Record 24,000 visitors attend combined half marathon, Hawaiian Fest at Sagami Depot

SAGAMI GENERAL DEPOT, Japan - More than 24,000 people were here April 28 for a long-distance run and open-post Hawaiian Festival, the largest crowd since the installation began hosting the combined event in 2013.

The 28th annual East Japan International Friendship Half Marathon preceded the Hawaiian Festival, with ideal weather and the start of Japan's "Golden Week" holiday likely contributing to the record-high attendance.

During opening remarks, Col. Marcus Hunter, commander of U.S. Army Garrison Japan, welcomed runners, supporters and spectators, and other guests to the event.

"This is a great time to be able to share this base, and the military community has a lot of fun being able to share a fun event, music and great food with [our] Japanese neighbors," he said.

Hunter highlighted other recent Army-hosted events, including last month's Cherry Blossom Festival at Camp Zama and a youth event held at a shared athletic complex in Sagamihara City that helped bring the two communities together.

"[These events] really help the community understand how important our relationships are and the strength of our Japan-U.S. alliance," Hunter said. "We want to be good neighbors."

The USAG Japan team and Camp Zama's Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation planned for months to provide a safe venue for the combined event, Hunter said.

"It takes a lot of work and a lot of behind-the-scenes [effort] so that everything goes smoothly," he said. "I am very appreciative of everyone's hard work."

Wataru Sato, a junior at Oberlin University in Machida, Japan, was a second-year participant in the half marathon. He placed fourth in the run in his division last year and improved to take first place this year.

Sato usually trains with teammates by running outside the perimeter of Sagami Depot, so getting to run on the installation is a privilege and hopes to continue in the coming years, he said.

"It's a special occasion for me to be able to run on a U.S. installation," Sato said. "I really enjoyed running with a variety of runners, and especially that I won this time."

Adjacent to the running area, the Hawaiian Festival, which Camp Zama's Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation hosted, was simultaneously held for visitors.

The event included several cultural dance performances from different local groups, live music from the Guam National Guard's 721st Army Band, a variety of food and beverages, and children's activities throughout the day.

Ayaka Nagai was a first-time visitor to the Hawaiian Festival and a U.S. military installation and said she didn't know what to expect. She said she was determined to attend after missing Camp Zama's Cherry Blossom Festival in April.

"After I saw a lot of people picnicking and enjoying good food and good music in a wide-open space, I started enjoying myself," Nagai said. "I can't wait for the next open-post event."

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