[2025 Hirosaki Shirakami Apple Marathon] Race Entry + 2 Nights Stay · Premium Package

Detailed race information and explanations are provided below

Highlights of the 2025 Hirosaki Shirakami Apple Marathon

✨The course starts from Hirosaki City, offering scenic views along the way of the Iwaki River, known as the mother river of Tsugaru, beautiful Mt. Iwaki, and the World Heritage Shirakami Mountain Range.

✨Performances such as the “Mt. Iwaki Climbing Dance” and “Hirosaki Neputa Festival Taiko and Flute” will be held along the route.

✨AED equipment, ambulances, doctors, and nurses will be stationed at water stations and other points to enhance your safety.

2025 Hirosaki Shirakami Apple Marathon

• Event date: 2025/10/05 (Sun)
• Race categories: Full Marathon (42.195K), Half Marathon (21.0975km), 10K

The following is 2024 information for reference only. Actual details are subject to the organizer’s final materials

• Start time: [Full Marathon] 9:00AM [Half Marathon] 9:15AM [10K] 10:00
• Cut-off time: [Full Marathon] 6 hours, 2 cut-off points [Half Marathon] 3 hours

[10K] No cut-off, but the race must be completed within 6 hours

• Eligibility: [Full Marathon, Half Marathon] Participants must be at least 18 years old on race day (high school students are not eligible)  

[10K] High school students and above may participate

• Course route: Morimachi ~ Josei Bridge ~ Iwaki Akane Bridge ~ Iwaki area (Shinyoji, Godai, Kanehira, Nyorai) ~ Higashimeya ~ Nishimeya Village (turnaround) ~ Maeote Plaza 42.195km

※The half marathon is a one-way course (finish line at Nishimeya Village)

• Participation gift: [Full Marathon, Half Marathon] Original bath towel or 2 kg of locally grown rice [10K] Original face towel

   ※The participation gift selection for the full marathon and half marathon cannot be changed after application; if no selection is made, an original bath towel will be provided.

• Pickup time & location: Please collect directly at the venue on your own (for detailed information, please refer to the organizer’s final materials)
• As the half marathon is a one-way course, the organizer will transport participants’ baggage to the finish line. In addition, after the finish, a free shuttle bus will operate to the Otemae venue (travel time approximately 40 minutes), so please confirm your planned bus boarding time when registering. (Bus departure times are 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, and 14:00, but please note that departure and arrival times may change depending on traffic conditions.)

*The above information is for reference only. Actual details are subject to the final itinerary information.

[Course Map, Elevation Map]

*2024 course map for reference

[Start Time]

Full Marathon: 9:00AM

Half Marathon: 9:15AM

10 km: 10:00AM

※Please gather at the start line 10 minutes before the start of each event.

[Time Limits, Cut-off (Checkpoint) Points]

• Full Marathon: Must be completed within 6 hours, with two checkpoints.

1. Approximately 20 km (2 hours 50 minutes / 11:50)
2. Approximately 41 km (5 hours 45 minutes / 14:45)

• Half Marathon: Must be completed within 3 hours, with one checkpoint.

1. Approximately 20 km (2 hours 50 minutes/12:05)

• 10K: No cut-off, but the race must be completed within 6 hours.

[Eligibility]

• Full Marathon, Half Marathon: Participants must be at least 18 years old on race day (high school students are not eligible)
• 10K: High school students and above may participate
• Participants must be able to complete the full marathon within 6 hours and the half marathon within 3 hours. Any participant who cannot pass each checkpoint within the specified time, or who is significantly delayed at a point other than a checkpoint, must immediately stop the race and board a rescue vehicle according to the instructions of race staff.
• The 10K has no checkpoints, but only participants who complete the race within the full marathon time limit are eligible.
• Guide runners for visually impaired participants, etc. are exempt from the entry fee. However, an insurance fee of JPY 200 is required. Please pay it together with the accompanying runner’s entry fee.
• Preschool children, wheelchair users, and those accompanied by pets are not allowed to participate.

