Winter Minamiaso hits bull's eye as ATM Candidate

Minamiaso Caldera Trail was the first ATM Candidate taking place on Kyushu, the southwesternmost island of Japan. Organised by the Local Gain group out of Kumamoto, Minamiaso has a winter and a summer edition, so participants can visit and enjoy the magnificent scenery along the trails in two completely different set-ups. The Winter Minamiaso took place in dry and good running conditions, albeit without snow this time. As such, it was a relatively fast race at the front, despite the significant elevation gain of 2500 hm for the 50km distance.

Tomohiro Machida proved to be quickest on the day in 5h53, winning the men’s race by some three-and-a-half minutes over Yohei Kawahara. The third spot on the podium was taken by Yuichiro Hayashi. Fastest female runner was Kyona Nonaka in 7h33, five minutes ahead of Seika Higashi. Sayo Matsuda claimed third place.

Minamiaso is one of the world’s largest volcanic calderas. You reach the area via Kumamoto, one of Kyushu’s main cities - the biggest is nearby Fukuoka. Kumamoto has an airport with even some international connections such as Hong Kong, and otherwise Fukuoka has more. Both cities are worth a visit, too.

The Summer Minamiaso is scheduled for early July 2026 and is expected to be officially announced in the course of January.