Skip to main content

Race Entries

Races in Japan usually close entry at least a month beforehand, often much longer. They generally do not have race day entry and race organizers are not willing to make special exceptions for foreigners. If you are coming to Japan for, say, a business trip in two weeks, it is not possible to enter a race. If you are making longer-range plans then it may be possible to find a suitable event using the following services:

Samurai Running Japan is a long-standing entry service that focuses on smaller races to help overseas visitors "experience the 'real' Japan."  Along with entry it assists with accommodations and transportation.

Launched in September, 2015, Runnet Japan is an English-language branch of Runnet, Japan's dominant online entry service, catering to the international community.  The number of races offered on Runnet Japan is still limited but constantly expanding.

Other entry services like Sports Entry, TecNet and the new Sportsnavi Do still offer only Japanese-language and domestic address service, but with swelling numbers of international runners at races across Japan they are bound to get in on the action soon.

Japan's 25 Biggest Marathons
2015 finisher totals except where noted
1. Tokyo Marathon - 35,293
2. Osaka Marathon - 29,680
3. Yokohama Marathon - 21,561
4. Naha Marathon - 18,326
5. Ibusuki Nanohana Marathon - 18,150
6. Nagoya Women's Marathon - 17,231 (women only)
7. Kobe Marathon - 17,087
8. Shonan International Marathon - 16,173
9. Kasumigaura Marathon - 15,601
10. Kyoto Marathon - 15,452
11. Itabashi City Marathon - 14,119
12. Okayama Marathon - 12,412
13. Tsukuba Marathon - 12,290
14. Katsuta Marathon - 11,808
15. Hokkaido Marathon - 11,778
16. Kanazawa Marathon - 11,447
17. Nara Marathon - 11,244
18. Chiba Aqualine Marathon - 11,066 (2014, bi-annual)
19. Kumamoto-jo Marathon - 10,959
20. Toyama Marathon - 10,483
21. Tokushima Marathon - 9,738
22. Fukuoka Marathon - 9,360
23. Ehime Marathon - 9,074
24. Shizuoka Marathon - 9,035
25. Kitakyushu Marathon - 8,957

© 2016 Brett Larner
all rights reserved

Comments

Ashley said…
How can I find out when some races are? I am likely moving to Japan in September and would love to do a 10km there end of September or in October. I however am having trouble finding a run (co-ed). If you could advise me on where to look, or if you know of any runs I would appreciate your assistance.

ajherridge@rogers.com
January 3, 2010 at 11:16 PM
Jim said…
Brett, I lived in Chitose, Hokkaido from 1997-2000. It took me from October to April to sort out the race entry system. But in the winter there were no races locally anyway. Do they still use the post office system for race registration or is everything on line now?
I know travel in Japan is expensive, but I can heartily recommend the Hokkaido Marathon, Chitose JAL, and Okhotsk. But the prettiest course is Toya Ko in May.
April 15, 2010 at 9:05 AM
Sean B said…
I am an ultra runner from Atlanta and I am looking for an ultra marathon or marathon Jan 22-30 in Japan, China, s korea etc...
can you help me out and or point me in the right direction?
thank you
Sean B
slimshaby@mindspring.com
April 16, 2010 at 1:38 AM
Anonymous said…
Hi,

Im currently living in Ishikawa Ken and a friend of mine as well as myself have been considering entering ourselves into the kumejima marathon in Okinawa.

I have tried to research how to enter online and have so far only succeeded in finding out the date of said race and the closing date for entrees.

Any help you could possibly give me would be a great help!! Also, if you know of any running clubs in Ishikawa Ken that would also be appreciated!!

Tom Cole
tom_cole_@hotmail.com
May 27, 2010 at 1:00 AM
Anonymous said…
Hi Brett

Thanks for your tips, really helpful.

I am very keen to enter the Niigata Marathon on 11 October 2015. I am wondering whether you are able to kindly provide any tips on how to enter or any sites I can go to for entry.

Cheers

Greta
July 28, 2015 at 7:58 PM
Brett Larner said…
It looks like Niigata sold out on July 8, sorry.
July 28, 2015 at 8:14 PM
Gilles Scheuren said…
Hi Brett,
thank you for providing your help :)

We are coming to visit Japan in May and I was thinking of running a Half-Marathon during my visit.

I was doing some research by myself and could only find 1 races in May:Gifu City.

Do you know if the Fuji Susono Half Marathon takes place this year?

Are there any other runs?

thanks in advance,

gilles

January 5, 2016 at 10:32 PM
Brett Larner said…
Gilles--

Please contact me via the email address in my profile.
January 6, 2016 at 8:41 AM
Post a Comment

Most-Read This Week

Kawauchi Brothers Repeat Father's Day Okinoshima Ultra Sweep

For the second year in a row brothers Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref. Gov't) and Yoshiki Kawauchi (unattached) returned to their late father's home island of Okinoshima to dominate the Father's Day Okinoshima Ultramarathon 50 km and 100 km.

Yoshiki, the younger of the two, ran the 100 km for the third time. In his 2015 debut he suffered mightily on the way in to an 11:21:52 finish. Returning with a year's more experience in 2016, he won in a course record 7:20:31. This time he was out fast in search of his first sub-7 clocking, averaging 4:00/km at 40 km through the hilliest part of the course before starting to slow. At 60 km he was still on track for a sub-7, splitting 4:07:10, but when he hit the series of three >100 m elevation gain climbs just after 60 km sub-7 slipped out of reach. Still well under course pace with a 7:12:27 projection at 80 km Yoshiki struggled on the last 100 m climb just over 5 km from the finish, coming in for the win in 7:29:06. Yoshiki has…
Post a Comment
Read more

Japanese National Track and Field Championships Preview

The 101st edition of Japan's National Track and Field Championships takes place Friday through Sunday at Osaka's Yanmar Stadium Nagai. It's a strange time in some ways. Despite the overall upward trend spurred on by the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the count of athletes who might make the London World Championships off their performances at Nationals is low. The marathon, walks, combined events and relays aside, based on current qualifying times only the men's 100 m, women's 5000 m and women's 10000 m could field full three-member squads, and not many events look set to join that list. The progress over the last few years in men's distance on the track seems to have stalled, with nobody qualified for London in the 5000 m and the only man qualified in the 10000 m already a scratch. Is it a just a hiccup or a sign of problems in the buildup to 2020?

Visit the JAAF's National Track and Field Championships website for entry and start lists, live results, photos an…
Post a Comment
Read more

Ageo City Half Marathon Leads Weekend Action - Preview

by Brett Larner

Rainy weather lies ahead for a busy weekend of racing across the country.  Track is a part of the calender from April through December, and this weekend features several large time trial meets including the Shizuoka Long Distance Time Trials Meet and, closer to Tokyo, the Nittai University Time Trials Meet.  Men's 5000 m is the focus at Nittai with 37 separate heats in one day, the fastest heat led by 12 Japan-based Africans including Bedan Karoki (DeNA RC), Ronald Kwemoi (Team Komori Corp.) and Paul Kuira (Team Konica Minolta).

The main action this weekend, however, happens on the roads, and there's no question that the Ageo City Half Marathon is the main event.  Ageo, the race that university coaches use to thin their rosters ahead of deciding their lineups for January's Hakone Ekiden, is one of two Japanese half marathons vying for the title of world's greatest half, locked in a duel with March's National University Half Marathon to produce the d…
Post a Comment
Read more