Getting In · Abbott World Marathon Major
Tokyo Marathon
Tokyo runs like a Swiss watch built by people who genuinely care whether you have a good day. Volunteers bow. The course is spotless. Not a single thing goes wrong. And the lottery turns away roughly nine of every ten people who ask.
- Distance
- 26.2 miFlat and fast
- Field
- ~38,000
- Applicants
- ~10x the field
- Charity entry
- ¥100,000+
- Lottery window
- August, for the following March
- Best door
- Charity or tour, for most
Runners who have done all the majors tend to describe Tokyo the same way: it is the one that feels like a gift. Spectators are quieter than New York or London, but they are absolutely everywhere, holding handmade signs and offering encouragement to strangers for six hours. The organisation is on another level entirely, from the security screening to the aid stations to the way the finish area moves 38,000 people without a single bottleneck.
The course is flat and quick, running past the Imperial Palace, through Asakusa and its temple gate, out and back along the Ginza, and finishing near Tokyo Station. Early March weather is usually cool and can be genuinely cold and wet, which catches a lot of visitors out.
How to get in
- LotteryThe general lottery
Entry typically opens in August for the following March. Tokyo is roughly ten times oversubscribed, so odds hover near 10 percent. Free to modest cost to enter, results announced in the autumn.
- CharityCharity entry
Tokyo runs a well-organised charity program with donations starting around ¥100,000. Places are genuinely limited and they are claimed extremely quickly when they open, so set a calendar alarm for the opening minute rather than the day.
- Time qualifierSemi-elite and RUN as ONE
Fast amateurs can enter through Japan's semi-elite pathways with verified qualifying times. Standards are quick, and the entry gives you a better start position too.
- Tour operatorOfficial travel partners
The most common route for overseas runners, and honestly a sensible one: Tokyo hotel booking and race weekend logistics are more complicated than the other majors if you don't read Japanese.
Plan the trip, not just the race
Tokyo is the major where the travel deserves as much planning as the training.
- Book accommodation the moment you have a bib. Race weekend hotels near Shinjuku and Tokyo Station go fast and get expensive.
- Expo attendance is mandatory and involves identity checks. Build in a full afternoon and bring your passport.
- Early March can be cold and wet. Pack for 40°F and rain even if the forecast looks kind.
- Baggage and start corrals are strict. Follow the instructions to the letter; Tokyo does not improvise.
- Give yourself days on either side. You have flown a very long way for a city that rewards wandering.
Questions runners actually ask
What are the Tokyo Marathon lottery odds?
Around 10 percent in recent years. The race receives roughly ten applications for every place.
How much is a Tokyo charity entry?
Donations start around ¥100,000. Places are limited and are typically claimed within a very short window after opening.
When does the Tokyo lottery open?
Usually August, for the following March's race, with results announced in the autumn.
Go to the source
Entry rules, dates, standards, fees, and odds change every single year, and the interesting races change them the most. Use this guide to build the plan; use the official site to confirm the details before you book anything.
If this is your kind of thing
Need the races in between? The hard part of a bucket list year is everything else on the calendar: the qualifier, the tune-up, the long run with a bib on.