Japan Marathons 2026–2027: 10 Races and Entry Tips
Compare 10 Japan marathons for 2026–2027, with field sizes, overseas entry routes, deadlines and links to Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya and more.
Tokyo is the headline. Japan’s race calendar is the whole album. You can choose a huge city start, a seaside marathon, an Olympic-stadium finish or a race where the food is part of the attraction.
For runners planning from Hong Kong, the first decision is the entry route. A Japanese domestic application, an overseas allocation and a travel-package place can have different rules. Pick the race that fits your running and your registration options.
Choose your Japan race trip
The figures below identify their edition and measure. A previous year’s starters, a future capacity and an overseas allocation are different numbers. These are ten race-trip picks with published size context, not a claim that every application channel is open.
| Race and linked edition | Race date | Published size reference | The reason to choose it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo Marathon | 7 March 2027 | 40,000 marathon places for 2027 | The marquee city-marathon experience |
| Osaka Marathon | 28 February 2027 | 34,508 starters across the 2026 programme | A large urban race with charity woven into entry |
| NAHA Marathon | 6 December 2026 | 30,000 places for 2026 | An Okinawa running holiday |
| Kobe Marathon | 15 November 2026 | 20,000 marathon places for 2026 | A harbour-city alternative to the biggest names |
| Shonan International Marathon | 6 December 2026 | 19,500 marathon places in the 2026 outline | A coastal course and a bring-your-own-bottle format |
| Kyoto Marathon | 21 February 2027 | 16,000 marathon places for 2027 | A race trip built around the old capital |
| Kitakyushu Marathon | 21 February 2027 | 10,800 marathon places for 2027 | A Kyushu city race with a small overseas allocation |
| Nagano Marathon | 18 April 2027 | 10,000 places for 2027 | An Olympic-stadium finish and a demanding five-hour limit |
| Ibusuki Nanohana Marathon | 10 January 2027 | 10,000 places in the main 2027 outline | A southern-Japan race with generous food traditions |
| Nagoya Women’s Marathon | 14 March 2027 | 3,500 overseas places within a larger women’s field | A women’s marathon with a dedicated overseas route |
Entry snapshot, 31 October 2026: Tokyo’s general window has closed. Nagano has announced that general entry is full. Nagoya advertises an overseas application window through 25 December, subject to its allocation. Check the linked organizer before making travel commitments.
Tokyo Marathon for the big occasion
Tokyo is the choice when the scale of the occasion is part of the prize. Its 2027 marathon allocation rises to 40,000. That is capacity, not a forecast of finishers.
The general application period ended on 28 August 2026. Overseas residents should use the English entry route; nationality alone does not determine the correct application channel. Put this one on a deliberate entry calendar, not a last-minute shopping list.
Read our Tokyo Marathon 2027 details, the organizer’s race outline, entry schedule and overseas-residency FAQ.
Osaka Marathon for a city race with a cause
Osaka makes sense if you want a substantial city-marathon weekend and like the event’s charity element. The organizer reported 34,508 starters across its 2026 programme; that total includes the shorter event, so it is not a count of marathon runners alone.
For 2027, the city’s published general-entry window ended on 28 August. Overseas fees and handling charges differ from domestic entry. Check the actual channel and total cost rather than copying a Japanese resident’s entry budget.
Start with our Osaka Marathon 2027 page, the 2027 city announcement and the organizer’s 2026 results report.
NAHA Marathon for an Okinawa race holiday
NAHA pairs a 30,000-place marathon with a southern-island setting. It is a different proposition from fitting a race between Tokyo shopping stops: make Okinawa the trip, not an afterthought.
The 2026 organizer page says entry has ended. Its 6 December date is useful for comparing this edition, but it is not an invitation to assume a place remains. The published course runs from Onoyama Park around the Peace Memorial Park route, with a six-hour-fifteen-minute limit.
See our NAHA Marathon details and the official entry outline.
Kobe Marathon for a harbour-city weekend
Kobe is a strong alternative when you want a major Japanese marathon with its own identity. The 2026 marathon quota is 20,000, enough for a substantial event without using Tokyo as the benchmark for every race trip.
