On December 29, the Kantō Collegiate Athletics Federation announced the 102nd Hakone Ekiden entries: 21 teams with legs 1–10 and six substitutes. For both days, start times can be adjusted up to 70 minutes before the start; changes are limited to substitutions between registered entrants and substitutes, not between registered entrants. Aoyama Gakuin, aiming for a historic third consecutive title, lists Kuroda Asahi as a substitute; Komazawa University has Ito Aoi in the 6th leg, while Kokugakuin University assigns Uehara Ryusho to the 2nd leg. Other schools such as Waseda, Chuo University, and Josai University also revealed their lineups, increasing the drama for the race.