all streets shibuya

A local guide made by walking

A track-and-field athlete
runs Shibuya’s streets

Vol.11 Ryoji Tatezawa(Track and field athlete.)

2023.03.21

It is the epicenter of culture and the apogee of fashion. But how does such a town like Shibuya compare through the eyes of an athlete? A fixture in middle- and long-distance track and field, he has dominated the 1500m at the Japan National Championships three times. During his days at Tokai University, he clinched their first overall championship in the Hakone Ekiden, and is the holder of the 6th section record, an accolade that has remained with him to this day. Time to take a leisurely run through Shibuya Ward with Ryoji Tatezawa, who has his sights set on the Olympics and World Championships. A store with his favorite apparel for victory, state-of-the-art training facilities, gourmet treats for fleeting moments, and a great spot for jogging. The roads run by athletes at DeNA which is based in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, may lead to the world's grandest of stages.

A run in Shibuya
starts from Gorin-bashi Bridge.

“The 2024 Olympics in Paris and the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo. Running the 1500m at these two events will be the pinnacle of my track and field career, and this is an important year for me to win the right to compete.”
　With these determined words, DeNA Athletics Elite member Ryuji Tatezawa kicked off his jog with a spring in his step. Departing from the Harajuku Gate of Yoyogi Park, we crossed the aptly named Gorin Bridge (Olympic Bridge) spanning the railroad tracks, in the direction of Harajuku. “I visit Shibuya on a regular basis, not only because of DeNA’s head office, but also because of a treatment center I trust. It's by no means an easy city to run fast in, but it sure is a great place to take a break."

Praying for victory near
Takeshita-dori and Hypoxic Training

“The first place I wanted to visit was the Tōgō Shrine. I am the type of person who lives by routine, but I'm not one to make wishes or carry around good luck charms. But I heard that this is particularly effective in terms of praying for luck, so I wanted to visit the shrine for the year ahead. There's this lottery called "Golden Victory", shall I give it a try?　Don't be nervous ...... Yay, great luck!　It says, 'There will be competitors, so you must move ahead of the pack in everything.' Sounds like a prediction for the race, ha ha!
　In addition to secluded shrines near Takeshita-dori, there is a state-of-the-art training facility, the RUNNING SCIENCE LAB. Hypoxic training, in which oxygen levels are adjusted to resemble a high-altitude environment, is said to be remarkably effective.
"Hypoxic training facilities are rare in Tokyo, so I run for an hour once a week at most. It is also nice to be able to try on the latest shoes, and I decided to wear the shoes I currently use in races after testing how they felt here”

The clothes and threads
that make a top runner

“If you go to Meiji-dori , you will find "Goldwin Harajuku," the actual store of the uniform supplier. When I run, my rib cage expands, so it is crucial to have a comfortable fit that can handle the contraction. Goldwin is the first place where I have felt that my time can be improved by my uniform.”
　If you head through the Shibuya Station area where DeNA is located and continue on to the back of Shibuya, you will find an area familiar to Tatezawa, who has been going to a treatment center in Yoyogi-Hachiman for many years.

“I usually try to be moderate, but occasionally I'll have some cheat days. That's when I come to 418 Kamiyama. I love hamburgers, and I look forward to them most when I eat on overseas trips. The burgers here have an American flavor, and the avocado cheeseburger is exquisitely balanced!

Running every day
focused on the world

“Running near "Oda Field" reminds me of the days when I trained here. It is like a sacred place where runners congregate. After returning to Yoyogi Park and running clockwise around the central square, I finished at the Harajuku Gate. In all, the course is about 5 km long. The point is to finish with a nice run through the lush green park."
　Tatezawa, who runs more than 20 km every day, was never out of breath and remained cool as a cucumber throughout the run. When it comes to races, however, he's a top athlete with an appealing, passionate running style. Finally, we asked him about his future goals.
“I started training for the 1500m because I thought it would be shorter to run than long distance, but it is a truly profound discipline that combines the best of both long and short distances. The difference between my personal best (3:38.35) and the Japanese record is less than 3 seconds. First and foremost, I want to break the Japanese record and grab a ticket to the Olympics or the World Championships. It would be a great honor for me as a competitor if people think of Tatezawa as "Japan's 1500m champion" or that "1500m is exciting".

At 418KAMIYAMA, Tatezawa usually orders the
Avocado cheeseburger and lemonade.

List

1
Tōgō Shrine
Shibuya-ku, Jingumae 1-5-3
☎︎03-3403-3591

Official Web↗

Tōgō Heihachirō, who led Japan to victory in the Russo-Japanese War, is enshrined as the "God of Victory and Sincerity." There is also a garden with a pond and a circular garden with lush greenery.

2
RUNNING SCIENCE LAB
Shibuya-ku, Jingumae 4-24-23-102
☎︎03-6447-2293

Official Web↗
@rslab.tokyo

Touting itself as "the gym with the world's highest rate of personal bests," it offers services based on sports science for everyone from beginners to top runners.

3
Goldwin Harajuku
Shibuya-ku Jingumae 6-10-12
Official Web↗
@goldwin_harajuku

Opened in 2020 as the third directly managed store worldwide. The store offers a full range of items for trekking and skiing as well as running.

4
418KAMIYAMA
Kamiyama-cho, Shibuya-ku 4-18
☎︎03-5790-9901

Official Web↗
@418kamiyama

An orthodox hamburger shop run by a proprietor who has lived in the U.S. for a long time. Two types of buns: regular and brioche.

5
Oda Field
Jinnan, Shibuya-ku 2-3-1
☎︎03-5478-0714

Athletic field in Yoyogi Park. The 400m track is easy to run on, and there are several free open days each month. Locker rooms and shower rooms are also available.

6
Yoyogi Park
2-1 Yoyogi-Kamizonocho, Shibuya-ku
☎︎03-3469-6081

Official Web↗

Along with the Imperial Palace, it is one of the two most popular running spots in Tokyo. The secret to its popularity is that you can run in an environment surrounded by greenery, away from the hustle and bustle of Harajuku.

Profile

Ryoji Tatezawa

Born 1997, in Kanagawa Prefecture. Track and field athlete. Started his career as an athlete at a track and field club in Yokohama, and ran well in the national high school Ekiden when he was a student at Saitama Sakae High School. After entering Tokai University, he ran well in the Hakone Ekiden in his junior year, coming in second place in the fourth section and contributing to the club's first overall victory. In his senior year, he set a new record for the 6th section, and still holds the sectional record to this day. He also won the sectional prize at the All-Japan University Ekiden for three consecutive years. He has distinguished himself in the 1500m while still in school, winning back-to-back Japan championships in 2017 and 2018, and again in 2020, his third time as Japan's top runner. He has been a member of DeNA Athletics Elite, based in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, from 2021.

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