Overview

The moment you leave the city center, another Hiroshima rises: ridgelines folding into the horizon, deep forest, mountain shrines, and rivers braiding their way to the sea. Between the peaks, your route passes through country towns, and from the high ground the view opens over Hiroshima Bay — islands scattered near and far across the Seto Inland Sea. Few ultras start and finish in the heart of a great city — here you run from the streets straight into the mountains, and back. This is a city that chose to rebuild as a place of peace, and the run carries that spirit, returning along the Peace Line, the axis that joins the Cenotaph to the A-bomb Dome.

On the Occasion of Hiroshima Ultra-Trail by UTMB®

It is my great pleasure to celebrate the inaugural Hiroshima Ultra-Trail by UTMB®, part of the UTMB World Series, which offers trail runners from around the world a pathway to the pinnacle of the sport. On behalf of Hiroshima Prefecture, I extend a warm welcome to everyone joining us from across Japan and around the world.

Hiroshima Prefecture is blessed with the beautiful Seto Inland Sea, the rich natural landscapes of the Chugoku Mountains, traditional performing arts passed down through generations, and a diverse culinary culture. It is also a unique region where the convenience of urban life exists in close harmony with abundant nature.

Hiroshima is also home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Atomic Bomb Dome and Itsukushima Shinto Shrine, which welcome many visitors from Japan and overseas each year. The course of Hiroshima Ultra-Trail by UTMB® brings together this history, nature, and the everyday life of our communities, offering an experience that can only be found here in Hiroshima.

I hope all participants will take the opportunity to fully experience the many attractions of Hiroshima. At the same time, as this is a demanding event lasting many hours, I encourage everyone to take great care of their health and safety and to make the most of the results of their training.

Finally, I sincerely hope that this event will provide a valuable opportunity for athletes, organizers, volunteers, and everyone involved to build friendships and deepen connections with one another. I wish Hiroshima Ultra-Trail by UTMB® every success, and all participants a safe and rewarding race.

August 4, 2026

Mika Yokota
Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture

Hello everyone. I am Kazumi Matsui, Mayor of Hiroshima.
In April 2027, the UTMB® World Series, an international trail running race series, will come to Hiroshima.

Hiroshima is home to places such as the Atomic Bomb Dome and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, where we can share our hopes for peace with people around the world. Just beyond the city lies a remarkable trail network surrounded by the beautiful islands of the Seto Inland Sea and abundant nature. Few places in the world offer such a unique setting where the city and nature are so closely connected, allowing visitors to experience mountains, sea, and islands all in one place.

These trails have been developed and cared for through the dedication and passion of local residents and many others over the years. I am extremely proud that this wonderful legacy will now be introduced to people from around the world.

I hope that all runners will fully enjoy the natural beauty of Hiroshima, while also taking the opportunity to experience the history of this city and the enduring commitment to peace that we hope to pass on to future generations.

Kazumi Matsui
Mayor of Hiroshima city

I also hope that this event will bring new energy to our communities and create a valuable opportunity to share the many attractions of Hiroshima with the world.
Hiroshima is a city that supports those who take on challenges and warmly welcomes those who visit.

We sincerely look forward to welcoming runners from around the world.
See you at Hiroshima Ultra-Trail by UTMB®

Join us for the first-ever Hiroshima Ultra-Trail by UTMB® — and discover an iconic city that welcomes runners from Japan and around the world.

Hiroshima is a city that embodies its message of peace to the world and has overcome great hardship, rebuilding itself through the strength of its people. Hiroshima’s journey mirrors the spirit of trail running itself — continually moving forward, one step at a time, in the face of challenge.

Through this race, you'll experience the full richness of Hiroshima with every step: beautiful mountains, stunning views of the Seto Inland Sea, history, culture, and the warmth of its people.

Hiroshima is easily accessible from within Japan and overseas, making it an ideal destination for an international trail running trip. Before or after your race, explore our World Heritage sites and the islands of the Seto Inland Sea, and experience the history and culture unique to this region. A rich food culture — oysters, okonomiyaki, and more — along with the bounty of the area and some of the best sake Japan has to offer, will add color to your journey.

