is a celebration of the tradition and spirit of Japanese distance running, and a test of strength and endurance for some of the top collegiate athletes in the country.

This is the longest ekiden race in the world of student long-distance races, with a total of 10 sections (217.1km), consisting of 5 outbound sections (107.5km) and 5 return sections (109.6km) between Yomiuri Shimbunsha-mae, Tokyo and Hakone, Lake Ashinoko.