Along with Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York City, the Tokyo is one of the six major world marathons having joined the other cities in 2013. The race begins at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government offices before cutting across Tokyo to go through Nihombashi, Asakusa, back down to Tokyo Tower and then on to finish at Tokyo Station (official route here).
How Do I Apply?
Through the official website during the application period. General participants must be 19 years old on the day of the event and be able to complete a marathon in 6 hours 40 minutes.
What are My Chances of Securing a Place?
In total about 35,000 places are available including about 10,000 places reserved for elite athletes, charity participants, etc. The marathon’s popularity has been increasing year after year and the general classification is usually many times oversubscribed. Generally speaking, you’ve got about an 8-10% chance of selection.
If you don’t fancy those odds then you could register as a charity runner by donating ¥100,000 or more (the amount is tax deductible, if that helps). There are 4,000 places reserved for charity runners, and selection is made on a first-come first-served basis which guarantees you a place if you’re quick to act.
