From the disaster to the recovery and up to the present,
I would like to express my gratitude to the people and communities both in Japan and abroad who have reached out to me.

The theme of the Kobe Marathon is “Thanks & Friendship”.
Of course, you can run for yourself, but
More than that, I aim to run a marathon for people.
At the root of this concept is a feeling of "friendship" and "community".

The appearance of Hyogo and Kobe that achieved creative reconstruction,
The action of providing the experiences and lessons of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake to victims around the world
It is based on the idea that all people are friends and share joys and sorrows.

Also, the desire to entertain visitors to Hyogo and Kobe
It arises from the consciousness of "companion" and "community".
Furthermore, in the marathon, "runners" and "supporters"
There is an aspect of sharing the joy of finishing the race and achieving goals.
People you don't know can become friends.
Making the power of the marathon even bigger,
I would like to make this a marathon to send cheers to the people and regions that have been severely damaged by the disaster.

The year 2025 marks 30 years since the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake.
Even now, 30 years after the earthquake, the events of that day are still deeply etched in the memories of many people.
The KOBE MARATHON 2025 will pay tribute to those who lost their lives in the earthquake disaster,
as a place to look back on the progress towards recovery and weave hope for the future,
in addition, we will pass on the experience of the earthquake to the next generation.
We hope to further strengthen the bonds between the local community.

The sight of runners reaching the finish line as a symbol of hope
I believe it will give courage and energy to many people.