HIROSHIMA, JAPAN

Fukuyama Year End Marathon

The year’s last race in Hiroshima.
Finish it with year-end soba.
42km of the Ashida River.

DateSun 27 Dec 2026
LocationFukuyama, Hiroshima
DistancesFull · Half · 10K · 3K
Entry from¥3,000

Why This Race

Weave the Future.Japan’s Denim Town, by the Sea.

Fukuyama makes more denim than anywhere else in Japan, and it faces the sea. The race wears both: indigo denim fading into white surf. Its idea is in the slogan, Weave the Future — runners and locals meeting on the Ashida River at the end of December. The course is flat, about 10 metres from lowest to highest point, and runs in laps along the levee, so the cheer squads see you again every lap. This year part of it uses public roads. At the finish there is year-end soba and ara-jiru fish soup made from Fukuyama Port fish. At 14:40, rice cakes and sweets are thrown from the stage for runners and spectators alike. About 580 people ran the last edition.

Japan's denim townFlat river courseLaps past the crowdYear-end soba at the finishAra-jiru from Fukuyama PortRice-cake toss at 14:40Free race photos580 runners last edition
Runners at the start line of a previous Fukuyama Year End Marathon, balloons overhead

Pick your distance

Four races, one river

¥9,000

FULL

6.5 km
8.9 km
8.9 km
8.9 km
8.9 km
Start
08:30
Time limit
6 hours
Timing
Net time (chip)
Who can enter
18 and over, no high school students
Places
800
¥7,000

HALF

6.5 km
8.9 km
5.7 km
Start
08:30
Time limit
3 hours
Timing
Net time (chip)
Who can enter
High school age and up
Places
600
¥4,500

10K

8.9 km
1.1 km
Start
13:00
Time limit
90 minutes
Timing
Gun time
Who can enter
Junior high age and up
Places
200
¥3,000

3K

3.0 km out & back
Start
13:15 / 13:20 / 13:25Adults & junior/senior high · Grades 5–6 · Grades 3–4
Time limit
30 minutes
Timing
Gun time
Who can enter
Elementary grade 3 and up
Places
100

Full and half: wave start by target time (planned).

Entry closes 26 Nov 2026 · entry on Go Race Japan opens soon

The course

Down the levee to the sea, and back

The start and finish sit at Kawamachi Plaza by Mizunomi Bridge. From there the course follows the Ashida River levee downstream towards the river-mouth weir and turns back. Flat — about 10 m between the lowest and highest points — with a marker every kilometre.

Simplified course map: the route follows the Ashida River levee from Kawamachi Plaza downstream to the river-mouth weir and back
1

Kawamachi Plaza — start and finish. The biggest crowd, every lap.

2

Heliport slope — where the out and back lines meet, so you get cheered both ways.

3

Weir turnaround — water and hot drinks.

Three water points are planned: near the start, at the heliport slope and at the weir turnaround.

Run with a pacer

4:00 /km4:15 /km4:30 /km5:00 /km5:30 /km6:00 /kmSweeper

One or two pacers per pace.

Map is a simplified sketch; the organiser’s course maps are final.

Race Day

Sunday 27 December

  1. 07:00

    Reception opens

    Check in at least 30 minutes before your start.

  2. 08:00

    Opening ceremony & warm-up

  3. 08:30

    Full & half marathon start

  4. 10:30

    Half awards (planned)

  5. 11:00

    On-the-day bib pick-up for 10K and 3K

    Give your name and bib number at reception.

  6. 12:30

    Full awards (planned)

  7. 13:00

    10K starts

  8. 13:15

    3K starts

    13:15 adults and junior/senior high school · 13:20 elementary grades 5–6 · 13:25 elementary grades 3–4

  9. 14:00

    10K awards (planned)

  10. 14:05

    3K awards (planned)

  11. 14:30

    All races end · closing ceremony

  12. 14:40

    Mochi & candy toss

    Rice cakes and sweets thrown from the stage until 15:00. Runners, spectators and staff all join in.

After the line

Finish the year with soba

In Japan you eat soba on New Year’s Eve to see the year out. Here you get it at the finish.

Fresh soba on a bamboo tray, from the organiser’s finisher-soba preview

Finisher soba

Year-end soba to take home. The organiser’s preview box pairs fresh soba with Fukuyama ramen.

