With views of Edo Period architecture, stunning foliage and the gleaming Marunouchi skyline, the 5-kilometer route that snakes around the Imperial Palace attracts thousands of runners each morning, wearing down the tread of their running shoes and working up a sweat as they keep pace around the beloved running track and mainstay of the Tokyo running scene. But recently, the circuit, a rarity in the bustling capital given its close proximity to the central business district and long stretches unbroken by traffic lights, has made headlines for the wrong reasons. Angry commenters have argued on social media that runners pose a safety concern, particularly as more tourists congest the pathway.
With more tourists around, and families with kids or elderly folks walking on what’s supposed to be an ordinary sidewalk, it’s pretty dangerous having runners zooming by one after another at a decent clip,” wrote one user on X in a post that has attracted 8,400 likes.
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