Hokkaido Marathon 2026 runners race through Sapporo Campus

On Sunday, August 30, the Hokkaido Marathon 2026 brought runners from Japan and around the world through Hokkaido University’s Sapporo Campus. With temperatures forecast to reach 23°C, the weather was relatively mild for late August as thousands of runners took part in the race. A total of 21,474 runners registered for the full marathon.

Water station in front of the Hokkaido University Museum

At around the 38-kilometer mark, runners entered Sapporo Campus for the final stretch of the race. They made their way along the tree-lined Main Street, passing the statue of Dr. William S. Clark on their right before continuing through the shade of the Central Lawn. From there, they exited through the South Gate—the former main gate of Sapporo Agricultural College—and headed toward the finish line at Odori Park.

Runners making their way through Sapporo Campus at the South Gate

Sapporo Campus has been part of the Hokkaido Marathon course since 2009. This year, many spectators once again gathered on campus, encouraging the runners with warm cheers as they made their way through the final kilometers of the race.

The Hokkaido Marathon 2026 was broadcast live on UHB (Hokkaido Cultural Broadcasting Co., Ltd.) and BS FUJI (FUJI SATELLITE BROADCASTING, INC.).

From left to right: men’s winner Jin Yuasa, runner-up Ken Tansho, and third-place finisher Masato Arao

Photos by Public Relations Division
Based on the original Japanese article published by the Public Relations Division:
https://www.hokudai.ac.jp/news/2026/08/2026-4.html