[New Service] "The moment to the next day, the emotion doesn't wait." "PICSOON" revolutionizes Japan's marathon photo experience.

SAURUS JAPAN Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Naniwa-ku, Osaka; Representative Director: Koji Sakimoto; hereinafter "SAURUS JAPAN"), which develops and sells sports supplements, has developed "PICSOON," a next-generation photo provision service for marathon events. PICSOON provided photo services as an official sponsor for the Osaka Marathon 2026 (34,535 participants) held in February 2026 and the Tambasasayama ABC Marathon (8,118 participants) held on March 1, 2026.

Approximately 40 photographers were stationed at various points along the course and at the finish gate, capturing and distributing a total of approximately 1.28 million photos across the two events. At the Osaka Marathon, approximately 1.1 million photos were taken, and about 200,000 were downloaded, recording an astonishing average of about 100 photos per person. At the Tambasasayama ABC Marathon, approximately 180,000 photos were taken, and about 10,000 were downloaded. This is the result of AI facial recognition ensuring that photos that would have been buried with traditional bib number searches are now reliably delivered to the runners.

- What is PICSOON? -https://picsoon.jp

PICSOON is a next-generation photo provision service developed with the aim of solving traditional challenges in event photography, such as "time until publication," "price," and "searchability."

Previously, it was common for marathon event photo services to take several days to over a week for photos to be published. PICSOON fills this gap, where the excitement of the race would cool down, by delivering photos within 24 hours after the event. Furthermore, AI facial recognition technology enables runners to instantly find their photos from a vast amount of captured data.

- Main Features of the Service -

1. Photo Publication Within 24 Hours After the Event

By establishing a unique image processing system, PICSOON achieves photo publication within 24 hours after the event. Being able to view photos while the excitement and sense of accomplishment from the race are still vivid enhances the value of the participation experience.

2. User-Friendly Pricing

We have reviewed the traditional pricing structure and achieved a price range that allows more runners to easily purchase photos*. By lowering the barrier to keeping race records and memories in the form of photos, we aim to improve participant satisfaction.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　*Prices vary by event

3. Photo Search Using AI Facial Recognition

Utilizing AI facial recognition technology, PICSOON automatically extracts photos of individual participants from a vast amount of captured data.

This allows runners to find photos taken along the course and expressions just before the finish line, which were often overlooked with traditional bib number searches. Many participants have commented, "I never thought I had so many photos of myself," transforming the photo search itself into an experience of relishing the afterglow of the event.

- Stakeholder Comments -

Mayor of Tambasasayama City

With the introduction of PICSOON's new photo service for the Tambasasayama ABC Marathon, AI facial recognition technology allows runners to quickly find their own photos, and photos are delivered within a short time from the day of the event.

We expect that runners being able to immediately look back at the moments of their challenge will become one of the new attractions of the event.

We are delighted that the emotional moments, including the unique colors of Tambasasayama and new characters, can be delivered to many people through PICSOON.

Koji Sakimoto, Representative Director, SAURUS JAPAN Co., Ltd.

A marathon is not just about the moment you cross the finish line. The days of training, the tension at the starting line, and every moment of running with cheers from the roadside are all part of the runner's story. We developed PICSOON with the aim of delivering that story "into their hands by the next day." We will continue to expand its deployment to events nationwide, adding new value to Japan's marathon culture.

- Future Developments -

SAURUS JAPAN will expand the introduction of PICSOON to events nationwide. In addition to high-speed photo delivery and AI search, we will continue to work on further evolving the service, including SNS integration features and support for video content. Through the fusion of sports and technology, we aim to contribute to improving the experience value at marathon events in Japan.