The Ekiden: Japan's National Ritual of Endurance and Team Spirit

In the first week of January, while much of the world is slowly waking up from New Year's Eve, millions of people in Japan are glued to their televisions. They aren't watching a ball drop or a parade; they are watching the Ekiden.

If you aren't familiar with Japanese sports culture, an Ekiden might look like just another long-distance race. But to Japan, it is a national ritual, a masterclass in human endurance, and the ultimate symbol of the Japanese spirit.

As the first week of January 2026 comes to a close, Japan is catching its breath after yet another explosive display of grit on the road to Hakone. While the core of the sport remains rooted in its 100-year-old history, the modern era has become a high-tech, record-shattering spectacle.

What is an Ekiden?

The word Ekiden (駅伝) is a combination of two kanji: Eki (station) and Den (transmit/convey). The name harkens back to the Edo period, when government messengers would travel by foot or horse between relay stations to deliver news between the old capital of Kyoto and the new capital of Tokyo.

Today, an Ekiden is a long-distance road relay. Instead of a baton, runners carry a tasuki—a thin cloth sash. This sash is the heart of the race; it is soaked in the sweat of previous teammates and represents the collective effort and honor of the entire group.

Official rules state the sash must be worn diagonally over the shoulder. If a runner fails to reach a relay station within the time limit (usually 20 minutes) of the leader, a "white tasuki" (neutral sash) is used, and the team's official time is penalized—a moment of deep collective shame and heartbreak often caught on live TV.

The Crown Jewel: The Hakone Ekiden

While there are many Ekiden races throughout the year, the Hakone Ekiden (held every January 2nd and 3rd) is the undisputed king. Officially known as the Tokyo-Hakone Round-Trip College Ekiden Race, it's sanctioned by the Inter-University Athletic Union of Kanto (KCRR) and is strictly for universities in the Kanto region.

The race features 20 elite university teams battling it out over a grueling 217.1-kilometer (134.9-mile) round trip between Tokyo and the mountain town of Hakone. The course is divided into 10 stages (5 outbound on January 2nd, 5 inbound on January 3rd), including the legendary "Stage 5," where runners must climb nearly 800 meters into the freezing, thin air of the Hakone mountains.

The 102nd Race: A Historic 2026

The race that just concluded on January 3rd, 2026, will be remembered for the total dominance of Aoyama Gakuin University (AGU).

The "Green Monster" Three-Peat

Aoyama Gakuin, led by the legendary and outspoken Coach Susumu Hara, achieved a historic "three-peat" (winning three years in a row) for the second time in the school's history. They didn't just win; they obliterated their own course record, finishing with a staggering total time of 10:37:34.

The MVP: Asahi Kuroda

The narrative of 2026 was defined by 4th-year runner Asahi Kuroda. On Stage 5—the brutal uphill climb into the Hakone mountains—Kuroda broke the stage record by nearly two minutes. He earned the Kanakuri Cup (the race MVP award), named after Shizo Kanakuri, the "father of the Japanese marathon."

Sustainability on the Road

In a nod to the future, the 2026 race was the first to feature a fully electrified fleet of support vehicles provided by Toyota, including the high-profile FCEV Century, signaling a shift toward a "Carbon Neutral Ekiden."

Why is it so popular?

To understand the popularity of the Ekiden, you have to look beyond the athleticism.

The Ultimate Team Sport: In a marathon, you run for yourself. In an Ekiden, you run for the tasuki. If a runner collapses or fails to finish their leg, the entire team is disqualified. This creates a high-stakes "all-for-one" drama that resonates deeply with the Japanese value of wa (harmony and collective responsibility). The New Year Tradition: New Year (Oshogatsu) is the most important holiday in Japan. Families gather under kotatsu (heated tables) to eat traditional foods, and the Hakone Ekiden provides the soundtrack to these two days. In terms of national reach relative to population, it is often compared to the Super Bowl. * The Human Drama: The broadcast doesn't just show the leaders. It highlights the "white-shirt" runners (those at risk of being cut off), the tears of athletes who feel they let their teammates down, and the grit of those pushing through injuries. It is a soap opera of human willpower.

The Scale: "Belief-Defying" Viewership

Calling it “popular” undersells it. The Hakone Ekiden is routinely one of the biggest television broadcasts of the year in Japan.

