How Do Locals Feel About a Hakone Ekiden Without Fans? Thoughts of a Community Leader in a Town on Hakone Course

by Mika TokairinHeld every Jan. 2 and 3, the Hakone Ekiden has become a bona fide New Year's tradition. The town of Miyanoshita on the steepest part of the winding mountain roads that make up the legendary Fifth and Sixth Stages has become famous for its massive crowds cheering "Miyanoshita style," chanting individual athletes' names in call-and-response form instead of their university's name.