For English-speaking runners with a race in Japan on their list
Many of Japan's best road and trail races post their rules, entry pages and gear lists only in Japanese. I'm a Japanese runner who races them. I help you pick the right race, read the fine print and get through entry, mostly over email and video calls. On select weekends, I take you out on the trail to preview your race course.
Free 20-minute video call. No pressure, no sales script.The real obstacle
You can train for the hills. What stops most overseas runners is the layer of Japanese around the race. Here's what that looks like in practice.
What I offer
You tell me your level, dates and the kind of race you're after. I come back with a shortlist that fits.
US$59 US$29 founding rate
We open the Japanese entry page together. You type, I translate every field and rule as we go.
US$89 US$45 founding rate · per race
A guided run on your race course, or the trails around it, before race day. I show you the climbs, cut-off points and tricky sections, and explain the Japanese signs and rules as we go. I only guide trails I have run myself. Racing somewhere else, like Mt. Fuji? Race Finder covers how to get there.
Half day US$380 US$190
Full day US$620 US$310
founding rate · per group
Prices are per booking, in US dollars, paid by card or bank transfer (via Stripe or Payoneer) after our free call. I don't book flights, hotels or tours. For those, I'll point you to licensed providers.
Race + trip
Few runners fly to Japan for just one race. They want Tokyo, Kyoto, an onsen town, and the trail. Here's what I wish every visiting runner knew before landing.
Highway buses from Shinjuku to Lake Kawaguchiko take about 1 hour 45 minutes and cost ¥2,200 (2026). They run often, but race weekends fill up, so book early. Many race starts are too early for the first train: stay near the start the night before.
Luggage forwarding (takkyubin) takes your suitcase from one hotel to the next, usually by the next day. Ask the front desk or drop it at a convenience store. You travel to the race with just a small pack.
Wash and rinse before you get in. No swimsuits. Keep your towel out of the water. Tattoo rules differ from place to place, so check first, or ask me to.
More Japanese trail races have no paper cups at aid stations, so you bring your own. Some ask for a bear bell. Public bins are rare, so every wrapper comes back down with you.
Keep your voice down on trains and skip phone calls. Tap in with an IC card such as Suica or PASMO, or the phone version. Carry some cash for mountain huts and small-town shops.
With Race Finder, I tell you how to reach each start line from where you'll be staying, and which towns runners usually base themselves in. I don't book travel. You book directly, with the full picture.
When I'm available
I work a full-time job in Japan and run at 4:15 every morning, so my hours are fixed and predictable. Calls happen in these windows.
| Window | Japan (JST) | US West | US East | London | Sydney |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekday early | 05:30–06:30 | 1:30–2:30 pm* | 4:30–5:30 pm* | 9:30–10:30 pm* | 6:30–7:30 am |
| Weekday evening | 21:00–22:00 | 5–6 am | 8–9 am | 1–2 pm | 10–11 pm |
| Course previews | Sat / Sun, half or full day | In person, on trails in western Tokyo and Ibaraki | |||
*Previous day in your time zone. Times shown for northern-hemisphere summer; they shift by an hour when daylight saving starts or ends where you live. I lead at most two course previews a month.
How it works
Tell me the race, or just the dream: road or trail, when, how far.
20 minutes on Zoom. We check if racing in Japan fits your timeline.
A clear quote and an invoice in USD. Pay by card or bank transfer.
We get through the Japanese entry side by side.
A guided preview of your race course, if you'd like one.
Who I am
I work full-time for a company in Japan. Years ago, on an overseas posting, I lived on late-night ramen and business dinners. In 2017 I ran my first painful kilometer along a waterfront promenade. I haven't stopped since.
Today I run 10 km every morning, race on roads and trails, and lead a relaxed running club in Ibaraki where the fastest runner always matches the slowest. I wrote a Japanese book for people who start running after 40. It reached #1 in four Amazon Japan categories, and the English edition, Run After 40, is now on Kindle (Amazon · readers' page).
Racing abroad, I learned what it feels like to stand at a start line in a country that isn't yours. A local who explains the small things changes the whole day. I want to be that person for you in Japan.
Based in Ibaraki, 40 minutes from central Tokyo. Fumitaka Momose is my pen name. Follow along on X (@fumitakaruns).
Is this for you?
Questions
No, and that's on purpose. Most Japanese races require you to enter under your own name and account. I sit with you on a video call and translate while you fill it in, so the entry and payment stay yours.
No. Race Finder and Entry Sidekick happen entirely by email and video call, from wherever you are. A course preview run is optional, on weekends on the trails I know in western Tokyo and Ibaraki.
No. In Japan, a private individual can't drive paying guests. We meet at a station and travel by train or bus, and you pay your own fares. I only preview trails that are open to the public, and only where the race organizer allows course previews.
After our free call you'll get a secure payment link. Pay by credit or debit card through Stripe, or by US bank debit (ACH) or bank transfer in USD, EUR or GBP through Payoneer. Your card details go to the payment provider, never to me. The first call is free.
No one can. Many popular races are lotteries. What I can do is make sure you don't miss a window or trip on a rule, and have a backup race ready.
No. I'm a runner, not a travel agency. I'll tell you where runners usually stay near the start, and you book directly.
Full refund if you cancel Race Finder before delivery, an Entry Sidekick call 48 hours ahead, or a run 7 days ahead. If I cancel for weather or safety, you choose a refund or a new date. Details are in the Terms of Service.
For running-tour companies
Your clients ask when the lottery opens, whether the race is still on, and what the Japanese rules actually say. I read the Japanese sources every month and send you the answers in plain English, so your team doesn't have to.
A 3-page brief for the regions you sell: race dates, entry windows, rules and risks.
Free
The next six months of races for your trips, confirmed vs expected, with sources.
US$300 US$150 first two companies
A monthly brief, alerts when races change or are cancelled, and answers to up to 5 client questions within 48 hours.
US$400 / month · cancel with 30 days' notice
Course preview runs, local guides and onsen stays for your groups, up to the point where the conversation has started.
From US$500
I share information and introductions. I don't book travel or sell race entries, and I'm not an agent of any race organizer.
Start here
A few lines is enough. I read every message myself and reply within two days, usually in my early morning, Japan time.
Send me a short email with your name, country, running background and the race you have in mind. I reply within two days.
Email me →fumitaka.momose.oceantrail@gmail.com
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