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JA Kagoshima plays a special role for the UK Ekiden this year as we celebrate the 160th anniversary of the students coming over from Kagoshima to study in London.
160 years ago 19 young students from Kagoshima prefecture – also known as Satsuma – in southern Japan came by ship to the UK to learn about various aspects of the industrial revolution and how it could help Japan prosper too. These men aged 13 to 34 left Japan secretly as foreign travel was still banned at that time and arrived in Japan on 21st June 1865. The anniversary of their landing is literally the day after the UK Ekiden, another reason to celebrate and highlight their fantastic achievement.
We have always been deeply impressed and moved by their feat of achievement, and feel particularly drawn to it as the first place that Anna, UK Ekiden Founder, lived in Japan was the southern point of Kagoshima back in the 90s (Anna was even so impressed by their story that she even gave a speech on it in Japanese 10-years ago at its 150th anniversary). Also, Naomi from our team is from Kagoshima, and a whole range of sponsors and supporters also have links to the prefecture.
This year’s winners’ prizes will be from Kagoshima, a region in Japan with significant historical and cultural ties to the UK.
We will also be including various aspects of Kagoshima culture and information about the students in the race this year.
The prizes will be announced over the coming months. Subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to find out more.