Marathoners Enjoy Running at Kushiro Airport in Rare Race on Runway

The Yomiuri Shimbun

19:17 JST, July 2, 2025

KUSHIRO, Hokkaido — A race was held at Kushiro Airport in Kushiro, Hokkaido, on June 14, with about 500 people running on the runway in the early morning. It was the first such event in the prefecture.

The 10-kilometer loop course included a 2,500-meter-long runway with a width of 45 meters. The race kicked off at 4:30 a.m., when no flights were landing or departing. Shrouded by the sea fog that is distinctive to Kushiro, the participants appeared to be enjoying themselves as they ran, with some spreading their arms like wings on the runway and the taxiways rimmed by shining lights.

A 30-year-old elementary school teacher from Sapporo broke her personal record.

“It was a special feeling to run on the runway, which you can’t step on normally. The fog was fantastic, too,” she said contently.

Such races held at airports are very rare in this country. The Kushiro event came to fruition after various preparations, such as employees of Hokkaido Airports Co. observing a similar event at Aso Kumamoto Airport in Kumamoto Prefecture.