Tokyo Marathon 2027: The Only Way In Left, and When to Start Training
Updated: Oct 30
Written by Andy Hood · Ultra runner, cancer survivor and Runna ambassador
Updated 30 October 2026 | Originally published August 2026
Article contains affiliate links that support this blog and my cancer charity work.
The clocks have gone back, it's dark before tea, and my Fenix head torch is out of the kit drawer. For plenty of runners, though, the dark evenings aren't the scary bit. It's realising the Tokyo Marathon is only a few months away and the training block hasn't started yet.
Back in August I wrote about how to enter the Tokyo Marathon 2027 ballot and what to do while you wait. The waiting's over. Results landed on 18 September, the payment window closed on 30 September, and race day is Sunday 7 March 2027. So it's time for an update.
Tokyo's also got a bit personal in our house. One of our sons spent his summer in Japan. He's taught himself Japanese, he's been trying to tempt me out there ever since, and in 2027 he's heading back to study at a university in Tokyo. So I've been reading the Tokyo entry rules with more than professional interest. Would anyone notice if I timed my visit around a marathon? Asking for a friend.
This article does two jobs. If you got a place, the first half covers the key dates, when to start training and how to get yourself to the start line, wherever you're flying in from. If you missed out, skip straight to Tokyo Marathon 2028 Ballot Dates, Friendship Run and Volunteering, where I cover what's genuinely still open and how I'd plan a shot at 2028.
If you're here just for a Tokyo Marathon training plan: I train with Runna. Download the app and use promo code ANDY2 for my exclusive double-length free trial.
Key takeaways
The Tokyo Marathon 2027 is on Sunday 7 March 2027. It's the race's 20th edition, with a record field of 40,000.
Ballot results came out on 18 September 2026 and payment closed on 30 September. The ballot, charity, membership and semi-elite routes are all closed for 2027.
The only way in left is an official tour package with guaranteed entry. Each country has its own approved partners, while places last. In England, for example, that's Sports Tours International or 2:09 Events.
A 16-week training plan starts the week of Monday 16 November 2026. An 18-week plan starts the week of Monday 2 November.
Bib pick-up is in person only at the EXPO, 4 to 6 March, with photo ID (your passport if you're travelling). Land by Thursday 4 March.
Contents
Tokyo Marathon 2027 Ballot Results and Entry Routes
The Tokyo Marathon 2027 takes place on Sunday 7 March 2027, starting in Shinjuku by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building and finishing on Gyoko-dori in front of Tokyo Station. It's the 20th edition, and the organisers have raised the field to a record 40,000. Even so, every entry route bar one has now closed.
Entry route | Still open? | Open to overseas runners? | What it takes |
General ballot | No. Closed 28 August, results 18 September | Yes | Free to enter, USD 230 if drawn. Roughly 1 in 10 get in |
Official tour package | Possibly. First come, first served while places last | Yes | A travel package with guaranteed entry from an approved travel partner. Prices vary by country; in the UK, 2:09 Events starts at £3,399, flights extra |
Charity (RUN with HEART) | No. Closed 9 July | Partly. Some charities only accept Japan residents | A donation above the charity's minimum (often JPY 150,000 or more). Many pick runners by donation size |
ONE TOKYO GLOBAL membership | No. Closed 13 August | Yes | JPY 30,000 a year for a members-only draw |
RUN as ONE semi-elite | No. Closed 13 August | Yes, but tough | Sub-2:22 for men or sub-2:50 for women, gun time, at a labelled race |
Tokyo Marathon 2027 Ballot Results and Odds
The Tokyo Marathon 2027 general ballot ran from 14 to 28 August 2026. Results went up on My Entry on 18 September, and anyone drawn had until 30 September to pay or lose the place. It's where most of us start, and for 2027 it's done. The organisers haven't published 2027 applicant numbers, but around 300,000 runners usually chase roughly 30,000 ballot places, which is where the one-in-ten figure comes from.
Tokyo Marathon Guaranteed Entry: Official Tour Packages
An official tour package is now the only way to get a guaranteed Tokyo Marathon 2027 place. Packages are run through KNT, the race's official travel agency, and sold through approved partners in each country, listed by region (North America, Europe, Asia, Oceania, Africa, and South and Central America) on the official Tokyo Marathon website. In England, for example, they're Sports Tours International and 2:09 Events.
