Sports have strengthened bonds among people since ancient times, so as in Kyoto.
We offer you an opportunity to take part in an online marathon together with people around the world and you can find yourself as if you had run the course in Kyoto for real.
More than 1,000 years ago, the nobles in Kyoto enjoyed doing Kemari. It is a non-competitive sport where several players cooperate to keep one ball in the air by juggling it together in the group, using their body parts except arms and hands like some people practice doing so with a soccer ball. At present, Kemari is still performed in its original manner and costumes at some shrines, and you can enjoy the essence of the sport in those times.
Today, there are so many different kinds of sports in the world. Some have a long history, but others date back only a few decades or less. Despite the differences, there is one truth that any sport has a power to unite people including athletes, their families, spectators, supporters and staff etc.
However, the spread of COVID-19 has taken opportunities away from us to participate in sport events. Therefore, we have decided to provide you with an event where we can take part together, which we hope will promote our solidarity in this global crisis.
Kyoto will hold the “Online Kyoto Marathon 2021” in which you can participate from anywhere in the world. The rules are simple. You are required to download an application from https://runnet.jp/smpapp/tatta/ and run 42.195km within a month from Jan, 23 to Feb. 21, 2021 using the application.Click here for English “how-to” TATTA guide.
The accomplished runners will receive a video certificate (an original short movie for each runner in accordance with the runner’s running time) issued by Kyoto Marathon Executive Committee, and some original gifts which are optional. We hope that those items will remind you of solidarity with people across the world and you will visit Kyoto yourself again one day.
Currently, Kyoto is in a difficult situation financially due to the COVID-19 pandemic like any other cities in the world. The number of tourists to Kyoto has fallen by 99.8% in July, 2020 compared to that of the previous year. We would appreciate it very much if you could show your kindness by donating to the City of Kyoto. It will be a great help for us to get through the difficulties.
Let’s run together the “Online Kyoto Marathon 2021”! Your support to the City of Kyoto by your entry to the marathon and/or a donation is also highly appreciated.
