Is the Hakone Ekiden real?

One of Japan’s biggest sporting events of the year takes place right in the Kanto area: The Hakone Ekiden. The 218 km Hakone Ekiden is not only the longest, and most important long-distance relay race in Japan, it is considered to be one of the top races to take place in the world.

What does ekiden mean in Japanese?

relaying station
Ekiden’s meaning originates from the Japanese phrase “relaying station.” This running event, involving several teams composed of multiple runners, is widely celebrated and cherished throughout Japan.

Who won the Hakone Ekiden 2021?

Aoyama Gakuin University won the 98th Tokyo-Hakone collegiate ekiden in a record time of 10 hours, 43 minutes, 42 seconds on Monday, capturing the iconic two-day race for the first time in two years and the sixth time in school history.

How popular is Hakone Ekiden?

This 10-leg, 217km relay in Japan has for years garnered viewing figures that defy belief, and this year’s race on January 2-3 was watched by 49.8 million people on day one and 52.6 million people on day two, according to Video Research Ltd.

How do you qualify for Hakone Ekiden?

Each year 21 teams take part, with 10 having secured spots in the race by finishing in the top 10 positions in the previous year’s race, another 10 winning their chance in a preliminary contest, and a team of top runners from universities that do not qualify to send teams to the Hakone Ekiden.

How many teams are there in Hakone Ekiden?

The 2014 race did not include a select team, and before 2014, the select team was called the Kanto Region Select Team (関東学連選抜チーム, Kantō gakuren senbatsu chiimu), and were also constituted by a selection of top runners from universities that did not qualify as one of the 20 participating teams.

How many people are on an Ekiden team?

six team members
Ekiden teams are traditionally made up of six team members, however smaller teams can participate in the ASICS World Ekiden 2020 (if you choose to run with fewer than six team members, some runners will need to complete multiple legs by registering and joining the team more than once.)

Where can I watch the Hakone Ekiden?

Monday January 3rd, 2022 The race is telecast on Nippon Television.