[Records and Timing]

• Timing tags will be used for all events. When participating in the race, be sure to tie the tag from your bib to your shoelaces.
• After the race, be sure to return the tag to the collection point. If the tag is not returned, the actual cost will be charged to you.
• If you do not participate, please place your tag in the return envelope or mail it back to the Apple Marathon Secretariat.

[Awards]

Participants placing 1st to 6th in each category will receive a certificate and prize (in the 3 km category, participants placing 1st to 3rd will receive a certificate and prize, while 4th to 6th place will receive a certificate only)

[Participation Gifts] *Actual details are subject to the final itinerary information.

• Full marathon and half marathon participants may choose either an original bath towel or 2 kg of locally grown rice. (Cannot be changed after application)

※If no selection is made, an original bath towel will be provided.

• 10 km runners will receive an original face towel.
• Full marathon participants may enjoy free bathing at Sakura Onsen, and half marathon participants may enjoy free bathing at Fuminosato Shirakami no Yu.

Comfortable hotel options are available for convenient travel to and from the race venue

ART Hotel Hirosaki City *Breakfast included

Address: 1-1-2 Omachi, Hirosaki City, Aomori 036-8004

Stay dates: 2025/10/04, 2025/10/05, total 2 nights

Check-in time: 14:00 PM Check-out time: 11:00 AM

Double Room (Single Occupancy)

Twin Room

Here are some transportation suggestions for your independent trip. Actual traffic conditions are subject to Japan’s announcements on the day, and you may also purchase tickets in advance to avoid limited availability.

• Fly directly from Taiwan to the local airport

At present, there are direct flights from Taipei, Taiwan to Niigata Airport in Japan. You may also check Aomori Airport to find your preferred flight arrangement.

• If there are no flights to Niigata, you may also enter via Hakodate Airport in Hokkaido, Sendai Airport, or Tokyo Haneda Airport.

Hakodate ↔️ Hirosaki, Aomori

Sendai ↔️ Hirosaki, Aomori

Tokyo ↔️ Hirosaki, Aomori

(Source: Amazing Aomori)

Hirosaki Station ↔️ ART Hotel Hirosaki City

The hotel is a 1-minute walk from JR Hirosaki Station.

✨Round-trip shuttle service will be provided for participants on race day (no shuttle service for non-participants). Actual times & locations are subject to the final materials. The following information is for 2024 reference only✨

Shuttle Bus Information

On race day, shuttle buses will run from the temporary parking lot (riverside parking lot) and Hirosaki Station Bus Stop No. 1 to the venue (Hirosaki Civic Hall). Please remember the time you would like to ride.

You must present the shuttle ticket when boarding the shuttle bus on race day. If you do not have a shuttle ticket, you will not be able to board on the day of the event, so if you wish to ride, please be sure to apply for it.

Temporary Parking Lot (Wadamachi and Hinoguchimachi, Hirosaki City)

On the day of the event, free parking will be available on the Iwaki River riverbed. (Maximum capacity: 1,000 vehicles)

As parking spaces are limited, if the lot is full, please make your own arrangements. Please note that parking is not available to the general public other than participants. Please follow the instructions of the parking staff.

It may not be available in severe weather.

The organizer will not be responsible for delays to the start time caused by traffic conditions.

Shuttle buses will operate from the temporary parking lot to the starting area.

We expect the venue to be very crowded on the day, so please be sure to arrive early.

Recommended famous sightseeing spots in Aomori Prefecture to make your independent trip even more enriching

Hirosaki Park (Hirosaki Castle)

This castle was built 400 years ago during the Edo period. It is one of Japan’s premier cherry blossom viewing spots. Due to stone wall repair work, the castle tower was moved within the main castle grounds in October 2015, and it is expected to take more than five years to return it to its original location.

Stroll Through a Historic Town: Shrines and Temples

In the castle town of Hirosaki, shrines and temples were built around the castle. Why not take a leisurely stroll through the ancient city of Hirosaki?