To give you an idea of cost, 2:09 Events' 2027 package is five nights at the New Otani with guaranteed entry, from £3,399 per runner sharing or £4,399 single, with flights on top. It's for UK residents only, and the payment terms are strict and non-refundable in stages. Bookings opened for just 24 hours on 13 August, with places drawn by lottery if oversubscribed, so don't expect a queue of spares. It still costs nothing to email and ask about cancellations.
Warning: only KNT and its official partner agencies can sell Tokyo Marathon packages that include race entry. Entries bought anywhere else are voided with no refund, and reselling bibs is banned. If anyone else offers you a "guaranteed" Tokyo bib, walk away.
Tokyo Marathon Charity Places (RUN with HEART)
Tokyo Marathon 2027 charity places closed on 9 July 2026. The charity programme, RUN with HEART, supports Japanese charities rather than ones in your home country. It had 5,000 places for 2027, and applications passed that within two days of opening on 24 June. Each of the 40 charity programmes sets its own minimum donation, several at JPY 150,000 for 2027, and many choose runners by donation size, highest first.
Some only accept Japan residents. Plenty of charities outside Japan advertise Tokyo, but many are asking you to fundraise with a place you've already won. Read the small print before you sign up.
ONE TOKYO GLOBAL Membership and RUN as ONE Semi-Elite Entry
ONE TOKYO GLOBAL is a JPY 30,000-a-year membership for overseas runners with its own draw (membership doesn't guarantee a place), and RUN as ONE is for very quick amateurs: sub-2:22 for men and sub-2:50 for women, measured on gun time, not chip time. Both closed on 13 August. If places free up after payment, existing ONE TOKYO GLOBAL members also get an extra draw, as of 31 October.
My take: if I'd missed out and wanted Tokyo 2027 from North Devon, I'd email both UK partners today (wherever you are, find yours on the official list) and ask to go on any cancellation list, then put the money I'd have spent towards a 2028 plan.
Tokyo isn't in my calendar this year. London on 25 April is my Major for 2027, which you can follow on my road to London 2027.Tokyo might not stay off my calendar for long, though. With my son studying in Tokyo from 2027, I've got the perfect excuse to visit, plus a guide who actually speaks the language. If I turn up in the 2028 ballot in August, now you know why.
Tokyo Marathon 2027 Key Dates and Training Plan Start Date
If you got a place, mark the week of Monday 16 November 2026 for the start of a 16-week plan, and Thursday 4 March 2027 as the day you need to be in Tokyo. Everything else hangs off those two dates.
Date | What happens |
This week | Log in to My Entry and check your payment shows as complete |
Week of Monday 2 November 2026 | 18-week training plan starts |
Week of Monday 16 November 2026 | 16-week training plan starts |
Tuesday 1 December 2026, 12:00 Japan time | Friendship Run entry opens (3am in the UK, 10pm Monday in New York, 2pm in Sydney), first come first served |
Mid-February 2027 | Runner guide expected, with start blocks and finish-area maps |
Thursday 4 to Saturday 6 March 2027 | EXPO and bib pick-up at Tokyo Big Sight, photo ID required |
Sunday 7 March 2027 | Race day. 9:10am start: 00:10 in the UK, 7:10pm Saturday in New York, 11:10am in Sydney |
Don't miss: there's no bib pick-up on race morning, and nobody can collect it for you. If you're not at Tokyo Big Sight with photo ID by 5:30pm on Saturday 6 March, you don't run.
Heads-up: the organisers' websites, My Entry included, were under emergency maintenance at the end of October. If yours won't load, give it a day.Running sub-3? If you put down a predicted finish of 3:00 or faster when you entered, you'll need to upload a race result certificate: a marathon under 3:00 or a half under 1:25, run between July 2024 and June 2026. They'll contact you about it.
Pacing tip: Tokyo is flat and fast, but the first few kilometres drop downhill out of Shinjuku. It's very easy to bank time there and pay for it later. Don't.
There's a timing catch too. If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, a March race puts your biggest long runs in January and February: dark mornings, wind, rain and the odd icy week, with Christmas sat in the middle of the block. In Australia or South Africa it's the opposite problem: long runs in the heat of high summer. If this is your first marathon, take the 18 weeks. The extra fortnight gives you room to absorb a missed week or a winter cold without panic.
Tokyo in early March is usually cool and bright. March averages around 14°C by day and 5°C overnight, and the start of the month sits at the cooler end. It isn't guaranteed, though. The organisers issued a warm-weather warning before the 2026 race, so practise drinking on the move and keep a hot-weather pacing plan in your back pocket.
