Izu-Oshima, Tokyo: Island of Marathon Dreams

Overview

Izu-Oshima, the largest of the seven islands in the Izu chain, lies 120 kilometers south of Tokyo. It was formed by volcanic action, and the volcano in the center of the island is still active. Because of its size, hilly terrain and tranquil environment, Oshima is a popular training base for long-distance runners. Double Olympic medalist Yuko Arimori used the island as her training base ahead of her successful marathons. In this episode of "journeys in japan", Arimori visits Oshima with our reporter, JJ, and takes him to some of her favorite places on the island. (Excerpt)