Features of the Ibusuki Nanohana Marathon
articipants enjoy warm hospitality from local residents, whose work to host the marathon is guided by the slogan “Best Hospitality in Japan.”
The most appealing aspect of the event is residents’ warm support and hospitality. This aspect of the race has been fostered by Ibusuki over its more than 40 iterations. Rapeseed blossoms planted with the cooperation of residents starting in mid October are just one way that the city extends its hospitality to welcome runners.
Along the course you’ll find bonito belly skin, a delicacy for which Ibusuki is famous, along with sweet potatoes and other fare provided by residents, while at the finish line you’ll find chabushi, a dish combining miso, tea and fish soup for which the Port of Yamagawa is famous, along with warm udon and soba noodles, azuki bean soup, rice balls, steamed sweet potatoes, and other fare, ensuring that you’ll go home with a warm feeling in both your heart and your stomach.
Providing encouragement for runners along the course are unique forms of support, music from taiko drums and bands, and other performances. Runners enjoy a festival-like atmosphere that befits the first race of the year.
Course Features
A yellow sea of rapeseed blossoms carpets the Ibusuki Nanohana Marathon route. Traveling along the Ibusuki Road with its rapeseed blossoms in full bloom, runners pass the various picturesque sights of Ibusuki, including Lake Ikeda, the largest lake in Kyushu; Mt. Kaimon, which is often described as the “Satsuma Fuji”; Nagasakibana, the southernmost point on the Satsuma Peninsula; Port of Yamagawa, which is known for its production of dried bonito shavings; and Natural Sunamushi Hot Spring, a famous Ibusuki destination.The course has some steep sections, but the race’s eight-hour time limit is the longest of any marathon in Japan, making it easy for even first-time marathoners to participate.
Lake Ikeda Fun Run
For runners who find the prospect of a full marathon difficult, the Lake Ikeda Fun Run is held at the same time with the finish line at Lake Ikeda, where rapeseed blossoms, Lake Ikeda, and Mt. Kaimon combine in a beautiful landscape. A limited number of spots are available. Participants enjoy running the same picturesque route as the full marathon course up until about the 12 kilometer point.
Tourist Information
After the race, soothe your fatigue in luxurious hot spring waters and at Sunamushi Hot Spring, a famous destination where you can “bathe” in sand.
Ibusuki’s hot springs serve as the backdrop to the Ibusuki Nanohana Marathon, and the area has been known as a spa since Medieval times.
Written accounts dating from the Sengoku period in the 16th century, when history was shaped by samurai warriors, mention Sunamushi Hot Spring, attesting to the fact that the hot springs of Ibusuki have soothed the fatigue of many since ancient times.
Most hot springs in the area contain sodium chloride. The therapeutic properties of such springs include relaxing the muscles and healing scratches. Sunamushi Hot Spring, which is said to offer four times the health benefits of an ordinary hot spring, is one of Ibusuki’s most famous destinations. Consider an overnight stay at one of Ibusuki’s hot spring inns before or after the race to soothe your fatigue before heading home.
Enjoy Ibusuki’s cuisine
Ibusuki and Kagoshima Prefecture produce a significant amount of food that contributes to Japan’s rich culinary culture. The area is the largest producer of numerous types of food, making it a veritable treasure house of agricultural products like broad beans and snap peas, seafood like bonito landed at the Port of Yamagawa, and meat like Kurobuta Pork and Kuroushi Beef. There’s no better way to prepare for the race than enjoying the area’s delicious cuisine!
Enjoy sightseeing or a sports camp.
In addition to being blessed with a warm climate throughout the year, Ibusuki, which lies at the southernmost point of Japan’s main islands, has distinct seasons. In summertime, Ibusuki welcomes tourists with aloha shirts as an “aloha town,” and people flock to the area during hot spring season in spring and fall, too.
Ibusuki is also home to numerous sports facilities accommodating soccer, baseball, and indoor sports, attracting many visitors who participate in sports camps and similar programs. Enjoy the appeal of Ibusuki not only during the Nanohana Marathon, but throughout the year as well.