Hirosaki Apple Park - Apple Picking Experience

The orchard has approximately 2,300 apple trees of 80 varieties, and visitors can pick ripe apples themselves to enjoy.

Stroll Through a Romantic Town: Western-style Architecture

With the wave of modernization, Hirosaki City built many distinctive Western-style buildings. Why not take a walk through this nostalgic town with spired Western-style buildings and brick churches?

[Package Includes]

1. Entry to the 2025 Hirosaki Shirakami Apple Marathon (entry type based on your selection).

2. 2 nights at the selected hotel, ART Hotel Hirosaki City (room type based on your selected package).

3. If the event includes participation gifts, etc., all details are subject to the organizer’s final announcement.

[Excluded Expenses]

- Round-trip international airfare is not included.

- Personal passport application fees, some meals, fees for use of other activity facilities, personal expenses, and transportation costs. (Such as beverages, alcohol, laundry, telephone, telegrams, and personal transportation expenses)

※It is recommended that you purchase your own travel insurance additionally (children under 15 cannot be covered by travel insurance according to regulations).

[Cancellation Policy]

Once the event has been booked, cancellations are not allowed. If cancellation is required due to force majeure, please provide the relevant documents and contact AsiaYo customer service for assistance and refund confirmation. AsiaYo customer service hotline: 02-77550575.

AsiaYo Sports Travel Booking Process

1. Book online and submit your order
2. AsiaYo confirms your order within 48 business hours
3. After confirmation, the system will send the "Participant Race Information" form — please complete it before the deadline
4. 5–7 days before check-in, AsiaYo will update your final itinerary details
5. Bring your original passport for hotel check-in and race registration

★Friendly reminder: Race registration and hotel check-in both require identity verification, so please confirm your passport's validity and carry the original with you.

[Visa]

Holders of a Taiwan passport may enter and exit Japan visa-free, but the passport must be valid for more than 6 months and must include the Republic of China national ID number. Holders of foreign passports should check for themselves whether a Japanese visa is required.

[Time Difference]

Japan is in a single time zone nationwide, Greenwich Mean Time (G.M.T.) +9 hours, which is 1 hour ahead of Taiwan time.

[Package Includes]

1. Entry to the 2025 Hirosaki Shirakami Apple Marathon (entry type based on your selection).

2. 2 nights at the selected hotel, ART Hotel Hirosaki City (room type based on your selected package).

3. If the event includes participation gifts, etc., all details are subject to the organizer’s final announcement.

[Excluded Expenses]

- Round-trip international airfare is not included.

- Personal passport application fees, some meals, fees for use of other activity facilities, personal expenses, and transportation costs. (Such as beverages, alcohol, laundry, telephone, telegrams, and personal transportation expenses)

※It is recommended that you purchase your own travel insurance additionally (children under 15 cannot be covered by travel insurance according to regulations).

[Cancellation Policy]

Once the event has been booked, cancellations are not allowed. If cancellation is required due to force majeure, please provide the relevant documents and contact AsiaYo customer service for assistance and refund confirmation. AsiaYo customer service hotline: 02-77550575.

[Hotel Check-in Method]

After your booking is confirmed, on the day of check-in you only need to present your original passport at the hotel front desk to complete check-in smoothly.

[Race Pack Pickup]

① Pick up race materials at the hotel during check-in

② Collect directly at the venue on your own

(Actual race pack pickup information is subject to the organizer’s final announcement)

[Event Rules]

Kilometer markers

• For the full marathon and half marathon, a kilometer marker will be set up every 1 kilometer.

Baggage storage facilities

• Male participants in the full marathon and 10 km race may store their baggage (excluding valuables) at Sasamori Memorial Gymnasium, while female participants may store their baggage at the multipurpose hall of the Tourist Center. In addition, Hirosaki City Hall will also provide baggage storage facilities for the half marathon.
• Please use the transport tag included in the runner bib set.

Changing rooms

• Separate changing rooms for men and women will be available at the race venue.

