Tokyo Women Running - Fashion Fever

Running, as a means of getting out the ‘message’ has been around Toykyo, at least since the Edo Period (1603-1864) when it was common for urgent mail to be delivered by sprinters or hikyaku (meaning flying legs). While the Japanese first participated in the Olympics in 1912, it wasn’t until very recently that strenuous activity i.e. running is being equated with health, beauty, and power for WOMEN.

It is reported that more than 280,000 Japanese run twice a week with a growing number of those being women under the age of 45. Many of these women runners take part in corporate marathon groups hitting the city streets in clans of 10 or more to foster female sociability. When these women get together it is not for health alone, in fact, it is more about the latest running fashion, feeling beautiful, and releasing stress.

No brand has capitalized on Tokyo’s running fashion fever more than Asics with their creed to “make Japanese feet go faster.” In Ginza district Asics makes customized running shoes to match exact physical needs of the wearer (sic). This store, in particular accommodates their throng of women runners with lockers, changing rooms, and showers.

A popular Japanese women’s magazine Anan has watched,in the last year, the trend shift from sex being the avenue in which to attain and maintain a beautiful body to health and empowerment being gained by strenuous exercise. Anan’s recent headline article “The Quickest Way to Beauty is to Sweat” reinforces their readers need to accessorize their exercise, because you wouldn’t be caught running in Tokyo without the latest in women’s running fashion gear!

With the outrageous popularity of the Tokyo Marathon this year…some 80, 000 applicants for 30,000 spots and the rising number of public running events (currently around 2,000) there is no doubt running fever across the globe.

• Currently 3.0/5 Stars.