The season’s first great university relay starts on the approach to Japan’s oldest shrine, and finishes at a dome across the plain.
Overview
The Izumo Ekiden is one of the three major university relay races in Japan, alongside the Hakone Ekiden in January and the All-Japan University Ekiden in November. Founded in 1989 and organised by Izumo City with the student athletics federation, it opens the collegiate relay season each October.
For a visitor it is an unusual way to see the region: the course runs from the great shrine at Izumo across open countryside to the Izumo Dome, and the roadside is lined with local supporters all the way.
When and where
The race is held every year on Sports Day, the second Monday of October, which in 2026 falls on 12 October. The 2026 edition is the 38th, and the organisers have moved the start earlier – around 09:10 – as a heat measure, the first morning start since 2000.
Start: the approach to Izumo Taisha. Finish: Izumo Dome.
Getting there
Izumo Airport has flights from Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka and sits about 30 minutes from the shrine by bus. By train, take the Ichibata line from Matsue to Izumo Taisha-mae, or JR to Izumoshi and a bus from there. Roads on the course close on race morning, so use rail and buses.
What to expect
Six legs, elite student runners, and a shrine town in festival mood.
- Six legs run point to point from Izumo Taisha to the Izumo Dome
- An opening ceremony at Izumo City Hall the day before, with team introductions
- A closing ceremony and prize-giving inside the Izumo Dome
- Izumo Taisha itself, with its enormous straw rope, open as usual
- National television coverage, so start-area crowds build early
Tickets and admission
Free to watch anywhere along the road. No ticket is needed at the start or the finish. If you want to run rather than watch, this is an invitational student race, not an open event.
Tips for visitors
Watch the start at the shrine, then go into Izumo Taisha while the field is out on the course – the grounds are unusually quiet during the race. Try the local Izumo soba, served cold in stacked lacquer boxes, at one of the shops along the approach. Sports Day is a public holiday, so book accommodation early.
Access and map
| Dates | 12 October 2026 (Sports Day) |
|---|---|
| Venue | Izumo Taisha to Izumo Dome, Izumo, Shimane |
| Access | Ichibata line to Izumo Taisha-mae, or bus from Izumo Airport |
| Admission | Free to spectate |
| Official site | Izumo Ekiden |
Source: Izumo Ekiden official site
Image: Photo: 663highland / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5
