Japan 2026

Japan's running scene is enormous and meticulously organized: the Tokyo Marathon (a World Marathon Major) headlines a calendar packed with big-city marathons — Osaka, Nagoya (women's), Kyoto, Fukuoka, Hokkaido — plus thousands of regional taikai, ekiden road relays (a uniquely Japanese institution), and a deep ultra and mountain scene (Mt. Fuji 100, Hasetsune Cup, the UTMF). Road cycling centers on JCF-sanctioned races, hill climbs (Mt. Fuji Hillclimb), keirin culture and long granfondo rides, with a fast-growing gravel and adventure scene in Hokkaido, Nagano and Gifu. Triathlon runs deep from Miyakojima to the Murakami events, and the terrain swings from Hokkaido's alpine north through the Japan Alps to the subtropical Okinawa islands — distances, seasons and climate vary sharply across the archipelago.