Hatsumōde (first shrine visit of the year), osechi (celebratory feast) and Hakone Ekiden (what some people call the greatest race on earth): These are three of the Japanese New Year’s traditions that have stood the test of time.
For many Japanese people, Hakone Ekiden — the long-distance road relay from central Tokyo to the foothills of Mount Fuji and back — has become an essential part of oshōgatsu (New Year’s) and tens of millions of people tune in yearly to watch young men on university teams run, often in freezing temperatures.
Every year on Jan. 2 and 3, Hakone Ekiden brings millions of fans across Japan to a standstill. Even people who normally don’t care about running care about Hakone Ekiden.