Japan Running Desk · Run Japan with FumitakaChecked 23 Sep 2026
Sample brief · prepared for [Your company]
Japan Trail Race Entry Brief: Spring 2027
For running-tour companies selling trips to Japan between March and June 2027. Compiled from Japanese-language race pages, entry sites and news, then checked by a Japanese trail runner. Anything not yet officially announced is marked Expected.
Three things to act on in the next 60 days
- Open now
Hiroshima Ultra-Trail by UTMB · 9–11 April 2027
A new UTMB World Series event. Registration opened on 20 August 2026 (UTMB Index holders from 18 August). Entry is in English through UTMB. As a first edition, expect late changes to course, transport and aid-station details. Brief your clients to expect updates.
- Expected Oct–Nov
Mt.FUJI100 2027 · late April 2027
The 2027 outline has not been published yet. Last cycle, the outline came out on 1 October, priority entry ran 20 October to 16 November, the general lottery ran 1–16 November, and results came on 2 December. If 2027 follows the same pattern, your clients have a two-week window in November. Entries are individual only (no group entries) through RUNJAPAN, the English version of Japan's main entry site.
- Risk
Bear-related cancellations are rising
Since autumn 2025, Japanese media have reported a run of race cancellations because of bear sightings, including trail events in Nagano and Yamanashi and road races in Niigata and Hokkaido. The Chitose JAL International Marathon was cancelled for the first time in its history. Check that your trip terms cover a race cancelled at short notice.
Race calendarSpring 2027 · confirmed vs expected
Races your clients will ask about
| Race | When and where | Distances | How to enter | Entry window |
|---|
| Hiroshima Ultra-Trail by UTMBUTMB World Series | 9–11 Apr 2027
Hiroshima, including Miyajima | 20K / 50K / 100K
(UTMB also lists 100M) | UTMB, in English | Confirmed
Open since 20 Aug 2026 |
| Mt.FUJI100World Trail Majors | Late Apr 2027 (2026: 24–26 Apr)
Around Mt. Fuji | 167 km / 70 km / 38.5 km
(2026 caps: 2,000 / 1,000 / 1,000) | RUNJAPAN (English) or RUNNET (Japanese). Individual entry only. 6% handling fee after winning | Expected
Lottery ~1–16 Nov 2026, results early Dec |
| Kaga Spa Trail Endurance 100 by UTMBUTMB World Series | June (2026: 20–21 Jun)
Yamanaka Onsen, Ishikawa | 20K / 50K / 100K | UTMB. Running Stones required (1 / 2 / 3) | Expected
2027 dates not yet listed |
Mt.FUJI100 2026 fees, for budgeting
| Category | Standard / priority | Donation entry | Notes |
|---|
| FUJI100mi · 167 km | ¥50,000 | ¥105,000 | Donation entries cost more. The organizer has announced stricter mandatory gear rules and recommends GPS trackers. Minimum age 18. |
| KAI70k · 70.2 km | ¥30,000 | ¥81,000 |
| ASUMI40k · 38.5 km | ¥22,000 | ¥60,000 |
2027 fees are not yet announced. Figures above are the 2026 edition's, as published by the organizer.
What the English pages leave outNotes from a Japanese trail runner
Words your clients will meet
- 抽選
- Lottery. No waitlist once the window closes.
- 必携品
- Mandatory gear. Missing items can mean a DNS.
- 関門
- Checkpoint cut-offs, often stricter than runners expect.
- 前日受付
- In-person bib pick-up the day before. Plan the extra night.
- 私的サポート禁止
- No private support or pacers, common in Japanese trail races.
- 熊鈴
- Bear bell. Some races now require one.
Suggestions for your trip design
- Put the November lottery dates in your sales calendar now. Sell "lottery support" rather than guaranteed places.
- Have each client create their own RUNJAPAN account early. Group entries aren't accepted.
- For a first-edition race such as Hiroshima, keep one flexible day in the itinerary.
- Add a clause for races cancelled because of wildlife or weather, and name a backup activity.
What a monthly Japan Running Desk subscription adds
A brief like this every month for your regions; alerts when a race changes its dates, rules or status, or is cancelled; and answers to your clients' race questions within 48 hours. Local meet-up runs with our club in Ibaraki can also be arranged for your groups.