50th Anniversary of the Oshima Bridge Opening: 41st Southern Seto Oshima Road Race

Suo-Oshima, Japan

Sunday, February 7, 2027

Choose your distance

Half Marathon· €16

Distance

21.1km

Start Time

10:00

Cutoff

2:50 (checkpoint at approx 10.5km at 1:30, closes 11:30; checkpoint at approx 18.5km at 2:30, closes 12:30)

Terrain

Road

Difficulty

Beginner

Max Runners

2,300

Overview

The Southern Seto Oshima Road Race is staged on Suo-Oshima, an island in the Seto Inland Sea, and the 41st edition doubles as the 50th anniversary celebration of the Oshima Bridge opening. Under the catchphrase of sea, green and sun, runners follow fully paved, officially certified roads with the sea breeze alongside them and the coastal view changing moment by moment. Half marathon, 10km, 5km and 2km races all start and finish at the Suo-Oshima Town Athletics Stadium, with the shorter distances setting off first and the half marathon last. The field is capped at 2,300 runners, and because athlete bibs with timing chips, participation prizes and programmes are mailed out in advance, there is no registration desk on race day.

Certified road course along the Seto Inland Sea coast
Sea breeze, greenery and sunshine on the island of Suo-Oshima
Start and finish at the Suo-Oshima Town Athletics Stadium
41st edition, marking the 50th anniversary of the Oshima Bridge opening

The practical side

Qualification

JAAF (Japan Association of Athletics Federations) athlete registration is required only for the JAAF-registered divisions; general divisions are open without registration.

Start / Finish

Start

Suo-Oshima Town Athletics Stadium

Finish

Suo-Oshima Town Athletics Stadium

Terrain

Fully paved road on Suo-Oshima, an officially certified course with the sea breeze off the Seto Inland Sea.

Route

Starts and finishes at the Suo-Oshima Town Athletics Stadium. Checkpoints sit at approximately 10.5km and approximately 18.5km.

Getting There

Public buses run between 9:00 and 10:00 AM. Warm-up on public roads is dangerous and should be avoided; please warm up inside the athletics stadium or on the surrounding grounds.

Race Day

Opening ceremony from 9:20. Starts at 10:00 (half marathon), 10:40 (10km), 10:50 (5km) and 10:10 (2km). Athlete bibs, prizes and programmes are mailed in advance so no registration desk operates on the day. The arena of the general gymnasium is closed for major renovation and cannot be used as a waiting area; nearby Higashiwa Elementary School is being opened instead. The baggage storage point is set up in front of the training room entrance of the general gymnasium.

Good to know

What to bring

Athlete bib with timing chip (must be brought on race day; a spare bib without chip costs 1,000 yen if forgotten)

What you get

Finisher t-shirt

Finisher certificate

Chip timing

Participation prize: T-shirt, mikan oranges, lucky draw prize

Timing chip bib mailed to participants in advance

Record certificate and web record certificate

Record booklet

Sports accident insurance arranged by the organiser

Programme mailed with the bib

Food after the finishMikan (mandarin oranges) are handed out to participants.

PrizesBy late January, participants are sent an athlete bib with timing chip, the participation prize and the programme. The timing chip does not need to be returned. Please be sure to bring the chip-equipped bib on the day.

On the day

Food vendors

Merchandise

Marshals on course

ParkingTraffic restrictions around the venue start at 9:30 AM. Parking areas and roads are expected to be very congested, so please allow plenty of time and come by car sharing as much as possible. The course is closed to vehicles until 1:00 PM; joining or entering the course by vehicle from local roads or roadside stations (including temporary crossings) is strictly prohibited.

Public transportPublic buses run between 9:00 and 10:00 AM. Warm-up on public roads is dangerous and should be avoided; please warm up inside the athletics stadium or on the surrounding grounds.

AccessibilityWheelchairs are not permitted. Runners who find it difficult to run alone may be accompanied by one guide runner, whom they must arrange themselves before entering. The organiser supplies the guide runner's bib if contacted by 7 December 2026.

Bag dropThe athletics stadium and general gymnasium open at 7:30 AM. Because the general gymnasium is under renovation, only the baggage storage area is available this year; a nearby elementary school gymnasium is planned to be opened.

Aid stationsHalf marathon 3.4 km [National Route 437, mountain-side parking] (also 10 km division, 3.4 km) · Half marathon 9.3 km [near Zushigahama bus stop] · Half marathon 15.4 km [near Kanoura Onoike] · Half marathon 16.8 km [National Route 437, mountain-side parking] (also 10 km division, 5.5 km)

Before you enter

RefundsNo refunds. Registration details cannot be changed (including event changes) and entries cannot be cancelled for personal reasons. Overpayments and duplicate payments are not refunded. If the event is cancelled due to earthquake, storm or flood damage, snow, incident, accident or an epidemic, entry fees are not refunded at all.

TransfersEntry transfer is supported through RUNNET's Yuzureru service, with transfer entry open from 00:00 on 9 September 2026 to 23:59 on 9 December 2026.

Bad weatherThe race is cancelled if the organiser judges that conditions carry danger, with notice posted on the event website by the evening of the previous day.

Time limitThe half marathon has a limit of 2 hours 50 minutes with checkpoints at about 10.5km (1 hour 30 minutes, closing 11:30) and about 18.5km (2 hours 30 minutes, closing 12:30). The 10km limit is 1 hour 30 minutes, the 5km is 40 minutes and the 2km is 20 minutes.

€16

per person · entry fee

Suo-Oshima, Japan

Sunday, February 7, 2027

Qualification required: JAAF (Japan Association of Athletics Federations) athlete registration is required only for the JAAF-registered divisions; general divisions are open without registration.

Oshima District Sports Association, Chugoku Shimbun Bocho Headquarters, KRY Yamaguchi Broadcasting, Suo-Oshima Town Board of Education, Oshima District Athletics Association

View organiser page →

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€16

entry fee

50th Anniversary of the Oshima Bridge Opening: 41st Southern Seto Oshima Road Race

Overview

The practical side

Good to know

When does entry open and close?

Is there race day registration?

What happens if I forget my bib on race day?

Do I need to be a registered athlete to take part?

Can I pass my entry on to someone else?

€16

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