According to Video Research Ltd. ratings as compiled and translated by Japan Running News (Brett Larner), the Hakone Ekiden captures roughly ~30% of Japan’s TV audience across the two-day broadcast:

That’s why the race is often described as Japan’s “second-biggest TV ritual” of the holiday period—typically rivaled only by Kōhaku Uta Gassen (the New Year’s Eve music special).

The Crowds on the Course (In Person)

Television is the headline metric, but the physical crowds along the 217.1 km route are part of the spectacle too. Reported estimates for roadside spectators (沿道観客) in recent years include:

A Quick Comparison (Why it Feels So Massive)

To calibrate those numbers: even baseball’s biggest showcases usually don’t live in the Hakone Ekiden’s neighborhood nationwide.

• The World Series in Japan has been reported at roughly 10–13 million viewers even in Ohtani-era peaks.
• The Japan Series tends to peak regionally (often 10%–20% in the local markets of the teams involved), not as a synchronized national ritual.

The Drama: Rivals and Modern Narratives

The past few years (2024–2026) have seen a shifting power dynamic in Japanese collegiate running:

The Fall of the "Triple Crown" Kings

In 2023-2024, Komazawa University was the team to beat, having won the "Triple Crown" (Izumo, Nationals, and Hakone). However, the recent dominance of Aoyama Gakuin has turned the rivalry into a David-vs-Goliath battle, with Komazawa struggling to reclaim the top spot, finishing 6th in 2026.

The "Mountain Detective"

One of the most beloved figures recently is Waseda University's Shinsaku Kudo. Nicknamed the "Great Detective of the Mountains" for his uncanny resemblance to the anime character Detective Conan (complete with glasses), he became a social media sensation for his performance on the mountain stages, proving that Waseda is once again a contender for the top 3.

The Chuo University Comeback

Chuo holds the record for the most total wins (14), but they have faced a "seed-loss" crisis in recent years. In 2026, they fought back to finish 5th, securing their "seeded" status (top 10) for 2027 and proving that the old guards of Japanese running are finding their second wind.

The "White Tasuki" Heartbreak

The gap between the top-tier "Power 5" schools and the rest of the field has widened. This has led to more frequent "Tsurumi Relay Station" tragedies, where the leading runner arrives so far ahead that the trailing teams are forced to start their next leg with a generic "White Tasuki" because their own teammate hasn't arrived yet.

Seeing an athlete arrive at the station only to find their teammate already gone is considered the most emotional moment in Japanese sports television. It happened to three schools this year, sparking a national debate about whether the "20-minute rule" should be relaxed.

The Super-Shoe Era

Like the professional marathon circuit, the Ekiden is currently obsessed with "shoe tech." Almost every runner in the 2026 top 10 was wearing specialized carbon-plated foam shoes. This has led to an era where nearly every stage record has been broken in the last 24 months, leading some purists to wonder if the "human" element of the race is being overshadowed by technology.

Cultural Significance: The Spirit of Perseverance

For many Japanese people, the Ekiden is a mirror of life itself. It celebrates gaman (enduring the seemingly unbearable with patience and dignity). Seeing a young athlete push their body to the absolute limit for the sake of their team provides a sense of inspiration and renewal for the year ahead.

When you see a runner finally hand off their tasuki, often collapsing into the arms of their teammates immediately after, you aren't just seeing a sports highlight. You are seeing the physical manifestation of trust, duty, and the ties that bind people together.

Watching the Ekiden is the first shared experience of the Japanese public every year. It represents the idea that no matter how difficult the "climb" (Stage 5) or the "descent" (Stage 6) of the coming year may be, you keep moving forward because others are counting on you.

Resources & Further Reading

To dive deeper into the world of the Ekiden, these official resources provide the most accurate and real-time information:

Official Hakone Ekiden Site – The primary hub for race results, granular data on stage times, and team rosters Kanto Inter-University Athletic Union (KCRR) – The governing body managing technical rules and athlete eligibility Hakone Tourism Association – An excellent English-language resource for understanding the geography and history of the course Japan Running News – Run by Brett Larner, offering incredible blow-by-blow recaps and analysis of the Japanese running scene in English Japan Running News: 2026 viewership breakdown – Video Research numbers (reach/avg/peak) with Japanese-source citations Japan Running News: 2025 viewership breakdown – Prior-year rating/reach context German Road Races: Hakone Ekiden broadcast records (Japan Running News) – Pandemic-era record viewership summary World Athletics feature: Hakone Ekiden – Background on the event’s global recognition and cultural footprint