trailrunners.jp

Trail Runners Cup Nara

location_on

Nara, Nara, Japan

calendar_today 08 Mar, 2026

directions_run Running

sell $35.00

About the Event

Experience a world-class "travel run" at the Trail Runners Cup Nara 2026, held on Sunday, March 8. This is not just a race; it is an exclusive invitation to traverse the Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Designed by pro runner Hiroaki Matsunaga to be Japan's most accessible trail event, the course welcomes athletes from age 3 to elite, offering a perfect seasonal warm-up in the soft spring sunshine of Nara Park.

The 2026 route features a rare opening of Mount Wakakusa. Usually closed to the public during this season, the mountain provides a stunning 342m vantage point with panoramic views of Todai-ji Temple and the city’s iconic sika deer. The descent plunges you into the Kasugayama Primeval Forest, a sacred woodland preserved for over a millennium. With well-maintained hiking trails and manageable elevation, it is the ideal environment for those looking to transition from road running to the mountains.

Races Offered

8km

Mar 08, 2026

straighten

Distance — 8K

terrain

Type — Running

timer

09:30

sell

$35.00

4km

Mar 08, 2026

straighten

Distance — 4K

terrain

Type — Running

timer

13:00

sell

$35.00

Weather Overview

These values represent the 3-year monthly averages for March in Nara.

Temp (°C)

Feels Like (°C)

thermostat 4.6° / 14.0°

wb_sunny 1.7° / 10.9°

Wind (km/h)

Humidity (%)

air 8.8 /

water_drop 72.6%

Temp (°C)

Feels Like (°C)

Wind (km/h)

Humidity (%)

thermostat 4.6° / 14.0°

wb_sunny 1.7° / 10.9°

air 8.8 km/h

water_drop 72.6%

About Nara

Learn more about the host city, Nara.

Nara (奈良市) is an ancient capital city in Nara Prefecture, Kansai region of Japan. Overshadowed by its more famous neighbor Kyoto, Nara is omitted from many a time-pressed tourist's itinerary. However, Nara is home to many important scenic and historical sites, and today preserves its main sights much more attractively than Kyoto within Nara Park and neighborhoods like Naramachi. In addition to lovely foliage and many old buildings, Nara Park is famous for deer—hundreds of them that have become very comfortable around people and can be fed and petted.