Barefoot Running groups in Japan growing rapidly!

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Barefoot Running groups in Japan growing rapidly!
By Yoshi

This is Barefoot Yoshi. Sorry I haven't really posted anything for Japan chapter. There are a lot going on here for barefoot community in Japan.

Now we have 3 barefoot running clubs, Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka.

Tokyo has about 120 members, and now we started training with another regular running club who wants to try barefoot. So we get about 50-60 people every time. We train every Monday starting 7pm mainly at Oda Track & Field or sometime at Yoyogi Park near Harajuku station.

There is a trail event on July 1st. I just name is Barefoot party. Anyone is welcome. We run beautiful Tokyo trail (there are some beautiful trails just outside of Tokyo city). About 12-20km depending on your level. Then head to Hot spring then party!

Fukuoka running club started a month ago but they already got nearly 100 members. They practice at Ohori Park, central Fukuoka City. They get about 20 people for practices. They practice 1st and 3rd Tuesday at 8pm and 2nd Sunday morning at 9am.

Osaka Running Club just started a few weeks ago and has about 50 members. Their practice schedule is not fixed. http://www.facebook.com/hadashirunningOSAKA is their group. Their next practice is June 23rd starting 2pm at Osakajo Koen. They meet at Morinomiya JR station. They only had one practice so far and got about 15 people. There is also a Barefoot Party in Kobe. July 29th. We'll run Rokkosan trail. After the trail run, we head to spa and then party!

Also we are going on a minimalism camp in Yamanashi. This is a must come event if you are in Japan and love barefoot. We'll do some farm work and cook meal with fresh vegetables. We go climbing on Yatsugatake, very beautiful place. Then stay in a very old traditional Japanese style of house and sleep on the ground with sleeping bag. The camp is from July 17th-19th. The bus leaves from Shinjuku, Tokyo.

If you can read Japanese, all the information can be found at www.hadashirunning.jp.
 
Wow! That kind of adoption rate can only mean one thing: the japanese culture must be really open to barefoot walking/running and it's not such a big deal as in some other places.

I wished we had that kind of openness here in Mexico. (sigh)

Congratulations on your community growth!
 
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