Kakogawa Relay Marathon 2026 - Hyogo, Japan

Kakogawa Relay Marathon 2026 is the official replacement for the city's usual marathon, which cannot use sections of its established riverside course during construction. On Sunday 13 December, teams share a tasuki relay sash around a specially prepared 1.45 km circuit at SHOWA Group Athletics Stadium in Kakogawa, Hyogo. This is a team relay event, not a conventional individual marathon: participants take turns covering sections of a collective race.

Relay formats and rules

The full-marathon relay covers 42.195 km over 29 laps for teams of three to 15 high-school-age or older runners. It starts at 11:30 am JST and has a 4:30 pm finish limit. The half-marathon relay covers 21.0975 km over 14 laps, starting at 9:00 am; it is restricted to qualifying junior- and high-school teams from Kakogawa, Takasago, Harima or Inami. A separate 5.8 km family relay starts at 9:05 am, with teams of two to four that must include at least one primary-school child. Team members decide their lap allocations and changeover frequency, and mixed-gender teams are permitted. An extended first leg in the full and half relays brings the distances to their official totals. The family's 5.8 km category is not represented by an exact ARC distance card, so its details are provided here.

Check-in and race operations

The morning youth and family races check in from 8:00 am, with an 8:30 am opening ceremony. Full-relay check-in runs from 10:15 am to 11:20 am, with the first runner assembled by 11:20. Team representatives need the organiser's completed team registration form. Runners exchange the relay sash in the designated changeover area. The organiser lists team race numbers, refreshments, participation items and digital certificates for teams finishing within the time limit. Rankings are based on gun time, with recognition for the top three teams in each division.

Getting there and entries

The stadium is approximately 2.7 km from JR Hōden Station. The organiser describes local bus and walking options; private-vehicle parking is restricted to permits reserved when entering, and parking on nearby roads or at local shops is not allowed. The event normally proceeds in rain, subject to the organiser's safety decisions in severe weather. The announced entry window ended on 16 October 2026; the full and family relays had already reached capacity by 1 October. Check official notices for any last-minute access or race-day changes, rather than assuming additional entries are available.