| This Japanese mountain resort town offers history, and a volcano By Shannon Lough |
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| Photos: Courtesy Karuizawa Half Marathon |
| Organized road races in Japan are special. I remember onlookers cheering us on from the sidelines with words of encouragement like “ganbatte” (do your best) and “fight,” while taiko drummers beat an energetic pace into the throng of runners. After finishing my first half-marathon, instead of a medal, I was handed a bag containing miso (fermented soybean paste) and veggies procured from local farmers. Japan was where I discovered long distance running, and where I experienced my most memorable races. For Canadians travelling to Japan amid a weakening yen, there is one race I suggest adding to the itinerary: the Karuizawa Half Marathon, held every year on the third Sunday in May. The town is a blend of traditional Japanese and Western influences. Its first vacation home was built by Alexander Croft Shaw, a Canadian Anglican minister, in 1888, and has become a cool mountain getaway, especially during Tokyo’s summer heat. John Lennon and Yoko Ono spent a few summers in the area, and the places they frequented are featured on the Go Nagano tourism site. |
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| I ran the Karuizawa Half Marathon twice, and recall running through the historic-meets-modern resort framed by towering trees, vibrant new-growth greenery and the occasional view of puffing Mount Asama, an active volcano. While Karuizawa sits at 1,000 metres of altitude, surrounded by mountains, the route is mostly flat, with only 28 metres of elevation. At the start, 5,500 runners meet at the Karuizawa Prince Hotel Ski Resort parking lot for opening ceremonies. Most come dressed in the race shirt (which is often brightly coloured) with the motto “Run, Green Run” in English on the front. In the first 5 km, the sea of runners funnels through the centre of the resort town, Kyu-Karuizawa. Now full of shops, bakeries and restaurants, from 1603 to 1868 it was a post town that provided postal services, lodging and supplies along the Nakasendo road, which connected the imperial capital, Kyoto (where the emperor resided), the shogun capital Edo (now Tokyo), where the military headquarters and political power were based. |
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| The course leads runners south to quiet neighbourhoods, then east toward rural farmland. Due to the elevation and climate, Nagano Prefecture is known for growing lettuce, cabbage, rice, apples, soba and miso. The turnaround point is at Naka-Karuizawa railway station, around 12 km in. Then, it’s a partial out-and-back for a few kilometres and 300 metres of unpaved road to test the legs. The final stretch is a direct route back to the ski resort. At the finish, runners are rewarded with that year’s graphic-designed towel. I still have mine, as well as my pink “Run, Green Run” race shirt. Food trucks welcome hungry runners with typical festival fare, such as wagyu beef skewers, karage (fried chicken), furi furi potato (spiced fries) and kakigori (shaved ice). Beyond their stalls, the region is full of culinary options—like Stamina Taro, the restaurant with an all-you-can-eat yakiniku (grilled meat) buffet that I dove into after my race. |
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| While in the region, stay in a traditional ryokan with tatami straw flooring and futon bedding. To ease sore muscles, dip into natural hot springs at Hoshino Onsen Tombo-no-yu. Once recovered, walk or bus to the Usui Pass Observation Platform at 1,200 metres and experience the full mountainscape and Mount Asama. |
| DESTINATION Karuizawa, Japan |
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