Lake Ashi hosts Strider Enjoy Cup on 4 October
Published on 09/27/2026 at 13:23 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Lake Ashi and the Strider Enjoy Cup will share the Hakone-en venue in Hakone on 4 October 2026. The lake, known locally through its Japanese name, forms the setting for a public family sporting event rather than a closed ceremony.
Strider Enjoy Cup brings children’s racing to Lake Ashi
The Strider Enjoy Cup is scheduled for Sunday, 4 October 2026, at Hakone-en, 139 Motohakone, Hakone, Kanagawa. The organiser lists a planned programme from 8.30am to 4pm, while the Hakone tourism association also records the event for 4 October at the Lake Ashi and Ashinoyu area.
The main programme is divided by age. Children aged two, three and four can enter age-based tournaments, while the 14x category is for children aged four to six. The organiser also lists exhibition races for younger participants, including a one-lap trial event and a short race for children under two. Parents may accompany children on the course in the relevant exhibition categories.
The event is organised by the Strider Enjoy Cup Executive Committee, with Hakone Town and the Hakone DMO named as supporters. The official 4 October event programme says that helmets are compulsory when riding, while gloves and protection for elbows and knees are generally required.
Lake Ashi’s volcanic setting frames the Hakone-en venue
Hakone-en stands on the southern side of Lake Ashi, a caldera lake in Hakone. The Hakone-Sekisho visitor information page places the water at about 720 metres above sea level and gives its area as seven square kilometres, with a circumference of 19 kilometres.
The lake is framed by the mountains of Hakone, including Mount Fuji in the wider landscape. Leisure cruises connect Kojiri on the northern shore with the town of Hakone to the south, giving the October event a setting linked to both the water and the transport network around the resort.
The connection between the event and the lake is practical as well as geographical: the race course occupies a lakeside destination where visitors can combine the scheduled children’s programme with the surrounding mountain and water landscape. The venue’s asphalt course is listed as approximately 80 metres for two-year-olds, 120 metres for three-year-olds and at least 180 metres for the older race categories.
The official Lake Ashi information also identifies the lake as one of Hakone’s principal tourist attractions. Its clear-weather view towards Mount Fuji and its north-to-south cruising route explain why the venue functions as more than a race site for visitors planning a day in the area.
What the 4 October programme means for a Hakone visit
The event is a preview of a specific family programme at Hakone-en, not a change to access across the whole lakeshore. The organiser warns that severe weather can lead to cancellation, and says the final timetable will be published closer to the event after entries have closed.
Visiting Lake Ashi: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The Strider Enjoy Cup is scheduled for 4 October 2026 at Hakone-en, 139 Motohakone, Hakone, Kanagawa.
- The event uses a special asphalt course, with planned races and exhibition activities for children from under two to six years old; helmets are compulsory for riders.
- Hakone-en is on the southern side of Lake Ashi, whose surrounding visitor area includes cruise routes between Kojiri and the town of Hakone.
- Lake Ashi is a mountain lake at about 720 metres above sea level, with a seven-square-kilometre surface area and a 19-kilometre circumference.
- Japan’s official language is Japanese and its national currency is the yen.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
Searching for Lake Ashi on social platforms
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Frequently asked questions about Lake Ashi
When does the Strider Enjoy Cup take place at Lake Ashi?
The event is scheduled for 4 October 2026 at Hakone-en, with a planned programme from 8.30am to 4pm.
What is Lake Ashi?
Lake Ashi is a caldera lake in Hakone, about 720 metres above sea level, with an area of seven square kilometres and a circumference of 19 kilometres.
Where is Lake Ashi and how do you get there?
The lake is in Hakone, Kanagawa, and the event venue is Hakone-en at 139 Motohakone on the southern side of the lake.
