'Hakone Ekiden', College Students' Long-Distance Relay Road Race

I went to Hodogaya Station to see College student's Ekiden Race. It is one of the most popular sport events in Japan. Twenty university teams participate in the race every year including one mixed team which consists of ten runners from different universities which are not qualified in the race.

On January 2, the race starts from the head office of Yomiuri Shimbun, a newspaper company which is in the city center of Tokyo and finishes at Hakone which is famous as a sightseeing spot. The distance from the start to the goal is 108.0 km(67.12miles). The course is divided into five relays. On Jan. 3, sixth runners start from Hakone and tenth runners finish the goal line in front of Yomiuri Shimbun.

Each runner is accompanied by police motorcycles. Hodogaya is in the second(1st day) and the ninth (2nd day) relays. The ninth runner of Toyo University is leading the race.

On the side walk near Hodogaya Station, taiko drummers are cheering the whole race.

After I saw all of the 20 runners around Hodogaya Station, I drove to the Nihonbashi area which is close to the finish line.

The tenth runner of Komazawa University is heading for the goal. Komazawa came in second.

On the side walk of the Nihonbashi area, the cheering group of Nippon Sport Science University are chanting their runner.  
The race finished with Toyo University's overwhelming lead to Komazawa University.