{"id":80,"date":"2008-07-01T19:07:15","date_gmt":"2008-07-01T10:07:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/welcome.city.matsumoto.nagano.jp\/modules\/xpressme\/?p=80"},"modified":"2018-10-20T18:55:47","modified_gmt":"2018-10-20T09:55:47","slug":"heavenly-marathon-in-norikura","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blog.visitmatsumoto.com\/en\/events\/heavenly-marathon-in-norikura\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8220;Heavenly Marathon&#8221; in Norikura"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The &#8216;<strong>Heavenly Marathon<\/strong>&#8216; was held in <strong>Norikura Highlands<\/strong> last Sunday, June 29th.<br \/>\nThe marathon event began just two years ago, but it is getting popular among runners all over Japan since it is a unique summer marathon. Runners run up to an altitude of 2,700m halfway up Mt. Norikura. More than 1,200 runners entered this year.<br \/>\nIt poured last Sunday. So, the course was reduced from 22km (half marathon) to 12km. Runners ran in the severe conditions, getting soaked to the skin. But they enjoyed the event (some of them were even smiling:mrgreen:.)<br clear=\"all\"><br \/>\n<img data-attachment-id=\"176464\" data-permalink=\"http:\/\/blog.visitmatsumoto.com\/en\/events\/heavenly-marathon-in-norikura\/attachment\/normari5\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/blog.visitmatsumoto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/07\/normari5.jpg?fit=280%2C161\" data-orig-size=\"280,161\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"normari5\" data-image-description=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/blog.visitmatsumoto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/07\/normari5.jpg?fit=280%2C161\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/blog.visitmatsumoto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/07\/normari5.jpg?fit=280%2C161\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/visitmatsumoto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/07\/normari5.jpg?resize=280%2C161&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"280\" height=\"161\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-176464\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/> <img data-attachment-id=\"176473\" data-permalink=\"http:\/\/blog.visitmatsumoto.com\/en\/events\/heavenly-marathon-in-norikura\/attachment\/normari2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.visitmatsumoto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/07\/normari2.jpg?fit=233%2C175\" data-orig-size=\"233,175\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"normari2\" data-image-description=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.visitmatsumoto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/07\/normari2.jpg?fit=233%2C175\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.visitmatsumoto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/07\/normari2.jpg?fit=233%2C175\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/visitmatsumoto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/07\/normari2.jpg?resize=233%2C175&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"233\" height=\"175\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-176473\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/> <img data-attachment-id=\"176455\" data-permalink=\"http:\/\/blog.visitmatsumoto.com\/en\/events\/heavenly-marathon-in-norikura\/attachment\/syatl02\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.visitmatsumoto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/07\/syatl02.jpg?fit=215%2C204\" data-orig-size=\"215,204\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"syatl02\" data-image-description=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.visitmatsumoto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/07\/syatl02.jpg?fit=215%2C204\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.visitmatsumoto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/07\/syatl02.jpg?fit=215%2C204\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/visitmatsumoto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/07\/syatl02.jpg?resize=215%2C204&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"215\" height=\"204\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-176455\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><br \/>\nIt is a good and beautiful season to sightsee in Norikura if the weather is not bad. Norikura is famous for snow remaining in summer. There are <strong>6 meter high snow walls<\/strong> on both sides of the road even now.<br \/>\nOn August 31st, another big sporting event called &#8220;<strong>All Japan Norikura Mountain Cycling Race<\/strong>&#8221; will be held. It is the most popular bike hill climb race in Japan and 3,500 cyclists will climb up Norikura Highlands.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sharedaddy sd-sharing-enabled\"><div class=\"robots-nocontent sd-block sd-social sd-social-official sd-sharing\"><div class=\"sd-content\"><ul><li class=\"share-facebook\"><div class=\"fb-share-button\" data-href=\"http:\/\/blog.visitmatsumoto.com\/en\/events\/heavenly-marathon-in-norikura\/\" data-layout=\"button_count\"><\/div><\/li><li class=\"share-twitter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share\" class=\"twitter-share-button\" data-url=\"http:\/\/blog.visitmatsumoto.com\/en\/events\/heavenly-marathon-in-norikura\/\" data-text=\"&quot;Heavenly Marathon&quot; in Norikura\"  >Tweet<\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-end\"><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The &#8216;Heavenly Marathon&#8216; was held in Norikura Highlands last Sunday, June 29th. The marathon event began just two years ago, but it is getting popular among runners all over Japan since it is a unique summer marathon. Runners run up to an altitude of 2,700m halfway up Mt. Norikura. More than 1,200 runners entered this year. It poured last Sunday. So, the course was reduced from 22km (half marathon) to 12km. Runners ran in the severe conditions, getting soaked to the skin. But they enjoyed the event (some of them were even smiling:mrgreen:.) It is a good and beautiful season to sightsee in Norikura if the weather is not bad. