How to join a run in Japan

Since we actually going to be in Japan for three weeks, hubby thought it would be a good idea if he could join a marathon there. Japan after all has produced a lot of good runners. So we were pretty sure that we could find any run available.

Turned out it wasn't that easy to register yourself for a run in Japan. I guess being a local runner hubby never went internationally. Well, let me take it back. The farthest he had been to run was Vancouver, Canada. He didn't have difficulty registering for that. Maybe because the information was in English.



Registering for a run in Japan presented a new set of issues. The language was one thing we could easily tackled with the help of Google translate. But turned out that one requires a local address for the mailing of the bib. Also payment could not be made with credit card. It's amazing for a country as advanced as Japan to require payments be made at some convenient store. Well, I guess that's why there are so many convenient stores there.

After days of Google search we finally came across two websites that provide services to connect foreigners for sports event in Japan. One is Sports Entry and the other is JTB Sports. The one hubby ended up running was the King of Mountain run in Odawara which he signed up through Sports Entry.

Note that the English page of Sports Entry only has limited events. But scroll down to the link to the Japanese site where you could find more events. Just use Google translate to help you navigate through the site.

Registering through Sports Entry allowed us to pay in credit card. Also with some communications they allowed the bib to be picked up on event day.

- Day of event at Hakone Turnpike -

- Finisher gift (no medal just a towel !) -