Cross-Cultural Exchange Begins with Watching Soccer

The World Cup kicked off on the 12th (13th Japan time). On the 8th, a week before Japan's first match, adidas organized an ekiden relay race to build excitement for the tournament.

Gathered for the event were "national representatives" from Group C, which Japan will compete in during the first league round: Japan, Ivory Coast, Greece, Colombia, and the host country, Brazil. Among them were DJs Toshio Matsuura and TARO, Ivorian Ambassador Jérôme Klô-Weya, staff from adidas Japan, as well as embassy officials and residents, all clad in uniforms.

At 10:30 AM, participants began to gather in front ofadidas RUNBASEEach person introduced themselves and shared their enthusiasm for the race. "Despite the gloomy weather, let's all enjoy today," one participant called out, met with a resounding cheer and applause from everyone. It was a moment that conveyed a refreshing sense of sportsmanship.

After forming a circle, it was time for the main event. The course was the "Jingu Gaien Loop Course," approximately 1 kilometer in length. All six teams (Japan, Ivory Coast, Greece, Colombia, Brazil, and adidas Japan) would compete, with each runner completing one lap and passing the tasuki (relay sash) to the fourth runner. Before starting, participants warmed up their bodies, chilled by the light rain, with thorough stretching. At 11:30 AM, the first runners from each team took their positions.

With a "Pop!" signal, the representatives from each team surged forward. Japan and Colombia took a slight lead, with the other teams closely following. About five minutes into the race, the Brazilian team, wearing yellow uniforms and blue tasuki, came into view. Approximately two minutes later, adidas Japan appeared, followed by Colombia, Greece, Japan, and Ivory Coast.

In the second lap, Japan, initially in fifth place, overtook Greece, who was in fourth. The rankings remained unchanged until the fourth runner. adidas Japan made a strong comeback in the final stretch, fiercely competing until the very end, but narrowly missed out on victory. Brazil secured the first place. The Brazilian team celebrated their win with powerful hugs and dancing, expressing their joy wholeheartedly. The other teams crossed the finish line one by one, congratulating each other on their efforts.

With beaming smiles, the runners left the course and headed to "Madures," a restaurant adjacent to adidas RUNBASE. Here, Brazil received a certificate of achievement as the first-place winner, and a lunch party was held where participants brought dishes from their respective countries, enjoying cross-cultural exchange.

Daiki Nishiwaki from adidas Marketing Division, who organized the event, shared his aspirations: "The World Cup is a fantastic opportunity to learn about the participating countries. We hope people will experience different cultures while enjoying sports."

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