HIROSHIMA TRAIL 2026

Hiroshima Trail 50K – Race Review

The Hiroshima Trail 50K is a demanding mid-distance ultra set on the Hiroshima Bay Shore Trail, offering a unique blend of mountain terrain and urban proximity 🏔️🏙️ The course covers roughly 50km with around 2,900m of elevation gain, making it a serious physical and mental test despite its “low mountain” profile!

The route is characterized by relentless climbing and descending rather than sustained high-altitude exposure. Runners face constant elevation changes, technical sections, and minimal rhythm, which adds to the difficulty. The terrain varies between forest trails, ridgelines, and sections that literally pass through residential and urban areas, creating a distinctive “city-meets-mountains” trail experience 🌲

Aid stations are spaced out, requiring runners to be relatively self-sufficient in terms of nutrition and hydration 🥤 Mandatory gear is strictly enforced, reflecting the race’s emphasis on safety and preparedness in unpredictable mountain conditions.

The race has a generous but challenging cutoff time of around 12.5 hours, pushing competitors to maintain steady progress across the course ⏱️ While not at extreme altitude, the cumulative climbing and technical terrain make it a tough course that should not be underestimated!

Personally, I finished 4th overall in 6:42:22 and was really happy with both my own effort and the experience. As my first ultra trail race in Japan, it was an incredible introduction to the scene and a proper test across all aspects of trail running 🏃

Overall, the Hiroshima Trail 50K stands out as a well-organized, physically and mentally demanding race that combines accessibility with genuine trail running difficulty, making it a strong option for runners looking to step into or test themselves at the ultra-distance level in Japan!🎌