TOHOKU FOOD MARATHON 2026
Official Pre-Race Special Tour
Tohoku Food Tourism
Enhance your marathon weekend with an exclusive journey through the heart of Tohoku’s craftsmanship and resilience
April 18 2026
Before you run, discover Tohoku.
Savor history at a sake brewery in Tome.
Experience the story of recovery at Minamisanriku Winery.
Rest and reset your body and mind at a hotel in Minamisanriku.
Then, on race morning, travel together by coach to the starting venue.
https://tohokumarathon.com/en/
This is not just a pre-race stay.
It is the two days to experience the Tohoku Food Marathon as a story.
Why We Created This Tour
The Tohoku Food Marathon is more than a race.
It is an opportunity to run through the food, culture, and recovery of Tohoku — and to feel its spirit with every step.
That is why we created this tour.
So, from the day before the race, you can truly understand what this marathon means.
FOUR EXCLUSIVE EXPERIENCES
On the Official Tohoku Food Marathon Tour
Japanese Sake
at a Historic Brewery in Tome
At Ishikoshi Brewery, enjoy a guided tour and sake tasting.
Learn how rice varieties and polishing ratios shape the flavor, and discover the craftsmanship behind Japanese sake.
On the day before the race, take time to understand the local culture rooted in this land.
When you run after knowing the land, the scenery feels different.
Local Wine and Fresh Seafood
At Minamisanriku Winery, enjoy a wine tasting lunch.
Savor fresh seafood alongside locally crafted wine — a moment to appreciate the blessings of the land and sea.
On the day before the race, experience Tohoku with all five senses.
As you prepare for tomorrow’s start, your mind finds its balance.
Discover Minamisanriku,
a Town of Recovery
Visit the Minamisanriku 311 Memorial and Reconstruction Park, and hear stories from a local guide.
Learn about the earthquake and the new chapter that has followed.
When you stand at the starting line with understanding, it feels different.
Guided by a Sake Tourism Expert
The tour is accompanied by Yuki Kojima, founder of Story of Sake, Ltd., who also speaks fluent English.
More than a visit, he shares the stories behind the sake born in this region.
When you know the stories,
Tohoku feels closer.
Schedule
Day 1 — Saturday, April 18 2026
09:00
Meet at Sendai Station and depart (exact meeting spot to follow)
10:30
Ishikoshi Brewery tour and sake tasting
We visit a sake brewery located in Tome, the very region where the marathon is held.
Through a normally closed-to-public brewery tour and guided tasting comparing different rice varieties and polishing ratios, you will discover how local water, rice, and climate shape the character of sake.
This is an opportunity to taste the land where you will run.
12:45
Local lunch and wine tasting at Minamisanriku Winery
Minamisanriku suffered severe damage during the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
The winery was established as a symbol of recovery and new industry creation.
Over lunch with quality red and white wine, we will reflect on how the town has rebuilt itself and continues to look toward the future.
14:30
Visit Minamisanriku 311 Memorial,
Reconstruction Park, and Sansan Shopping Village (free time)
15:30
3.11 Storytelling tour
Before understanding the present, we must understand what happened here on March 11 2011. By visiting the 311 Memorial and Reconstruction Park, and listening to local storytellers, you will learn both the facts of the disaster and the current state of recovery.
In many ways, the story of Tohoku - especially Miyagi - cannot be told without acknowledging the earthquake. We hope you will witness both the past and the present.
16:45
Check-in at Hotel Kanyo, Minamisanriku
A seaside hot spring resort overlooking Shizugawa Bay.
Enjoy ocean-view rooms, open-air baths fed by 2,000-meter-deep natural hot springs, and the sunrise over the Pacific horizon. We will make sure you as a group will stay in the same room (a group of six or more will likely be split into two rooms).
18:00
Dinner with Japanese sake tasting
Dinner features fresh Sanriku seafood accompanied by local Miyagi sake.
Day 2 — Sunday, April 19, 2026
06:30
Depart hotel (rice-ball breakfast served on board)
07:30
Arrive at marathon venue (Naganuma Futopia Park) — Tour concludes
Tour Overview
Capacity
36 participants max
-
Minimum of 20 participants required. If this minimum number is not met two weeks prior to the tour, we will let you know and refund all the money paid
-
Registration closes once capacity is reached
-
Due to hotel policy, bookings are accepted for parties of two or more only
Price
JPY 60,500 (JPY 55,000 plus 10% consumption tax) p.p.
This tour is almost-all-inclusive and the fee includes:
-
Transportation by private coach
-
Brewery and winery tour with a professional guide (English support available)
-
Lunch at Minamisanriku Winery
-
Storytelling tour (English support available)
-
One-night stay at Hotel Kanyo Minamisanriku
-
Dinner (includes Japanese sake)
-
Light breakfast on the following day
You will only need to open your wallet when you purchase a souvenir or order additional sake/wine at lunch or dinner (which you probably will not have to do).
No cancellation policy is introduced, so you will not be able to cancel your booking and request for refund.
This tour is an official program of the Tohoku Food Marathon, guided by Yuki Ojima, founder of Story of Sake, Ltd, WSET Level 3 Sake
FAQ
Q1. Can I join the tour if I don’t drink alcohol?
Yes, absolutely.
This tour is not just about drinking. It is about discovering the culture, landscape, and recovery stories of Tohoku.
Q2. Is it okay to drink alcohol the day before the race?
Drinking in moderation is completely acceptable!
Q3. How will transportation work on race day?
We will provide transportation by private coach from the hotel to the marathon venue.
You can reach the starting line comfortably and without transportation concerns.
Q4. Can accompanying guests (family members or partners who are not running) join the tour?
Yes, they are welcome to join.
However, as capacity is limited to 36 participants, registration will close once the tour is full.
Q5. Is transportation back to Sendai Station provided after the marathon?
The tour concludes upon arrival at the marathon venue.
For your return journey, please use the official shuttle bus service (no reservation required) as listed on the marathon’s official website, and travel to either:
・Kurikoma-Kogen Station (Shinkansen)
・Semine Station (JR Line)