The connections you make here will become treasures of their own. Runners gathered from around the world, local residents, volunteers, and staff — the friendships and memories you build along the way are part of what makes this race unforgettable.

More than just a race, Hiroshima Ultra-Trail by UTMB® will be an experience that stays with you long after you cross the finish line. Come not just to run, but to immerse yourself in the culture of Hiroshima, get to know its people, and discover why so many fall in love with this unique city.

Every runner who takes on this challenge will help write the history of this race, and this is a chance to be part of the very first chapter.

We look forward, with all our hearts, to welcoming you here in Hiroshima.

Hiroshima Ultra-Trail by UTMB®
Race Organizer, Mitsukuni Bunyu

I feel truly honored and deeply proud to welcome the UTMB World Series to my hometown of Hiroshima.

I set out to design a course I've designed that lets you experience what makes Hiroshima Hiroshima to the fullest. Starting and finishing in downtown Hiroshima, the route seamlessly connects the city and the mountains in a way that I'm confident is genuinely unique, both in Japan and internationally.

The 100K weaves between city and mountain, letting runners feel the everyday rhythm of life in Hiroshima while facing steep, demanding climbs and descents — a course that will truly test you. The 50K distills the best of Hiroshima's trails into one satisfying route. The 25K is designed so that even beginners can take on the challenge with confidence and aim for a strong finish. In every category, runners will be treated to beautiful views of the Hiroshima cityscape and the Seto Inland Sea from the summits and viewpoints along the course.

I ran UTMB myself in 2024, and I was deeply moved by the sense of unity among athletes — crossing lines of gender, age, nationality, and culture — all moving toward a single goal.

If this race can become a stage that connects not just runner to runner, but Hiroshima to the world, and if the time spent here allows even a small chance to reflect on what peace truly means, there would be no greater joy for me as Course Director of Hiroshima Ultra-Trail by UTMB®.

I look forward to sharing the mountains I run with my friends and training partners with trail runners from Japan and around the world.

Hiroshima Ultra-Trail by UTMB® Course Director
Shigeyuki Oda

The Hiroshima Wangan Trail, a 293.8-kilometer loop surrounding Hiroshima—an internationally recognized City of Peace—offers spectacular views of the countless islands scattered across Hiroshima Bay and the Seto Inland Sea.

The journey began in June 2013 with a simple but ambitious vision: “Let’s create a long-distance trail in Hiroshima.”
Together with fellow mountain enthusiasts who shared this dream, we established the Long Trail Research Group and began researching, surveying, developing, and maintaining the trail. Three years later, in April 2016, the Hiroshima Wangan Trail Council was established. Today, the Council has grown into a network of approximately 2,000 people across 30 organizations as of March 31, 2025.

At the heart of the Hiroshima Wangan Trail is one guiding principle:
“A trail of the people, by the people, for the people.”

Our mission is to transform Hiroshima’s vast and underutilized mountain resources into a sustainable long-distance trail. Through the dedication of volunteers and support from donations, we continuously maintain and preserve the trail so that hikers and trail runners can enjoy it safely and with confidence at any time.
By encouraging people to walk and run these trails, we hope to contribute to healthier lives and greater well-being.

Beyond recreation, we also aim to make the trail a valuable asset for the wider community. By welcoming trail running events and other activities organized by local governments, businesses, and organizations, the Hiroshima Wangan Trail can contribute to regional development, tourism, and the sustainable use of our mountain environments.

Built upon the spirit of the Hiroshima Wangan Trail, Hiroshima Ultra-Trail by UTMB® represents an “All Hiroshima” effort—a trail running event created by trail runners, for trail runners and the local community.

Together, we will continue to develop this event and pursue our next great ambition: establishing Hiroshima as the home of one of the world’s leading international trail running events.

With that vision before us, we will continue moving forward, one step at a time.

Hiroki Tagawa
Chairman Hiroshima Wangan Trail Council

Hiroshima Wangan Trail Official Website
hiroshima-wangantrail.jp⁠