People generally think that being a part of the Hash House Harriers is generally a western thing comprised of mostly Europeans and North Americans. For the most part, this notion is correct but since the expat population has invaded pretty much every corner of the planet, the good times spread and even once those expats that may have gotten it started leave, the good times and traditions have been passed to other, more permanent members of the community.
Kobe H3 (H3 = Hash House Harriers, by the way) is the 2nd oldest Hash in all of Japan and they haven't missed a single week (with an exception being given for when they were not allowed to meet due to Covid) since 1978.
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I will admit, I have never been to Kobe.. although I hear good things about the legendary super expensive beef, but a few of their members came to visit us here in Chiang Mai a few years back, and well, people don't forget!
Their website is extremely outdated but it was nice to see that they celebrated their 1900th run at the end of 2019, right before all the bad times started. They charge just a mere 500 Yen (just under $5) for the runs and transport to them is pretty easy since they base the start of their trails near major train stations that run between Osaka and Tokyo. Then, as is tradition with other Hashes around the world, they all go and have dinner and more drinks afterwards. The total coast is something they manage to magically keep under 2500 Yen on average - which is amazing to me because that is quite a bit less than we spend on average here in Chiang Mai. I was under the impression Japan was an expensive country... what gives?
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According to the two people that visited us here, their Hashes work exactly the same as they do here (or basically everywhere else) but since they don't have as many members they only meet one time a week and they are mixed runs (men and women are allowed.) It is good they are keeping the tradition alive over there in Japan because despite a huge population they only have, as far as I can tell, 8 Hash chapters overall. The largest one is unsurprisingly in Tokyo as one would expect just like the largest one here in Thailand is in Bangkok.
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I gotta say, I am a little disappointed at the general lack of images I am able to find of you guys online, you must be trying to stay under the radar a bit. We gotta pump those numbers! When you are looking at their website you will notice a general lack of any sort of specific information, therefore, just like any H3 in the world, I highly recommend you actually speak to someone rather than just try to turn up only to find out that they are about as organized as we are but less transparent.
I know it is a long shot but if for some reason you happen to live in the Kobe area, check these guys out by contacting them on their homepage here maybe offer to do some web design for them because their current website looks like something I would have scrapped together on Angelfire back when i was in high school.
I've always wanted to travel to Japan but the prevailing opinion is that it is cramped and very expensive. Recently a friend of mine traveled there and regaled me with stories to the contrary once you get outside of Tokyo... so that was good news.
get out there, get some exercise, drink some booze and do it all around the world. What's not to love?
that's pretty much all that we stand for :)