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Each year, the team at the UK Ekiden pick a Japanese prefecture to introduce new regions of Japan to UK audiences.
This year, we are shining a light on Ishikawa Prefecture, a hidden gem on Japan’s western coast known for its rich traditions, beautiful landscapes and incredible craftsmanship.
Famous for its deep-rooted artisanal heritage, Ishikawa Prefecture is home to generations of makers whose skills have been carefully preserved and passed down over centuries. From fine woodwork to intricate decorative arts, craftsmanship here is not just a practice, it’s a way of life.
This year’s event reflects that connection, with runners joining us from Ishikawa, prizes sourced from the region, and a specially commissioned poem created by a local community, featured on the reverse of our medals.
We are honoured that the wood used for this year’s Runners’ (corporate and community sponsored teams) trophy comes from a beam from the house of Kaede Oumi, in a town called Iida in Ishikawa Prefecture, continuing a meaningful tradition following last year’s Racers’ (university teams) trophy, which used wood sourced from Kagoshima.
Kaede-san works at NPO GAXO, the company that runs Home For All projects in Iida, and we are incredibly grateful to them both for their support and generosity. We invited the team at GAXO to also compose the poem for the back of the Year 3 medals:
With the wind and snow
Words become the passing sash
As we weave the spring
The intention is to reflect a sense of awe toward nature in the opening, and with “passing sash,” to evoke the passage of time and a fleeting quality of life. They also noted that the phrasing “As we weave the spring” is intentionally slightly longer and feels somewhat extended to suggest a sense of incompleteness or being mid-journey…
These stories reflect the connections, people and places we want to celebrate through the UK Ekiden.
True to the spirit of ekiden, this has been a team effort far beyond race day. With the support of Klein Dytham Architecture, we were able to source the wood and bring it to Tokyo, a process that reflects what the UK Ekiden is all about.
It’s not just a team race; everything behind the event is built on teamwork.
In January 2024, Ishikawa Prefecture was struck by a devastating earthquake that caused widespread damage. Recovery has been long and complex, and many artisan communities are still rebuilding.
The day after the earthquake, the difficult decision was made to go ahead with the 100th Hakone Ekiden. For many, these two moments became deeply intertwined.
At the UK Ekiden, we felt that connection strongly. We know this was a life-changing event for so many, and that recovery takes time. Following our inaugural race in June 2024, we made a donation to support recovery efforts in the Noto Peninsula.
This year, we continue our support by making Home For All our chosen Japanese charity partner. The charity was set up by Pritzker Prize Laureate, Toyo Ito, and was created to help communities recover after earthquakes and natural disasters by building welcoming communal spaces where local residents can gather, connect and rebuild together.
The organisation currently has six projects underway across the peninsula, and the UK Ekiden’s charity contribution this year will support the second project, based in Iida, helping to create outside decking.
We are also incredibly grateful to Mayumi Tachikawa of Wajoy, who is originally from Ishikawa Prefecture.
Mayumi has played a key role in helping us connect with the region — from sourcing the much-loved local snack, the famous Beaver rice crackers, to facilitating our initial donation supporting craftspeople affected by the earthquake.
This year’s event is not only about competition. It is about standing alongside communities, celebrating craftsmanship, and supporting recovery from afar. From the UK, we are cheering on Ishikawa Prefecture every step of the way.