A bowl of ara-jiru fish soup

Ara-jiru fish soup

A hot bowl made by Ryoshiya, a young fishermen’s group from Tajima in Utsumi, Fukuyama, with fish from Fukuyama Port.

A bottle of SPORIC sports drink, from the organiser’s preview image

SPORIC sports drink

From a drinks maker headquartered in Fukuyama.

There is also a finisher award on top of the participation gifts.

Everything is handed out at the venue only — nothing is posted afterwards.

Short on laps? If you can still reach the finish line, staff plan to guide you over it, and you still get your finisher goods.

Add-ons

Order these when you enter. The T-shirt and the denim pennant can’t be added later.

Official Fukuyama Year End Marathon race T-shirt in a denim-to-sea colour gradient¥3,000

Official race T-shirt

Denim pennant finisher certificate, cut in an A4 pennant shape¥3,000

Denim pennant finisher certificate

An A4 pennant cut from denim, finished with your event, name and time in stamp or white pen.

Mini map of the shuttle route between JR Fukuyama Station and Kawamachi Plaza, about 3 km¥1,000

Station shuttle, round trip

¥300

Bag storage

Up to a 70-litre bag. ¥500 if you book on the day.

Free with your entry

Runner checking race photos on a phone, next to the PICSOON logo

Race photos, free

PICSOON finds your photos by face, even when your bib is hidden. Download as many as you like.

Shower room at FP Corp Arena, available to runners after the race

Showers

In the athletes’ room at FP Corp Arena, next to the venue. Separate for men and women.

Marché food stalls and DJ booth area at Kawamachi Plaza

Marché & DJ area

Food stalls and a DJ booth at the plaza, open to friends and family too.

Changing tents

Separate men’s and women’s tents at the venue.

Three places to know

Map of JR Fukuyama Station, Ashida River Kawamachi Plaza and FP Corp Arena, with the shuttle-bus route marked
A

JR Fukuyama Station

About 3 km from the venue. The race shuttle (add-on, ¥1,000 return) runs between the station and the plaza.

Open in Google Maps ↗
B

Ashida River Kawamachi Plaza — race venue

5-14 Kusado-cho, Fukuyama, Hiroshima 720-0831. Start, finish, reception, marché.

Open in Google Maps ↗
C

FP Corp Arena

Next to the venue. Free runner showers inside.

Open in Google Maps ↗

Before you enter

  • You can switch to a shorter distance up to one week before race day by contacting the organiser. You can’t move up, and the difference isn’t refunded.
  • Rain or shine. The organiser or the river authority may cancel for safety; you’ll hear by 06:00 on race day. Fees are not refunded.
  • Return your timing chip after the finish. Unreturned chips are charged ¥5,000.
  • Live results on the day, and a finisher certificate you download online.
  • Entries are personal. Entering on someone else’s behalf isn’t allowed.
  • Full and half runners: your bib and race kit are planned to be posted to you before race day. 10K and 3K runners collect theirs at reception on the day, from 11:00.
  • Late starts are not allowed.
  • Wheelchairs and canes can’t be used on the course. Runners with a guide can take part; the guide enters free — add the guide’s name in the comment box when you enter.

Registration

How to enter

Entry on Go Race Japan opens soon. It closes on 26 November 2026 (23:59 Japan time).

Fukuyama Year End Marathon 2026

Sun 27 Dec 2026 · Fukuyama, Hiroshima
Full marathon18 and over, no high school students · Time limit 6 hours
¥9,000
Half marathonHigh school age and up · Time limit 3 hours
¥7,000
10KJunior high age and up · Time limit 90 minutes
¥4,500
3KElementary grade 3 and up · Time limit 30 minutes
¥3,000
Official race T-shirtOptional · order at entry only
+ ¥3,000
Denim pennant finisher certificateOptional · order at entry only
+ ¥3,000
Station shuttle, round tripOptional
+ ¥1,000
Bag storageOptional · ¥500 on the day
+ ¥300
Entry closes 26 Nov 2026No cancellations or refunds after entryPay by card

Entry on Go Race Japan opens soon.

Questions about entry: fa.marathon@gmail.com (race office — include the race name)

Sun 27 Dec 2026 · Fukuyama, Hiroshima

Know the race before you go.
Go Race Japan.