Return of the Queens — All Japan University Women's Ekiden 2026 Review

For two years in a row, the Sendai skies were grey and gloomy as the starter's pistol cracked, signalling the start of the All Japan University Women's Ekiden.

Low-hanging clouds and drizzle can dampen the roadside mood. However, as the vibrantly coloured pack wended its way out of the stadium and onto the main thoroughfare, attention soon shifted from the weather to the promise of another fascinating Ekiden story about to unfold on the streets of the City of Trees.

There were several major storylines going into the 2026 edition. Could last year's surprise champions, Josai University, go back-to-back, especially after a DNF at the regional qualifier just weeks earlier? Could Daito Bunka and their golden generation of fourth-years finally shake off the "silver collectors" tag that had hung around their necks for so long, having finished second 11 times in 15 appearances without ever claiming the top spot? And how would the previously dominant forces of Meijo and Ritsumeikan universities respond to their recent disappointments?

On October 25, 2026, we found out.

Return of the Queens: Meijo Back on Top

For much of the past decade, Meijo University were virtually untouchable in Sendai, winning an astonishing seven consecutive titles between 2017 and 2023. But things haven't been quite so straightforward in recent years. Fourth place in 2024 was followed by third in 2025, and while those are hardly results to be ashamed of, for a university so accustomed to winning, it must have felt rather strange.

Long-serving coach Katsuro Yoneda had spoken openly about the team losing some of the hunger and discipline that had made them so successful. But interestingly, it seems that the arrival of a new generation of runners helped turn things around. While some of the older athletes had apparently become reluctant even to talk about winning, the first-years were enthusiastically telling their seniors, "Let's win this together!" And it seems that some of that youthful confidence rubbed off.

On race day, "super rookie" Airi Mashiba, fresh out of powerhouse Nagano Higashi High School, got things off to a flying start with an excellent second-place finish on the opening leg. Third-year Nozomi Kondo then took over, moving into the lead and setting a new leg record in the process. Rather wonderfully, Nozomi had no idea she'd broken the record until the reporter mentioned it during her post-race interview. Her surprised reaction, 「え！知らなかった」 ("What? I didn't know!"), was one of those little moments that make Ekiden such a joy to follow.

And the first-years weren't finished yet. Mao Kimura won the fifth leg, extending Meijo's advantage even further. By the finish, all six runners had placed in the top three on their respective legs, and Meijo had reclaimed their title in a new course record.

After a couple of years away from the top step of the podium, Meijo were back. And with two first-years playing such an important role, you can't help wondering whether they'll be sticking around for a while.

Another Silver for a Golden Generation

Over the past 12 months, I've found myself, at fleeting moments, wondering how Daito Bunka's Mariya Noda was doing.

Ever since she burst onto the scene as a pint-sized first-year, memorably outsprinting a much bigger Ritsumeikan runner on the final leg to snatch second place for Daito Bunka, Mariya has been one of the university's standout runners, alongside the extraordinary talent that is Sarah Wanjiru, also now a fourth-year.

Little did she know that second place would become something of a recurring theme throughout her university career.

Last year, with Mariya once again entrusted with the final leg, Daito Bunka looked set to claim their first-ever title. But in a cruel twist, Josai University's inspired captain, Hinata Kaneko, came charging through to overtake her in the final kilometre, condemning Daito Bunka to yet another second-place finish. I sometimes wonder whether Mariya can look at a sunflower, or even that particular shade of yellow, without remembering the moment Josai's colours swept past her.

It's an awful lot of pressure for a young athlete to carry, and there was a real now-or-never feeling going into her final Morinomiyako Ekiden, the race's affectionate nickname, meaning "City of Trees Ekiden", after Sendai's own nickname.

But once again, it wasn't to be. Mariya anchored Daito Bunka home to another silver, the university's twelfth second-place finish in sixteen appearances.

Daito Bunka's is a remarkable story. I struggle to think of anything quite like it elsewhere in sport. Given the unpredictable nature of Ekiden, maintaining that level of consistency, year after year, is an extraordinary achievement in itself.

I can only hope that Mariya and her teammates don't look back on these years as a failure. There's so much to be proud of, even if the one thing they wanted most remained tantalisingly out of reach.

Four Fresh Faces and a Farewell

Juntendo University's star has been on the rise in recent years, thanks in no small part to the brilliance of Airi Tajima, who holds the Japanese university 1,500 m record and won both the 1,500 m and 5,000 m titles at this year's Japan Intercollegiate Championships.

But while Meijo's return to the top and Daito Bunka's latest near miss grabbed most of the headlines, Juntendo quietly made a little history of their own. After narrowly missing out on a seeded place with ninth last year, they finished fifth this time around, securing their first-ever seed. Only the top eight universities are guaranteed a place in the following year's race, with everyone else having to earn their spot again through regional qualification.

There was something rather fitting about their team selection, too. With Airi (1st leg) approaching the end of her university career, alongside fellow fourth-year Shiori Ishigami (6th leg), Juntendo entrusted the four legs between them to four first-years.

Two departing seniors bookending a new generation of runners. And the youngsters certainly didn't disappoint, with Mitsuki Fujitani producing a particularly impressive second-place finish on the third leg.

Another of those first-years, Kokone Ito, first caught my attention at a Nittaidai time trial in late September, when she took off at the front of a 5,000 m race and never looked back, winning by the best part of 24 seconds. A month later, there she was in Sendai, entrusted with the longest and arguably most demanding leg of the race.

Losing runners of Airi and Shiori's calibre will leave big shoes to fill, but with four first-years already gaining experience on one of Japan's biggest Ekiden stages, there's plenty for Juntendo to look forward to. One chapter may be closing, but another is already well underway.

Twists, Turns and Surprises

Of course, no Ekiden would be complete without a few twists, turns and surprises.

There was a wonderfully controlled performance from Teikyo University of Science's Sayo Imanishi, who bided her time before breaking clear to win the opening leg, securing the university's first-ever leg victory in the competition's history.

Defending champions Josai, meanwhile, made a dreadful start, slipping as low as 15th before clawing their way back to a remarkable third place, helped by two consecutive leg victories along the way.

And then there was Ritsumeikan. Once one of the dominant forces in women's university Ekiden, the 11-time champions finished ninth, just 30 seconds behind Osaka Gakuin. That narrow margin brought an extraordinary run of 24 consecutive seeded finishes to an end, stretching all the way back to the introduction of the system in 2002.

For the first time in nearly a quarter of a century, Ritsumeikan will have to earn their place in Sendai through regional qualification.

It's these unexpected performances, dramatic recoveries and occasionally painful disappointments that make university women's Ekiden such a fascinating sport to follow. You can have all the predictions and form guides in the world, but once the runners take to the streets, there's no telling quite how the story will unfold.

Next stop for university women's Ekiden is the Fuji-san Women's Ekiden on December 30, the end-of-year climax to the season. Daito Bunka will be desperate to finally capture that elusive crown, while Meijo are looking increasingly difficult to topple. And you certainly can't count out a wounded Ritsumeikan or a fast-rising Juntendo.

The fascinating circus that is women's Ekiden continues.