Deep Japan Ultra in Japan’s Niigata region, roughly 2-3 hours northwest of Tokyo, is rapidly gaining prestige as one of the great challenging events in our series. Managed and directed by experienced Japanese trail runner Hiroaki Matsunaga, DJU again provided a very satisfactory experience for participants, despite the high degree of ‘toughness’ . There’s two long ultras on the programme with the 100 Miles and the 80km, and in particular the ‘Miler’ is a serious test for everyone. Total elevation gain is only just short of 10.000 hm. It caught 4-star Grandmaster Masafumi Yamamoto by surprise once again, and also Hong Kong’s Rachel Chan even had to throw in the towel at km 120.

It’s an event where the locals perhaps have a clearer advantage, just because they know what is coming. Ryota Nakatani won the men’s race in 27h02’. He was followed on the podium by Tatsuya Saguchi and Tomo Ihara. In the women’s race, Yukiko Sawada won comfortably ahead of Ayako Murai and Kiyoko Nakata.

Gediminias Grinius from Lithuania returned to DJU and Niigata after an injury-induced DNF last year, and this time managed to secure race victory in 8h55. The female winner was the same as last year: Miki Saito in 12h14. Honourable mention goes to young Filipino Poy Brillantes who scored a fantastic 3rd place!

On the 100 miles distance, Yuta Matsuyama took a great fourth place. The same for Vietnam's Julia Nguyen Thi Duong in the women's race. Both collect 425 points at DJU, which will help them get qualified for this season's ATM Final at Borneo TMBT on 14 September.

Images courtesy of Dogsorcaravan

Winner on the 100 miles: Ryota Nakatani

Female winner on the 100 miles: Yukiko Sawada

Lithuanian Gediminias Grinius had unfinished business at DJU and took victory on the 80km

Poy Brillantes ran a magnificent race to finish 3rd on the podium in the 80km

Miki Saito won the 80km for the second consecutive year

ATM 2023 Finalist Yuta Matsuyama scored 4th place on the 100 miles

One of this season’s successful newcomers on the Asia Trail Master Championship calendar has already opened registration for next year’s edition. Deep Japan Ultra in Niigata will take place from 21 to 23 June and again feature two points races: 100 miles and 80km. As 2023 proved, Deep Japan Ultra is an event to be taken seriously!

Hiroaki Matsunaga is a very experienced and competitive trail runner in Japan, who on top is very familiar with the international running scene. Almost ten years ago now, he created Echigo Country Trail, but since the corona crisis he focuses his efforts on his new brainchild, Deep Japan Ultra. The event takes place in his native Niigata Prefecture, roughly 2-3 hours by shinkansen northwest of Tokyo. There’s also a few international flights to Niigata city. Visitors not familiar with Japan will experience the real countryside, which often remains unexplored. The host venue is the Mount Asakusa Park. Participants should be prepared for technical mountain trails, which at higher altitudes may still be covered in snow. Especially if you sign up for the 100 miles, do not come unprepared and unfocused. This is not a race to ‘try out’ 100 miles for the first time. The 80 km category has plenty of spice and technicality as well.

Register as soon as you can, because spots are limited. Give yourself time to plan the event, including accommodation and travel, and get yourself ready for a wonderful trail experience next June!

The tough 100 miles race at the Deep Japan Ultra event in Niigata last weekend was won by one of the country’s long-standing trail star Takashi Doi. He was an hour and a half quicker than Saguchi Tatsuya and Taro Ueda. India’s ATM Grandmaster Shashwat Rao took 7th place. The women’s 100 miles went to Hiroko Suzuki, who finished over 3 hours ahead of Rieko Seki. Kaori Asahara claimed the final step on the podium.

The 80km race developed into a nice battle between Satoru Geya and Kazufumi Ose - winner of the 9 Dragons in Hong Kong in 2018. Geya took it in 9h10 minutes, nine minutes ahead. Yosuke Abe was third in 10h21. Tomohiro Mizukoshi was a solid 6th in 11h52. The women’s 80km race saw the victory of Miki Saito in 13h24. Yumiko Ooishi was second 20 minutes later. Chikako Inoue completed the podium.

News from the event came through very late, hence the delay in reporting.

Fans of remote ultra mountain trails will keep a close eye out on Deep Japan Ultra 100 in Niigata as of Friday morning. 100 miles or 80 km ATM points races through and around the Mt Asakusa Park with serious elevation gain (approx 10,000 hm for the 100 miles) and even still snowy sections. This is a miler that will challenge everyone, the brainchild of reputed Japanese trail runner Hiroaki Matsunaga, original founder of Echigo Country Trail (which this year took place with only short distance race categories following heavy flooding last autumn).

The start list shows many ‘big’ Japanese names and also global elite runner Gediminas Grinius from Lithuania, who is becoming an annual visitor to Asian trail races. Grinius logically starts as the race favourite on the 80 km course, even though he will have to deal with strong contenders such as Kazufumi Ose. Also Tomohiro Mizukoshi, well-known contender in all kinds of ATM races since many years, has appeared at ease with the terrain in Niigata, courtesy of his third place in Echigo last year.

A lot of runners are going to give the 100 miles a try in this event. Takashi Doi is one of the big names here. Kei Kukushima and Sota Agawa are other well-known competitors, as is Indian mountain ultra specialist and ATM Grandmaster Shashwat Rao - always a dangerman when he is on his day. Last November, for example, Shashwat won the 100k of Malnad Ultra in 12 hours without any proper sleep the night before.

As everybody knows there’s a lot of fast and strong runners in Japan so we are highly likely going to get to know several new names as well. Some known ATM competitors in the start list are Grandmaster John Eruel Oquino and Mary Ann Leovis from the Philippines and Cao Wei from Singapore.

We are delighted to announce a new Japanese entry in our Asia Trail Master Championship series for this year: Deep Japan Ultra is the latest event by Hiroaki Matsunaga, the original race director of ATM classic Echigo Country Trail and a long-time elite trail runner himself. The 2nd edition of the event in Niigata region on 23-25 June is food for ultra distance runners as the focus is on the 100 miles category. From a purely Asia Trail Master perspective, there is an enticing option for travelling runners of combining Echigo 63k with Deep Japan Ultra 100 miles as both races are expected to take place back-to-back. 

The event’s name already says it: runners will venture deep into Japan’s countryside during the race, far away from the famous megacities and all their glitter. Niigata Prefecture lies to the northwest of Tokyo and north of the Japan Alps. It is premium trail running territory. The 100 miles course has a lot of climbs and descents as you run in a big national park, known for heavy snowfall in winter. No snow in summer, however, as the race takes place at the end of June. Elevation gain is serious: estimated at 10,000 hm! The cut-off time has been set at 46 hours to complete the course. Important: the race start is at 11 am on Friday!

The event venue is the Mountain Inn in Asakusa-Sanso, located in Uonuma City, two hours from Niigata aiport. You can also travel from Tokyo by shinkansen (bullet train), approx 2 hours as well. 

Deep Japan Ultra has a long-term strategy to make the event an internationally renowned event to support the local economy and demographics, needed in Niigata due to the population ageing factor. The team around Hiroaki Matsunaga is also actively engaged in school classroom activities teaching local children and teenages about the virtues of making your living doing things that you love, and how to lead a meaningful life in the mountain countryside of Japan. 

All details and registration can be consulted on the comprehensive website of Deep Japan Ultra, also in English.