Hakone Ekiden Museum, Sports museum in Hakone, Japan.
The Hakone Ekiden Museum documents one of Japan's oldest and most important university relay races. The collection features running uniforms, shoes, photographs, and memorabilia from athletes across more than a century.
The race began in 1920 when Tokyo universities organized a legendary relay run over mountains between Tokyo and Hakone. This event quickly grew into an annual spectacle that inspired similar races across Japan.
The name 'Ekiden' comes from a Japanese relay running tradition. The museum shows how this race became central to university life and student pride across the country.
The museum sits in central Hakone within walking distance of the train station. Plan to spend two to three hours exploring the exhibits and trying the interactive displays.
The museum holds a rare collection of shoes worn during the actual race, many showing the physical wear from runners pushing through their segments. These objects tell stories of human endurance and how athletic equipment changed over decades.
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