Ekiden 駅伝

Ekiden is a long-distance multi-stage relay race in Japan. The first Ekiden was held in 1917 as a 3-day, 23-stage run from Kyoto to Tokyo covering over 500km. It was a celebration to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Tokyo's establishment as the nation's capital after it was moved from Kyoto.

Since then its popularity has become widespread; schools, universities, and companies in Japan will often hold ekiden races annually and teamwork is a very important part of the race. The most famous is the Hakone Ekiden which celebrated its 100 year anniversary in January 2024. Following on from the success of the inaugral UK Ekiden in 2024, the second UK Ekiden will take place on Friday 20 June 2025.

Host Your Own Mini Ekiden! Ekiden is an annual event in the UK organised by UK Ekiden – the first race took place in June 2024. UK Ekiden encourages and supports schools in the UK to be a part of the special race by holding their own mini-ekiden on the same day. Hosting an ekiden is a fun way for schools to learn more about Japan through a Japanese sporting tradition. Visit the UK Ekiden website and download the guide for schools for suggestions on how to host your own mini ekiden, suitable for your pupils and surrounding environment. The guide also provides more information on the history and tradition of Ekiden races in Japan.   UK Ekiden website: https://ukekiden.com/schools Contact UK Ekiden for more info: info@ukekiden.com

Design a medal for UK Ekiden 2025!

This year, UK Ekiden are hosting a competition for children and young people to design the medal that will be awarded to all finishers of this year's race! 

Deadline for submissions: Friday 25 April 2025
The competition winner will be announced on Tuesday 6 May 2025

To find out more information about the competition and how to get involved, visit the UK Ekiden website.

Learn more about Japan

The Japan Society has a range of resources all about Japan suitable for both classroom and at home learning. Visit our Education section to learn more!