The Tokyo Yamathon is the “ultimate urban fundraising challenge” where teams of three or four people compete to walk or run through Tokyo, visiting all 29 stations of the famous JR Yamanote train line in under 12 hours.

Should your team of four accept the challenge and join the Tokyo Yamathon, you’ll follow/drag each other round Tokyo’s Yamanote line, stopping at each of its 29 stations to take a pic for proof, in the process earning money for Oxfam. The rules are simple: it’s open to everyone (as long as you can walk/run an approximate distance of 38 kilometers – it’s further if you get lost!), and teams of 3 or 4 people must raise ¥10,000 as a registration fee, which will entirely go towards helping those who are still affected by the ongoing conflict in Syria.

In April last year, 430 people took part and raised over 1,600,000 yen for Oxfam Japan. The organizers are hoping to beat that this time around. This ‘ultimate urban challenge’ not only helps a good cause, it’s also an opportunity to see a lot of Tokyo landmarks and places you don’t normally visit in the city, all in one day. Anyone who has taken the challenge before will know about the rivalry and camaraderie that seem to co-exist between teams—and they’ll also speak of some pretty enjoyable parties after the walk/run come evening time…

You can register now and read more detailed information in the FAQ section.

Tokyo Yamathon 2014

More information: http://tokyo-yamathon.com

When: June 21 from 06:15

Where: Start/finish at Tokyo International Forum, near Yurakucho station

–Vivian Morelli