SAPPORO - A running event featuring a Super Mario-themed course will be held on Japan's northern main island of Hokkaido in the fall, its first edition in Japan following similar events in Taiwan and Hong Kong.
The Sept. 13 race, titled "Super Mario: Run to the Goal in Hokkaido 2026," will feature a 2.5-kilometer course inside and around Sapporo's Daiwa House Premist Dome, with music from the Super Mario video game franchise playing along the route, organizer Doshin EC Inc. said.
Photo spots where runners can pose with Mario and other characters will be available along the course, and organizers are planning a surprise event at the finish area.
As part of their runner's pack perks, participants will receive limited-edition T-shirts, caps, towels and commemorative medals. Exclusive merchandise will also be available for purchase.
Entries are limited to 6,000 runners, with applications accepted on a first-come, first-served basis from Friday via the event's official website. The fee is 6,600 yen ($41) for junior high school students and above, and 5,500 yen for children from 3 years old through elementary school age.
Admission tickets to the event, which will also include mini-game corners for small children and a Nintendo Switch 2 hands-on experience to try out the game console, are available for visitors who wish to attend without participating in the run.
Since debuting with its first game in 1985, Nintendo Co.'s Super Mario franchise, featuring its iconic plumber protagonist, has grown into one of the world's most popular video game series, with a new animated film released in April.
