J-Village Half Marathon 2026 - Fukushima

J-Village Half Marathon 2026 brings runners to Fukushima's Pacific coast on Sunday 13 December, with the start and finish at the J-Village sports complex between Hirono and Naraha. First staged in its current form in 2019, the race combined established town events into a regional 'recovery marathon'. The organiser reports approximately 1,400 runners at the preceding edition and offers places for 2,000 across this year's four distances.

Routes and race schedule

The half marathon (21.1 km) starts at 9:00 am Japan time, followed by the 3K at 9:10 am, 1K at 9:20 am and 5K at 10:00 am. The closed-road course runs through the surrounding communities, including shopping streets in Hirono and Naraha and sections with open views towards the Pacific Ocean. It is a distinctive destination race for visitors interested in the coast and the area's sporting heritage, rather than a city-centre mass marathon.

Half-marathon runners must pass approximately 10.4 km by 10:25 am and 15.1 km by 11:00 am, finishing by noon. These checkpoints make the event a more structured challenge than a casual fun run. The organiser lists prizes for the top six competitors in each class.

Before race day

The venue opens at 7:00 am, with the opening ceremony at 8:00 am. There is no race-day participant check-in: race numbers, timing chips and participant gifts are sent to runners by post in late November. Bring the mailed bib and timing chip, attach them before reaching your starting area, and return the chip after the race. A replacement race pack incurs a published JPY 1,000 charge. Electronic finisher certificates are issued after chip-timed finishes.

Entrants should plan transport carefully. J-Village has accommodation on site, but event parking requires an advance-issued permit requested during entry. Drivers without a permit should not expect parking at the venue. A baggage storage area is available, although valuables remain the runner's responsibility.

Entries and participant experience

Online registration is through RUNNET. Following the original 14 October deadline, the organiser opened late entry from 15 October until 20 November 2026, subject to remaining places and processing fees. The field comprises approximately 1,300 half-marathon places, 500 for 5K and 100 each for 3K and 1K. Runners in the longer categories receive an original event towel, while the 1K entrants receive J-Village goods. Check the official site for any updated course instructions or weather notices before travelling.