Hakone Ekiden Relay Race

01 – Overview

2020-2022 Hakone Ekiden Race Kit and Retail Assortment

Design Direction : Visual Center : Graphics : Print & Pattern : Color

02 – Details

Bigger than the Super Bowl, the Hakone Ekiden Relay is one of Japan's largest sporting events of the year, and is the longest and most important long-distance relay race in Japan. From the bustling streets of Tokyo, to the challenging scenic roads up Mt Hakone, and then back to Tokyo again, the race runs 220km through six cities, and lasts for two days. Twenty-three of the fastest university teams in Japan compete for the coveted title, with 10 runners per team. Each runner runs one leg, and hands off a team sash (like a baton), to the next runner. With millions of spectators coming out to watch the event each year, and even more watching it on tv, it’s expanded beyond the core of distance running fans to become a cultural phenomenon.