Kagaspa Trail Endurance 100 by UTMB
Kagaspa Trail Endurance 100 by UTMB – KAGASPA 20K
KENMIN NO MORI/県民の森
Race guide
Updated 18 July 2026
The KAGASPA 20K is the shortest distance at Kagaspa Trail Endurance 100 by UTMB, a 21 km point-to-point that starts at Kenmin No Mori (329 m) and finishes at Yamanaka-Za (103 m) in Japan's Kaga region. With 574 m of climbing and a modest high point of 466 m, it is the most accessible way into the Kagaspa weekend, designed for runners looking for a genuine trail experience without the overnight commitment of the longer races. The route trends net downhill overall, dropping from the elevated start at Kenmin No Mori toward the low valleys and the finish, but the early kilometres carry the day's climbing. It shares its later checkpoints with the longer Kagaspa events, running through Imadate Ios Square and Tonoo before the run in to Yamanaka-Za. This is a short, honest trail race where the main decisions are how hard to push the opening climb and how to manage the descending that follows.
The course: 21 km from ridge to valley
The KAGASPA 20K starts high for its distance, at Kenmin No Mori (329 m), which is the same crew point the 100 km and 50 km races pass through much later in their journeys. From there the course heads toward Imadate Ios Square at 6.4 km, which sits low at 131 m, so the opening third is broadly a descent off the start with the route's climbing folded into rolling terrain. The high point of 466 m means the biggest elevation on the course is not far above the start. From Imadate Ios Square the route continues to Tonoo at 13.6 km (80 m) and then to the finish at Yamanaka-Za at 20.7 km (103 m). With 574 m of total gain across 21 km, this is a runnable course by trail-race standards, without any sustained high climb. The shape favours runners who can move well on descents and rolling ground rather than pure climbers, and the low finish altitude confirms the day trends downhill from the elevated start.
Where the effort lies
Because the course starts at its highest inhabited checkpoint and finishes low, the KAGASPA 20K does not have a single defining climb in the way a mountain ultra does. The 574 m of gain is spread through the rolling terrain of the first half, between the start at Kenmin No Mori (329 m) and Imadate Ios Square (6.4 km, 131 m), where the high point of 466 m is reached. Managing effort here, rather than sprinting off a downhill start, sets up a strong second half. The back half, from Imadate Ios Square through Tonoo (13.6 km) to the finish, runs at low elevation and rewards runners who kept something back. The descending on tired legs is the main hazard on an otherwise approachable course, so controlled downhill running into Yamanaka-Za will protect your quads and let you finish fast rather than fading over the closing kilometres.
Pacing and fuelling
The KAGASPA 20K has two intermediate checkpoints, at Imadate Ios Square (6.4 km) and Tonoo (13.6 km), so the carries between support are short and the fuelling demands modest compared with the longer Kagaspa races. For most runners a single flask or small pack with a couple of gels or snacks will comfortably cover the distance; the priority is steady energy rather than heavy resupply. The cut-offs are Tonoo at 12:40 and the finish at Yamanaka-Za at 14:10 on Saturday. These give a clear back-marker pace but leave ample room for runners moving steadily. Aim to reach Tonoo well inside the cut-off with legs still fresh enough to run the final low-lying stretch to the finish. Since the course starts high and drops, resist the temptation to bank the early downhill too aggressively and instead spread your effort so the closing kilometres remain strong.
Conditions to expect
With a high point of only 466 m and a finish near valley level, the KAGASPA 20K stays in the low, forested and valley terrain typical of the Kaga region rather than any exposed high ground. This makes it a warmer, more sheltered race than an alpine event, and the main environmental factors are likely to be humidity and footing on wooded and riverside trail rather than wind or cold at altitude. As a shorter daytime race finishing by early afternoon, it does not demand the overnight kit or headlamp planning of the longer Kagaspa distances, making it a friendly introduction to the event and to trail running in the region. Standard trail preparation applies: comfortable grip for potentially soft or technical forest sections, enough fluid for a warm day, and controlled pacing on the descents that carry you down to Yamanaka-Za.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-17) · official source
0 km · 329 m · —
6.4 km · 131 m · —
13.6 km · 80 m · Sat 12:40
20.7 km · 103 m · Sat 14:10
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