Tokyo Marathon

In real life  Sunday, March 7, 2027 · Wheelchair 9:05 AM · Marathon 9:10 AM

The 20th Tokyo Marathon, with 40,000 runners, starts under the Metropolitan Government towers and loops the city past Asakusa and Ginza.

The Tokyo Marathon started in 2007 and is one of the World Marathon Majors. It is so popular that places are allocated by a heavily oversubscribed ballot. The 2027 race on Sunday 7 March is the 20th edition, with a field capped at 40,000 runners.

The race starts at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building in Shinjuku and finishes on Gyoko-dori Avenue by Tokyo Station. The route passes districts including Asakusa, Ginza and Nihombashi. In past years hundreds of thousands have applied for a place.

What to expect

• The wheelchair race starting at 9:05 AM and the marathon at 9:10 AM
• A start under the Tokyo Metropolitan Government towers in Shinjuku
• A course through Asakusa, Ginza and Nihombashi
• A finish at Tokyo Station on Gyoko-dori Avenue, with a 7-hour time limit (4:10 PM)

Tips for going

• Spectators can watch free along the course. Busy central stretches such as Ginza fill up early
• Use the trains, because roads on the course close
• Runners face cut-off points along the course and must withdraw if they miss them

Questions people ask

What time does it start?

9:05 AM for the wheelchair race and 9:10 AM for the marathon.

Where does it finish?

On Gyoko-dori Avenue by Tokyo Station.

How much is entry?

¥19,800 for domestic runners and US$230 for international runners, including fees.

About Tokyo

Asakusa is old Tokyo. The great red Kaminarimon lantern gate opens onto Nakamise-dōri's snack stalls and on to Sensō-ji, the city's oldest temple, and its five-storey pagoda.

Getting there: Asakusa station (Ginza and Asakusa lines, plus Tobu trains) is by Kaminarimon. Water buses on the Sumida River also stop nearby.

More about Tokyo and its 3D version →

Also in Tokyo

Sources: www.marathon.tokyo · en.wikipedia.org. Organizers change plans, so confirm before you go.