Parking

• On race day, a free temporary parking lot will be available along the Iwaki River, 2 km from the venue, but spaces are limited. It is expected to be very crowded, so if you plan to use this facility, please arrive early.
• Shuttle bus service is available. Please refer to the details in the content above.

Records and timing

• Timing tags will be used for all events. When participating in the race, be sure to tie the tag from your bib to your shoelaces.
• After the race, be sure to return the tag to the collection point. If the tag is not returned, the actual cost will be charged to you.
• If you do not participate, please place your tag in the return envelope or mail it back to the Apple Marathon Secretariat.

Notes

※The half marathon is a one-way course (finish line at the former Nishimeya Village Office).

1. The checkpoint near the 20 km mark for both the full marathon and half marathon is at the JA Tsugaru Hirosaki Onna branch. Participants who do not pass by 11:50 in the full marathon or by 12:05 in the half marathon will be regarded as having withdrawn from the race. In addition, the full marathon has a checkpoint at the 41 km mark, and participants who do not pass by 2:45 PM will be forced to withdraw from the race.
2. As the half marathon is a one-way course, the organizer will transport participants’ baggage to the finish line. In addition, after the finish, a free shuttle bus will operate to the Otemae venue (travel time approximately 40 minutes), so please confirm your planned bus boarding time when registering. (Bus departure times are 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, and 14:00, but please note that departure and arrival times may change depending on traffic conditions.)
3. Please do not forget to bring your “runner bib set (runner bib, RS tag, baggage tag, program, etc.)” on the day. Please note that if the card is lost, a reissue fee of JPY 2,000 will be charged.
4. If you are unable to participate on the day, you must collect it at the Apple Marathon office in order to receive the participation prize.
5. On race day, a record booklet for all finishers can be purchased at the headquarters tent for JPY 1,000.
6. A temporary parking lot (located by the riverbank) will be available on the day of the event, but the number of spaces is limited. Please cooperate by using public transportation. (Temporary parking is free)
7. Please gather at the start line 10 minutes before the start of each event.
8. Changing rooms and baggage storage services will be provided, but please be sure to keep your valuables with you. In addition, baggage storage for the half marathon will be set up at Hirosaki City Hall. When checking baggage, be sure to attach the baggage tag (distributed in advance).
9. Please note that personal tents are not allowed.
10. When registering, please enter your estimated time or your actual results from the past five years (all races).
11. An intermediate timing mat will be set after the turnaround point of the full marathon. Please note that participants who do not pass it will not be eligible for awards. In addition, athletes who fail to pass the checkpoints, withdraw from any event, or are stopped from participating by a doctor will not receive a record certificate.

Application terms

• After the application is submitted, changes to the event category, participation gift, cancellation, or name changes are not allowed.
• No one other than the applicant may falsify age or gender or participate. If any information is found to be falsified, the participant’s eligibility and awards will be revoked.
• No refunds will be given for the above items 1 and 2, or for overpayment or duplicate payment.
• If the organizer cancels the event on the day due to earthquakes, windstorms, floods, or other reasons, or if the event is canceled after registration, the participation fee will not be refunded.
• Participants must follow all instructions from the organizer regarding safety management and race management, including instructions to stop the race when the organizer determines that continuing the race is obstructed, or instructions to temporarily suspend the race due to traffic conditions.
• Accidents and injuries occurring during the event will be compensated within the scope of the insurance purchased by the organizer. In addition, you will not hold the organizer responsible for methods, procedures, etc.
• The rights to any videos, photos, articles, records, etc. of the event published on television, magazines, the internet, and other media belong to the organizer. (Usage rights belong to the organizer.)
• Participants’ personal information will only be used for mailing materials, prizes, and providing information from the organizer.
• Drone photography and other such activities are prohibited at the race venue and on the course.
• If the race is canceled, we will contact you by email.

[Race Assembly and Related Information]

All details are subject to the final itinerary information and the organizer’s announcements.