🇯🇵Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo Marathon
Expected March 2027
Photo: Dime Gontar · CC BY 2.0 · cropped
Race facts
Next edition · 2027
Expected March 2027
Date not yet confirmedEstimated from the usual calendar slot. Last edition: Mar 2, 2026.
Start
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, Shinjuku
Course
112 melevation gain
- Distance · surface
- 42.2 km · Road
- Layout
- Point-to-point, largely flat
- Profile
- Largely flat with gentle rollers in the first half — a fast, honest course
Entry
General lottery, charity places, or overseas tour operators with guaranteed entry
- 2027 entry
- Not yet recorded. Check the official site for dates and status.
- Registration
- General lottery typically opens around August for the following March
Dates and entry details change. Confirm with the organiser before you book.
PB potential
Excellent PB course — flat, fast, and well-paced
Beginner friendly
Suitable for beginners with solid training
About this race
The Tokyo Marathon winds through some of Japan's most iconic landmarks — from Shinjuku's skyscrapers to Asakusa's Sensō-ji temple and the Imperial Palace moat. The course is largely flat with a few gentle rollers in the first half, making it a genuine PB candidate in ideal March conditions. Crowd support is extraordinary by global standards: taiko drummers, costumed volunteers, and rows of spectators offering high-energy cheering that propels runners through Asakusa and Ginza. The lottery acceptance rate for international runners is around 2%, so a charity entry or bib transfer is often the most realistic path to the start line. Aid stations offer everything from sports drink to banana and salt tablets, spaced every 5 km.
Typical race-day weather
Temperature
7–14°C
Humidity
55–65%
Conditions
Cool and partly cloudy
Wind
10–15 km/h NW
Who this race suits
PB-chasers and World Major collectors who can secure a place. The flat, well-drilled course rewards even pacing — the ~2% international lottery rate makes getting in the hardest part.
Strong PB potential in cool March conditions. Not a typical first-marathon race for international runners: the lottery and travel commitment make it a bucket-list target rather than a debut.
Overview
- Field size
- ~38,000 finishers
- Average finish
- ~4:10–4:30
- Cut-off time
- 7 hours
- Aid stations
- Roughly every 5 km — water and sports drink, food later in the race
- Pace support
- Official pacers for common target times
Course intelligence
- Surface
- Asphalt city roads throughout
- Highlights
- Shinjuku start, Imperial Palace moat, Asakusa's Sensō-ji temple, finish near Tokyo Station
Registration
- Lottery odds
- Very competitive — around 1 in 10 overall, lower for international applicants
- Entry cost
- ~¥23,300 domestic; higher for international and charity entries
Race weekend
- Expo
- Tokyo Marathon EXPO at Tokyo Big Sight — in-person bib pickup is mandatory (no race-day collection)
Travel & logistics
- Best airport
- Haneda (HND) is closest; Narita (NRT) is also well connected
- Getting around
- Excellent metro and JR rail — a Suica or PASMO card covers most transit
- Where to stay
- Shinjuku for start proximity, or any central hub on the metro
Runner tips
- Bib pickup is in person at the expo and closes before race day — arrive with time to spare.
- March mornings are cold at the start; bring throwaway layers for the long wait.
- Security screening is thorough — allow extra time entering the start area.
Entry information
Next edition date estimated — confirm exact date with the official site.
Pace Band
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