How Do You Enter the Hakone Ekiden?
© Hakone EkidenHeld at the start of every year in Japan, the Hakone Ekiden is far more than a long-distance race. It is a century-old sporting tradition deeply rooted in Japanese culture. The university relay pits teams against one another over more than 217 km between Tokyo and Hakone, split into ten legs run over two days. Each runner carries the tasuki, a symbolic sash handed to the next athlete at every changeover, embodying team spirit and collective pride. Now an essential fixture on the Japanese sporting calendar, the Hakone Ekiden commands enormous media attention, with millions watching on television. The race is not only a major sporting challenge, but also a powerful cultural event. Before the teams set off between the megacity and the mountains, however, it is worth understanding how entry works and what options exist for taking part, whether as a runner, supporter or volunteer.
✓ How do you enter the Hakone Ekiden? Marathons.com has the full rundown in this article.
An exclusive, invitation-only race
Unlike marathons open to the general public, the Hakone Ekiden does not use a lottery or offer open registration. Entry is strictly limited to university teams affiliated with the Inter-University Athletic Union of Kanto (KCRR), which brings together institutions from eastern Japan. Only these teams are eligible to compete. If a university team finishes among the top ten in the previous edition, it earns an automatic place for the following year. The other ten qualified teams are the winners of the Hakone Ekiden Yosenkai, a roughly 20 km qualifying race held each October to determine the remaining places. Outside this university competition structure, there is no direct entry route for amateur or individual runners, making the event a unique and highly specific fixture in the relay-racing world.
Alternative ways to take part
While runners cannot enter the Hakone Ekiden as members of the general public, there are other ways to experience the event and get involved in this major celebration of sport.
Become a volunteer
Each year, the organisers call on a large volunteer workforce to help the event run smoothly. Volunteers work at relay zones, in logistics, at aid stations, with crowd management and in support of the teams. Volunteering offers a chance to experience the atmosphere from the inside, contribute to a major cultural event and get close to the runners in a friendly and rewarding setting.
Travel agencies and spectator packages
International runners dreaming of watching the Hakone Ekiden can turn to specialist travel agencies offering spectator packages. These deals often combine transport, accommodation and access to the best viewing spots along the route, including Tokyo, Tachikawa and Hakone, as well as cultural excursions. The race becomes the centrepiece of a full trip to Japan, blending a sporting experience with the chance to discover the country. This option is particularly popular with people who cannot run but still want to attend as supporters.
Media, schools and university exchanges
In some cases, university exchange programmes, international sports initiatives or partnerships between student clubs allow overseas educational institutions to take part in activities linked to the ekiden, such as training camps, friendly relays or team visits. These are not official competitions, however, but rather ways to engage with Japanese relay culture.
Side events and races around the Hakone Ekiden
The Hakone Ekiden itself does not include public side races, such as half-marathons or 10Ks, during its two days of competition. It is a university-only event with a tightly prescribed format. From time to time, community races, local relays or festival events are held around the start and finish areas for spectators and their families, but these initiatives are generally independent of the official organisers.
Experience the event in other ways
Although the competition is reserved for university teams, passionate fans have several ways to embrace the spirit of the ekiden:
Visit the Hakone Ekiden Museum: located near Lake Ashinoko, the museum traces the event’s history for anyone wanting to explore its origins and evolution.
Watch from the roadside: every year, thousands of fans line the route between Tokyo and Hakone to cheer on the runners and soak up the festive atmosphere.
Follow it on television or via streaming: the Hakone Ekiden is broadcast live on Japanese channels such as Nippon TV, making it possible to watch the entire race from abroad.
A unique and historic sporting event
Born at the beginning of the 20th century, the Hakone Ekiden is one of Japan’s oldest and most prestigious long-distance relays. The first edition took place in 1920, although the roots of this type of race stretch back to historic relays held earlier in the century. Every year on January 2 and 3, teams of ten runners cover this extraordinary distance over two days, with the first half heading towards Hakone and the second returning to Tokyo. The format creates a level of suspense and emotion rarely matched in the running world. While highly distinctive, it embodies the spirit of team sport in Japan: each runner competes not for themselves, but for the reputation of their university, and every tasuki handover symbolises the passing on of effort, tradition and pride.
In short, although the 2026 Hakone Ekiden, scheduled for January 2 and 3, remains a university-only race with a strict qualification system, there are several ways to get closer to this unique experience through spectating, volunteering, organised travel or related cultural activities. Active runners can enter only through qualified university teams, making this race a truly singular event in the running world.