Need a Tokyo Marathon training plan? I train with Runna. Set 7 March 2027 as race day and it builds the block back from there. Use promo code ANDY2 for my exclusive double-length free trial.
Tokyo Marathon 2028 Ballot Dates, Friendship Run and Volunteering
If the ballot said no, you can still be in Tokyo on race weekend, and you can give yourself a far better shot at 2028 by putting the entry dates in the diary now. Here's how.
Tokyo Marathon Friendship Run, Volunteering and Spectating
Without a marathon bib, you can still take part in Tokyo Marathon weekend in three ways: run the 5K Friendship Run, volunteer, or spectate.
Run the Friendship Run. A 5K fun run in Asakusa on Saturday 6 March, open to anyone aged 12 or over. No marathon entry needed, JPY 9,900 for overseas residents, 2,000 places. Entry opens at 12:00 Japan time on Tuesday 1 December (provisional), which is 3am in the UK, so set an alarm or a very early coffee.
Volunteer. For 2027 the race is recruiting English-speaking Global Volunteers from overseas. You register for VOLUNTAINER overseas membership first, and volunteer entry opens on 4 November.
Spectate. It's free, the crowds are huge and famously supportive, and Asakusa, Ginza and the final stretch past Tokyo Station are the spots to aim for.
Tokyo Marathon 2028 Ballot Dates and Entry Timeline
The Tokyo Marathon 2028 entry dates haven't been announced, but if the 2027 pattern holds, the general ballot will open in mid-August 2027. Tokyo is the odd one out in the Majors calendar. Its ballot opens in August for a race the following March, just when most of us are thinking about autumn marathons, and it's gone before you know it. Based on this year, here's what's going in my own diary:
When (2027, TBC) | What happens |
Late June | Charity applications open. They filled within days this time, so have your donation budget sorted beforehand |
Early July | Official tour packages published. Register interest with the official partner in your country before this |
Mid-August | General ballot opens for two weeks. It's free, so enter every year |
Mid-September | Results, then roughly 12 days to pay. Miss the deadline and the place goes |
Diary reminder: the Tokyo ballot is free to enter, so there's no reason to skip a year. Put mid-August 2027 in your calendar now, before autumn race season takes over.
If you're building your 2027 race calendar around a Tokyo shot for 2028, my guide to planning your race calendar walks through how I set objectives, then A, B and C races. And if you'd rather a spring marathon closer to home, my Brighton and Manchester Marathon 2027 guide has the dates and entry status.
Tokyo Marathon 2027 Course, Travel and Race Day Logistics
Fly out midweek, collect your bib on Thursday or Friday, and take the train, not a taxi, on race morning. That's the short version.
Tokyo Marathon Course Route
The Tokyo Marathon course is a flat, fast point-to-point from Shinjuku to Tokyo Station. You start among the skyscrapers of Nishi-Shinjuku, run out through Suidobashi to a turn at Ueno-hirokoji, then through Kanda and Nihonbashi to the Kaminarimon Gate in Asakusa, cross to Ryogoku and Monzen-nakacho, come back through Ginza, head south past Tokyo Tower to turn at Tamachi, and come back through Hibiya to finish on Gyoko-dori in front of Tokyo Station. The out-and-back sections mean you'll see the elites coming the other way, which never gets old. The official course map has the detail.
Tokyo Marathon Travel: Flights, Time Zone and Bib Pick-Up
Aim to land in Tokyo by Thursday 4 March 2027, collect your bib in person by Saturday 6 March, and take the train on race morning.
Flights: Haneda is around 30 minutes from central Tokyo; Narita is about an hour. Aim to land by Thursday 4 March. From London, for example, 2:09 Events recommends the direct BA007 from Heathrow on Wednesday 3 March, landing at Haneda at 7:35am on Thursday 4 March. It's a sensible template even if you're booking yourself.
Time difference: Tokyo is on UTC+9. Your 9:10am start is 00:10 in the UK, 7:10pm on Saturday in New York and 11:10am in Sydney, so warn the family tracking you.
Bib pick-up: bib collection runs 10am to 8:30pm on Thursday and Friday and 10am to 5:30pm on Saturday, at Tokyo Big Sight. Bring photo ID (your passport if you're travelling); nobody can collect it for you. There's no pick-up on race morning, and the EXPO is fully cashless this year.
Race morning: the roads close early. Take the Oedo Line to Tochomae or walk from Shinjuku station.
After the finish: the finish area is runners only, so agree a meeting point outside it with your supporters.
