On May 24, 2026 (Sunday), SPOMARU IN SOJA (hereinafter referred to as "Spomaru") will be held at Soja North Park.
This event combines sports and a market, allowing participants to enjoy both "a sports day for adults" and "a market that becomes fun just by attending," as well as opportunities for interaction among participants and discovering new attractions in the community.
About SPOMARU IN SOJA
Spomaru is an event that combines a sports day and a market, and it will be held for the first time on May 24, 2026 (Sunday).
Sports Day
The sports day will take place at Soja North Park Athletic Field from 9 AM to 3 PM.
Only people aged 18 and over can participate in the sports day, forming teams of 5 to 12 people to compete in the following 8 events.
- Tamaire (Ball Toss)
- Mukade Balloon Train Race
- Large Ball Squeeze Race
- Two-Person Three-Legged Race (Red and White Competition)
- Spomaru Quest (Bread Eating × Obstacle × Scavenger Hunt)
- 8×50m Relay
Scores and evaluations will be conducted for each program, and prizes such as tickets usable at the market will be awarded to the top teams.
The goal of the Spomaru sports day is not just to compete for victory, but to enjoy moving together. Therefore, unlike school sports days, there will be many fun events.
When considering the events, the content was checked by medical professionals to ensure a program with a low risk of injury, even for those who do not usually have exercise habits.
Market
The market will be held at the Soja North Park Square, featuring over 30 shops from inside and outside Soja City.
In addition to food vendors, there will also be shops selling miscellaneous goods and workshops, making it so fulfilling that you might not be able to enjoy it all in between the sports day events.
Additionally, there will be live painting by a paint artist and participation from a kids' dance team. Even outside the athletic field, there will always be something to see.
Interview with Two Members of the Soja Spomaru Executive Committee
We spoke with Sayaka Kawakami, the chairperson of the Soja Spomaru Executive Committee, and Yukio Tanimoto, the vice-chairperson, about the newly emerging SPOMARU IN SOJA.
The Trigger for Holding Spomaru
Please tell us the trigger for holding Spomaru.
Kawakami (no honorifics)
I usually work at a shop called studio 508, where I provide Pilates and body maintenance treatments.
Among the people who come here, there are many who want to exercise but do not have a habit of doing so, feel they lack a trigger, or find it hard to push themselves alone.
Of course, just coming to Pilates is already a first step.
However, it seems they have not been able to make it a habit, so I thought about creating some kind of trigger for those people, and that was the beginning.
In June 2025, I held an event that combined an outdoor Pilates and yoga class with a market. When I received feedback like "It was really fun" and "I want you to hold it again," I thought, "It would be great if more people could enjoy it together" when considering a second event.
When I thought about what would be good to involve people, the first thing that came to mind was a neighborhood sports day.
I think opportunities to cooperate on a single task as a team are rare as adults. So, I wanted to create a sports day that everyone can enjoy and remember the good old days, which led to the decision to hold the sports day.
It seems that a significant element is to create a new event that includes community interaction.
Tanimoto (no honorifics)
That's right.
As we planned the event, I began to think about creating an event that would become a face of Soja.
At first, I didn't think it would grow this big, but once we decided to do it, we thought we should go all out!
The Desired Audience
Do you have a target age group or an image of the kind of people you want to come to Spomaru?
Kawakami
Participation in the sports day is limited to those aged 18 and over, but we are not targeting a specific age group.
Additionally, starting next year, I would like to increase programs for para-sports that include people with disabilities.
Tanimoto
We deliberately do not set a target.
Since the purpose of the event is to encourage interaction among participants and enjoy exercise, I think raising the barriers to participation is not good.
Moreover, if we make it too sports-oriented, people who lack confidence in exercise may find it difficult to enter. Therefore, we have made the programs more entertainment-oriented, allowing for enjoyable competition.
Please explain the intention behind making it a team event.
