The Unyielding Spirit of Shizo Kanakuri: Father of Japanese Marathon

The Birth of an Olympic Tradition

The Olympic marathon, traditionally the final event of the athletics program, holds a special place in the hearts of sports enthusiasts worldwide. This tradition began in 1896, with Greek runner Spyridon Louis winning the first modern Olympic marathon in Athens with a time of 2 hours, 58 minutes, and 50 seconds. The race started in the town of Marathon and ended at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, covering a distance of approximately 40 kilometers. However, it wasn’t until the 1908 London Olympics that the standard marathon distance of 26 miles and 385 yards (approximately 42.195 kilometers) was established. This distance was officially adopted at the 1924 Paris Olympics.

Introducing the Marathon to Japan

Shizo Kanakuri, born in 1891 in Tamana, Kumamoto Prefecture, is credited with introducing the marathon to Japan. The seventh child in a family of eight, Kanakuri was named “Shizo” because his father was 43 years old at the time of his birth. As a young boy, Kanakuri was frail and frequently ill. However, his health improved when he began running to and from school, a daily 12-kilometer journey through mountainous terrain. This routine laid the foundation for his marathon career.