Get travel insurance: the organisers strongly advise overseas runners to take out travel and medical insurance that covers marathon running. Treatment in Japan can be very expensive, and the race's own small payouts won't cover hospital bills.
What to Pack for the Tokyo Marathon
For the Tokyo Marathon, pack a throwaway layer or poncho for the start pens, thin gloves and the gels you've trained with. Don't try anything new on race day just because it was shiny at the EXPO. And bring a card that works abroad.
Tokyo Marathon 2027 Training Plan with Runna
Pop your race in as Sunday 7 March 2027, set your goal time and the days you can train, and Runna builds the block back from race day. Start it the week of 2 November for 18 weeks, or 16 November for 16.
The bit that matters for a winter block is how it adapts. When storm season shuts the coast path, a Christmas week goes sideways or a cold knocks you out for a few days, the plan adjusts around it instead of leaving you trying to cram in missed miles. It's the same app I'm using for my own London block, which starts in early January.
Whether you've landed a Tokyo place or you're mapping out a spring marathon closer to home, the race is the easy part. The training is where it's won or lost.
Or download the app and use promo code ANDY2. That's two full weeks of Runna Premium instead of the standard trial, enough to set up your Tokyo plan and see how it adapts before you commit. The exclusive Runna code works worldwide.
Tokyo Marathon 2027 FAQs
When is the 2027 Tokyo Marathon?
The 2027 Tokyo Marathon is on Sunday 7 March 2027. It starts at 9:10am in Shinjuku and finishes on Gyoko-dori in front of Tokyo Station.
When were the Tokyo Marathon 2027 ballot results announced?
Results went up on My Entry on Friday 18 September 2026. Anyone drawn had until 5pm Japan time on Wednesday 30 September to pay, or the place was voided.
Can I still get into the Tokyo Marathon 2027?
Only through an official tour package with guaranteed entry, while places last. Each country has its own approved partners, listed on the official Tokyo Marathon website. In England, for example, they're Sports Tours International and 2:09 Events. The ballot, charity, membership and semi-elite routes have all closed.
How much does it cost to run the Tokyo Marathon as an overseas runner?
The ballot entry fee for overseas runners is USD 230. Guaranteed-entry packages vary by country and partner. In the UK, for example, 2:09 Events starts at £3,399 per runner sharing a room for five nights, before flights.
What are the odds of getting into the Tokyo Marathon ballot?
Roughly one in ten. The 2027 applicant numbers haven't been published, but around 300,000 runners usually apply for about 30,000 ballot places.
When does the Tokyo Marathon 2028 ballot open?
It hasn't been announced. The 2027 ballot ran from 14 to 28 August 2026, with charity entries from late June, so expect a similar pattern for 2028.
When should I start training for the Tokyo Marathon 2027?
A 16-week plan starts the week of Monday 16 November 2026. An 18-week plan, the better choice for a first marathon, starts the week of Monday 2 November.
What time does the Tokyo Marathon start in my time zone?
The race starts at 9:10am Japan time, which is UTC+9. That's 00:10 in the UK, 1:10am in Paris and Berlin, 7:10pm on Saturday 6 March in New York, and 11:10am in Sydney.
Do I need to be fast to run the Tokyo Marathon?
No, but you need to be capable of finishing within 6 hours 30 minutes. The course closes 7 hours after the gun, and there are cut-offs along the way.
About the Author: Andy Hood
I'm Andy Hood, an ultra and endurance runner from North Devon, a cancer survivor, and an official Runna Ambassador.
Running took on a whole new meaning for me in 2021, when I was diagnosed with cancer. After surgery and chemotherapy, I came back to running more determined than ever to make a difference. In 2022 I ran 170 miles from Westward Ho! to Land's End along the South West Coast Path, seven days back to back with around 25,000 feet of climbing.
Since then I've taken on:
100K ultras, including London 2 Brighton and Race to the Stones
24 hours on a treadmill
The Tour du Mont Blanc, twice
50K runs across London, powered by Krispy Kreme doughnuts
Along the way I've raised over £28,000 for charities including the Alzheimer's Society, Macmillan Cancer Support, YoungMinds and ChemoHero. You can see them all on my completed ultras page.
I'm also the founder of Check Ya Balls, a menswear range designed to remind men to check themselves. It was a prompt to check that led to my own diagnosis, and now I want to pass that on to as many men as possible.
Follow my training: Instagram · More articles on the blog · Runna free trial
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