This is Kenji from GO ASIA TRAIL.
As I write this article on December 6, 2025, the year 2025 is just around the corner, and December is the season when races for next year 2026 will be announced one after another. It is also the time of year when short trails become the mainstream in Japan, with almost no long or ultra trail races being held in the country.
This issue of GO ASIA TRAIL Monthly will focus on these topics.
Major race dates for 2026 are now available.
Kaga Spa Trail Endurance 100 by UTMB will be a great way to clear one's name.
Last month, November 2025, the dates for major races in 2026 were finalized. These races are especially in the spring and early summer. The first one to watch is the KAGA SPA TRAIL Endurance 100 by UTMB (Kaga SPA). Entries opened on November 25, and while all slots for the 2025 race were filled in a matter of days, next year's 2026 race is still open. Why is it taking so long to fill? In the first place, I believe this is normal practice. It is extremely unusual for other UTMB races to fill up in a few days. The XTrail Kenting by UTMB in Taiwan also fills up within about two to three months of the start of entries, so I suspect that the Kaga Spa Trail will probably do the same.
The 2025 event has been highly anticipated as Japan's first by UTMB race, and was fully booked immediately after the start of entries. However, as the problems with the event management and the severity of the course became apparent, I believe that many people are cautious about entering the 2026 race. Furthermore, the international situation is also having an impact. Currently, relations between Japan and China are cooling, and the Chinese authorities are advising people to refrain from traveling to Japan. Since Chinese runners account for a high percentage in overseas races, we believe that this will have no small impact. The voluntary travel ban is currently in effect until March 2026, but I suspect that it will remain in effect for several years.
For these reasons, I see the Kaga Spa entry quota remaining for a long time. I also feel that a more detailed explanation of the operational issues for the 2025 convention is needed. Without a thorough explanation of what problems existed and how they were improved, I think it will be difficult to regain the trust of participants.
HIROSHIMA TRAIL 2026, a promising new star
Another event that I am personally looking forward to is the HIROSHIMA TRAIL 2026 to be held in April 2026, a new attempt by a different organization than the Hiroshima Wangan Trail held in 2024. While the Hiroshima Wangan Trail was only a 100-kilometer event, this year's event will also include a 50-kilometer and a 20-kilometer middle short race, perhaps as a milestone toward internationalization.
I feel that there is great potential in holding this race in Hiroshima. Transportation access is excellent, the race venue is in the center of a major city, and there is ample lodging and restaurants. The city also has abundant tourist resources such as the Atomic Bomb Dome, Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, and Miyajima Island, making it a popular destination for tourists, especially those from Europe and the United States.
I myself stopped in Hiroshima two years ago after the Akiyoshidai Trail Race in Yamaguchi. It was my first visit to Hiroshima in about 30 years (since a school excursion in elementary school). What I received was completely different between the feeling of an elementary school student back then and that of an adult today. Personally, I am very glad I went. I hope that those who take part in the trails in Hiroshima will enjoy not only the races but also the sightseeing.
The Mt.Hiei International Trail Run has become a standard event in the Kansai region.
In May 2026, the Mt.Hiei International Trail Run, which has become a staple in the Kansai region, will be held, scheduled for May 7, 2026, two weeks earlier than usual. This event has a very tough course setting with a cumulative elevation of 3700m even for the 50km, which I believe is one of the hardest 50km races in Japan. In addition, the 50-mile and 80-kilometer races in the higher categories have very poor finish rates, usually less than 40%. The women's division in particular has a 20% finish rate, with only about 2 finishers out of 10 entries. 50 miles is said to be very difficult even for sub-3 runners, so I personally would like to invite elite runners from overseas to run this race and experience one of the toughest races in Japan! I am looking forward to seeing you there 😇.
Also, a shorter 23 km (1400 m cumulative elevation) course has been available for a few years now, so the race is becoming good for beginners and casual runners.
The 2026 Race in Asia
Looking overseas, the Vietnam Mountain Marathon, a member of the World Trail Major, is a noteworthy event. 2025 was held in September, and the dates for 2026 have been announced as September 17-20. The average age of Vietnamese runners is younger than that of Japan, and the participating runners and event organizers are very young and energetic. I am positively considering competing here next year. There is an official tour provided by the event, so I think it will be relatively easy to get to the event site.
I am also looking at the JejuInternational Trail to be held on Jeju Island in Korea in April 2026. I became interested in this event after reading a blog that my friend Dai Ando - who is the president of a team in Osaka called Trail Runners Osaka - participated in this April. Jeju Island hosts the TransJeju by UTMB every October, but this race uses a different course. Trail running races held on Jeju are the closest overseas trail races from Japan, so in my opinion, it is a good place to start for first-time international racers. Personally, I recommend running the short 37-km race and then enjoying JejuIsland's famous samgyupsal in the evening.
In March 2026, "XTrail Kenting by UTMB," the first by UTMB race in Taiwan, will be held in Kenting, the southernmost tip of Taiwan. I am also planning to participate in this race, so please look forward to my on-site report. Please note that entries for this race have already been closed for all slots, and with the pre-run successfully held in March 2025, expectations are high for this race. Kending is one of Taiwan's leading resort areas, where visitors can enjoy not only the mountains but also the sea. Another point I have high expectations for this race is that the main street in Kenting is home to a night market, so after the race, participants can enjoy the local Taiwanese atmosphere.
The problem of a series of race and event cancellations due to bear sightings
The number of bear sightings has been increasing in recent years compared to previous years. Especially in the year 2025, sightings are more frequent than before, and as a result, some trail running races in Japan have announced the cancellation of their events one after another.
Bears being in the mountains is not in itself a problem, but recently there have been more and more cases of bears moving into areas where people live. We are particularly strongly concerned about reports in Akita Prefecture.
In Kansai as well, there have been more bear sightings than before. In Kyoto City, there have been cases of bears appearing on university campuses and in residential parks. In the Hokusetsu area of Osaka, where I live, there have been a series of bear sightings over the past few years, not only in the mountains, but also along roads away from the mountains. This situation has caused some of my friends to refrain from practicing trail running alone. This severe situation will probably continue until we enter a full-blown hibernation period.
There are no drastic measures at this time, and the only thing we can do is to continue the steady capture and extermination of bears by hunters. It is expected that more and more conventions and events will be cancelled in the future as a result of bear sightings. On the other hand, the Kyushu area, which is believed to be bear-free, may attract more attention as a venue for trail running races in the future.
Reference Information
Conclusion
With the year 2025 just around the corner and major races for next year being announced one after another, it is now time for short races to become mainstream in Japan for the winter season. This year's GO ASIA TRAIL monthly publication covers information on notable races and challenges faced in 2026.
Kaga Spa, Japan's first UTMB race, has lost momentum compared to the 2025 event in terms of the entry situation, partly due to management issues and the international situation. A new high-profile event is the Hiroshima Trail 2026, which is expected to offer a trail running experience in Hiroshima, a city with rich tourism resources. The Hieizan International Trail Run, which has become a staple in the Kansai region, awaits runners next year with a course known for its rigor. In the Asian region, there are also a number of races that will be of interest. This year, we are definitely looking forward to making inroads into Vietnam.
On the other hand, we are also facing the problem of a series of cancellations of competitions and events due to the appearance of bears. Due to an increase in the number of bear sightings, there is a growing trend to refrain from practicing trail running alone, and this situation is expected to continue in the future. It is possible that areas where bears do not inhabit, such as the Kyushu area, will be the focus of future trail running venues.
As we head into the new year, the world of trail running is about to undergo further changes and challenges.
