Current Status and Movements of the Forest Use of Trail Running in Japan

Arising User Conflicts and Runners’ Responses

Abstract

This paper provides a full picture of the current status and movements of the forest use of trail running in Japan, based on interviews with the runners who lead its popularization and conflict resolution with other users. Trail running has become popular in Japan since the 2000s as a new type of recreational use of forests, reflecting the massive information available on trail running resulting from conducting major races, the steep increase in the number of runners due to the increase in marathons and fitness trends, and the growing trend of outdoor recreation, especially among the middle-aged population. However, trail running was also subjected to a lot of criticism by hikers, conservationists, and landowners, who pointed out the potential accidents and environmental damage that could take place from the sudden increase in the numbers of trail runners and races. These conflicts resulted in some of the current restrictive regulations toward the forest use for trail running, such as “Rules for Using Nature Parks” issued by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in 2015. To efficiently handle these conflicts, many leaders of trail runners shared the need for runners’ unified cooperation, and founded the Japan Trail Runners Association to spread awareness among the trail runners and secure their social status. In addition, multiple projects, such as conducting trail running races and tours as well as renewing or maintaining trails, have been carried out by these leading runners through their strong collaboration with the local governments and communities suffering from declining populations in the rural mountain areas to support the local revitalization.