Kawakami
While individual participation is technically possible, we made it a team event as a principle because I think it would be more enjoyable for everyone to come as a team.
This idea was inspired by the Tomato Bank 6-Hour Relay Marathon that I participated in with friends in the past.
Tanimoto
Of course, team members do not have to be friends.
By forming teams with local people or colleagues from work, you may see different sides of each other.
I hope that participating in Spomaru will provide an opportunity for interaction and deepen relationships.
The Significance of Holding Spomaru in Soja
What are your thoughts on the significance of holding Spomaru in Soja?
Tanimoto
Soja has many good places, good shops, and tourist attractions.
Additionally, Soja City is easily accessible from various locations in Okayama Prefecture, and I believe it has the potential to become even more vibrant. I want more people to know about this.
This time it will be only at Soja North Park, but if the number of visitors increases in the future, the scale of the event may grow, and it could be held at multiple locations within Soja City.
I want to raise awareness by holding it every year, and that’s why it’s especially important to make the first Spomaru in 2026 a success.
Through Spomaru, I want people to learn about the good aspects and attractions of Soja and make Soja even more lively.
Please tell us your specific strategy for revitalizing Soja through Spomaru.
Kawakami
The participation fee for the sports day is 1,500 yen, but as a participation prize, we are providing 300 yen worth of market tickets and 500 yen worth of community support tickets that can be used at designated shops in Soja City later.
Additionally, prizes will be awarded for good performances in each event of the sports day program. Some of the morning events will have market tickets as prizes, so we have set up a system to encourage those who receive tickets to visit the market during lunchtime.
Tanimoto
I think people will likely stay at the venue all day on Spomaru day, but I want them to visit Soja again later, so we are creating community support tickets that can be used later.
I want them to use the community support tickets at the shops that cooperated with Spomaru, to circulate the economy within Soja City and spread this movement throughout Soja.
That’s why the more the circle of cooperation expands, the greater the economic effect will be, and we are broadly recruiting shops to cooperate.
Future Event Aspirations
What kind of presence do you hope the Spomaru event will have?
Tanimoto
I hope it will become a pride of Soja.
Kawakami
It's not just about the Kibiji Road Marathon.
Tanimoto
I hope it will become an existence that surpasses the Kibiji Road Marathon.
Spomaru is the pride of Soja. Soja is a town with Spomaru.
Just like "When you think of Kagawa, you think of Monbus (MONSTER baSH)," I want it to be said, "When you think of Soja, you think of Spomaru."
Every event has a beginning.
This year, 2026, is the beginning of Spomaru. I want to make it grow from here.
Conclusion
Adults who take on challenges will change the town
This is a phrase written on the flyer for SPOMARU IN SOJA 2026.
When we asked Ms. Kawakami and Mr. Tanimoto from the Soja Spomaru Executive Committee about what they wanted to convey, they both immediately mentioned the same phrase.
The two are challenging to hold SPOMARU IN SOJA 2026, the adults supporting the challenge through participation and investment in the event, and the adults who are trying to change themselves by participating in the sports day, all of them will enliven the town of Soja.
An event that allows you to take that first step will be born in Soja in May 2026.
Application for participation in the sports day is due by May 17, 2026 (Sunday).
SPOMARU IN SOJA 2026 is waiting for the challenges of "adults" who will change the town.
Data for SPOMARU IN SOJA 2026
| Name | SPOMARU IN SOJA 2026 |
|---|---|
| Date | May 24, 2026 (Sunday) *Held rain or shine Sports Day: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM Marche: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM |
| Location | Soja North Park Athletic Field |
| Participation Fee (including tax) | For the Sports Day, a participation fee of 1,500 yen per person is required, and registration for teams of 5 to 12 people is necessary. Participants will receive a 300 yen marche ticket and a 500 yen local support ticket as participation prizes. No participation fee or registration is required for the marche. |
| Website | SPOMARU IN SOJA 2026 |