The organizer identifies RUN JAPAN, JTB Sports Station and THAI RUN as overseas-entry channels. Confirm the live status and the rules for your residency before booking; a domestic RUNNET listing is not automatically the right overseas route.
Explore our Kobe Marathon 2026 guide, the official race outline and overseas-entry FAQ.
Shonan International Marathon for the sea and a different race routine
Shonan’s coastal course offers a change from city-centre sightseeing. Its practical twist matters as much as the view: marathon runners must start with their own bottle containing at least 200 ml of fluid. Read that rule before deciding what to pack.
The 2026 entry page says recruitment has finished and overseas residents are accepted for the full marathon only. Do not assume that its shorter races offer the same international entry access.
Our Shonan International Marathon page links the edition. Check the organizer’s outline, bottle rules and entry notice.
Kyoto Marathon for a race wrapped around a cultural trip
Kyoto is for runners who want the days around the race to matter as much as the medal. The marathon has 16,000 places and finishes in front of Heian-jingu Shrine. Its pair relay is a separate event with a separate allocation.
For 2027, the overseas allocation is 3,000 and its advertised window ended on 30 September. Overseas entry was first come, first served, while domestic oversubscription used a draw. “Japan marathon entry” is not one universal process.
Open our Kyoto Marathon 2027 details, the official event information and entry categories.
Kitakyushu Marathon for a more focused Kyushu choice
Kitakyushu’s 2027 main marathon allocation is 10,800. The overseas allocation is just 100 places within that field. That smaller number matters more to a Hong Kong applicant than the headline event total.
The general application window ended on 24 September. The event also advertises a pair relay and a 20.7 km category; neither should be mistaken for a standard half marathon. Read each category’s entry route separately.
Compare our Kitakyushu Marathon guide with the official 2027 outline.
Nagano Marathon for runners who respect the cutoff
Nagano has a clear attraction: a finish at Nagano Olympic Stadium. Its five-hour marathon limit is equally clear. Choose it because that format fits your running, not simply because April looks convenient.
The 10,000-place event announced that its 9,700-place general allocation had filled on 9 October 2026. A page showing an original application deadline does not override that closure notice.
Read our Nagano Marathon 2027 details, the race outline and the full-allocation notice.
Ibusuki Nanohana Marathon for a food-loving southern detour
Ibusuki is the pick for a different sort of marathon souvenir: the organizer lists udon or soba, rice balls, sweet red-bean soup and steamed sweet potatoes among the participant provisions. The main marathon outline gives a 10,000-runner quota and an eight-hour limit.
Our listed overseas channel is closed. A separate 500-place PLUS scheme is advertised for 1–20 November 2026, from the last start block; confirm whether that channel accepts your overseas circumstances. Do not treat a domestic reopening as an international place.
See our Ibusuki Nanohana Marathon page, the main outline and PLUS conditions.
Nagoya Women’s Marathon for a dedicated women’s race trip
Nagoya deserves its own decision, not a footnote to a mixed field. The 2027 women’s marathon starts and finishes at Vantelin Dome Nagoya. Its overseas allocation is 3,500 places, including the early-entry allocation; it is not a 3,500-person total event.
The organizer advertises regular overseas applications from 25 August to 25 December 2026, closing earlier if the allocation fills. Use that overseas route and verify eligibility, fees and remaining places in the live portal.
Begin with our Nagoya Women’s Marathon 2027 details, the event outline and entry categories.
Get the entry before building the holiday
Choose your distance, then check the overseas channel, residency rule, cutoff and bib-collection arrangements. Separate the base entry charge from handling fees, donations, baggage options and travel-package costs. Keep a copy of the organizer’s confirmation before committing to a non-refundable trip.
For more dates and different distances, browse the Japan race calendar. Prefer a start line closer to home? Compare Hong Kong’s major races.
Photo: the 2012 Kobe Marathon, an archive photograph rather than a current course image. 663highland / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5.