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n<div class=\"sharedaddy sd-sharing-enabled\"><div class=\"robots-nocontent sd-block sd-social sd-social-official sd-sharing\"><div class=\"sd-content\"><ul><li class=\"share-facebook\"><div class=\"fb-share-button\" data-href=\"http:\/\/blog.visitmatsumoto.com\/en\/events\/heavenly-marathon-in-norikura\/\" data-layout=\"button_count\"><\/div><\/li><li class=\"share-twitter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share\" class=\"twitter-share-button\" data-url=\"http:\/\/blog.visitmatsumoto.com\/en\/events\/heavenly-marathon-in-norikura\/\" data-text=\"&quot;Heavenly Marathon&quot; in Norikura\"  >Tweet<\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-end\"><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":76144,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"inline_featured_image":false,"spay_email":""},"categories":[2364,2358],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/blog.visitmatsumoto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/normaris-1.jpg?fit=223%2C158","yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v15.9.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>&quot;Heavenly Marathon&quot; in Norikura | Visit Matsumoto<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The &#039;Heavenly Marathon&#039; was held in Norikura Highlands last Sunday, June 29th. 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Norikura to see the snow walls with my family on June 6th. Norikura Echo Line, which is the highest road in Japan at 2,700m, opens in June every year. I drove to Norikura Kogen and from there I caught a special bus for skiers and climbers\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Seasonal Topics&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":16064,"url":"http:\/\/blog.visitmatsumoto.com\/en\/nature\/sumomo-matsuri-plum-blossom-festival-in-norikura\/","url_meta":{"origin":80,"position":1},"title":"Sumomo Matsuri (Plum Blossom Festival) in Norikura","date":"2017.5.22","format":false,"excerpt":"Last Sunday was the 46th annual Sumomo (Plum Blossom) Festival in Norikura Highlands. The festival is held every May in the beautiful Ichinose Enchi area of Norikura to celebrate the coming of spring in the highlands. Every year, the event begins with a blessing ceremony performed by Shinto priests, followed\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Nature&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.visitmatsumoto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/34632069822_34a520b020_k-590x393-1-1.jpg?fit=590%2C393&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":76125,"url":"http:\/\/blog.visitmatsumoto.com\/en\/history\/footy-season-kicks-off\/","url_meta":{"origin":80,"position":2},"title":"Footy season kicks off","date":"2007.4.30","format":false,"excerpt":"Our local boys in green kicked off the holiday season with a disappointing one - nil loss to prefectural rivals Nagano. As runners up in the league to Yamaga last season, this was a big scalp for the orangemen to take, and on balance one they deserved. Yamaga lose their\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;History&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":76132,"url":"http:\/\/blog.visitmatsumoto.com\/en\/seasonal-topics\/were-going-to-win-the-league\/","url_meta":{"origin":80,"position":3},"title":"We're going to win the league","date":"2007.7.8","format":false,"excerpt":"Last home game of the season saw a healthy & boisterous crowd of nearly 6,000 sweat on a two goal half-time lead. A lot of the crowd missed the opening goal in the fourth minute (45 minute walk from Murai station, car park miles away anyone?) when a sweeping move\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Seasonal Topics&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":17192,"url":"http:\/\/blog.visitmatsumoto.com\/en\/seasonal-topics\/catching-the-end-of-fall-in-norikura-highlands\/","url_meta":{"origin":80,"position":4},"title":"Catching the End of Fall in Norikura Highlands","date":"2017.11.7","format":false,"excerpt":"After almost every October weekend was thwarted by typhoons and rainy weather during what is supposed to be the best season to see the fall colors in Norikura, I finally made it on the last week of the month! Though the leaves up in the highlands are pretty much brown\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Nature&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/blog.visitmatsumoto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/24247728278_e9cdc8dfbf_z-590x394-1-1.jpg?fit=590%2C394&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":18081,"url":"http:\/\/blog.visitmatsumoto.com\/en\/nature\/nature-skiing-in-norikuras-ichinose-area\/","url_meta":{"origin":80,"position":5},"title":"Nature Skiing in Norikura's Ichinose Area","date":"2018.1.31","format":false,"excerpt":"A couple of posts ago, I wrote about snowshoeing to the frozen Zengoro Falls in Norikura. This week, I have another snowy Norikura adventure to tell you about: Nature skiing! 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