running in japan while on holiday

I'm holidaying in Japan for 2 weeks in Sept. When on holidays i love to bring my runners and head out for an early run from the hotel/ guesthouse. Are there any cultural sensitivities i need to be aware of running in athletic gear in urban areas or urban parks? and is anyone aware of any particularly senic running routes. Many thanks. Orla

I don't know where you are staying, but the sidewalk around the Imperial Palace in Tokyo is popular among runners/joggers. So popular that there have been some, um, bad encounters among joggers and just pedestrians that now they have a rule that joggers need to run counter-clockwise, and that you are not to blog the sidewalk, do not get in the way of pedestrians :) One round is 5km, so a good run, right?

Hi there,

If you a running in a loop, e.g. around the imperial garden (as posted above a nice 5 km loop) or around a small lake, just run counter-clockwise - This is the international "standard", put not practiced as strict anywhere else as here in Japan (except for a track), e.g. around the imperial garden where it is not allowed to run in the opposite direction.

If you stay in Tokyo, there is also a large group of international runners meeting every Wednesday at 7.30pm for some intervals, you can read more here www.namban.org

Please let us know where you are staying in Japan so we can guide you better.

Many thanks for the above information,

I'm staying in Sinjuku in Tokyo, near the trainstation in Hiroshima, central Kyoto, and Kinosaki. It seems like i can run to less dense areas in all those places except tokyo, but anti-clockwise around the place sounds very pleasant.

thank's for the info on the interval running,

Orla

If you stay in Shinjuku while being in Tokyo - I suggest that you run in Yoyogi park, this is likely the most visited park in Tokyo. There are many runners, and again counter-clockwise. If you go in the weekend the park will be extremely crowded.

Have a nice trip.