Tarō Jō, called Jota, is an identical twin living in Room 201 of Chikusei-so and studies economics as a first-year at Kansei University. He and his brother Jirō (Joji) share short blonde hair in the anime, with Jota occasionally wearing a necklace to differentiate himself.

Both twins played soccer for three years in high school, establishing basic athleticism but no long-distance running background. They initially joined the track team to impress girls, though Jota gradually developed a sincere passion for running. He recognizes subtle differences between himself and Joji, acknowledging his brother as the marginally faster runner.

Jota cooks only pasta and simple ochazuke. His journey shows a shift from instrumental to intrinsic motivation for running, culminating in achieving an official race record during team preparations—a key contribution to qualifying for the Hakone Ekiden relay marathon.

During Hakone, Jota ran the challenging fourth leg. After Prince’s last-place start and Musa’s recovery in the second leg, the twins leveraged their synergy in consecutive sections to propel Kansei University upward before day one concluded.

Jota’s strongest bond is with his twin, with whom he often acts and thinks in unison. He shares camaraderie with fellow Chikusei-so residents during communal activities like public baths. Initial reluctance toward team captain Haiji Kiyose evolved into profound respect as collective goals solidified.

Post-story, Jota continues running in Kansei’s expanded track club alongside his brother and Kakeru Kurahara. The anime heightened his early hesitation about joining the team versus the novel, emphasizing gradual integration. While the novel notes Kurahara’s romantic interest, Jota’s own pursuits remain unexplored. His critical mid-race performance during Hakone remains consistent across adaptations.