Tokyo Marathon
Sunday, March 7, 2027 · Tokyo, Japan · 9:10 AM
Updated Oct 17, 2026
Technical flatness: no major climbs but constant micro-undulations and sharp urban turns prevent settling into monotonous cadence.
Tokyo Marathon elevation gain
The Tokyo Marathon has 200 ft (60 m) of elevation gain and 321 ft (98 m) of loss over 26.2 miles (42.195 km).
Is the Tokyo Marathon hard?
No, not as marathon courses go. The Tokyo Marathon scores 2.4/10 on the Kenyan Running Difficulty Index, tied for the 5th easiest of the 12 marathons we rate.
The median race-day temperature is 10°C (50°F).
The score is built from four factors: hills, race-day weather, turns and bridges, and the late miles where a runner is most likely to lose time. See the score breakdown.
Pacing the Tokyo Marathon
Training for the Tokyo Marathon?
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The score breakdown
The Kenyan Running Difficulty Index combines four weighted factors. The heaviest weight (35%) is on Tactical Brutality. That is what a Kenyan coach watches first: where the field actually blows up.
- Low humidity (30-49%) is unusual for major marathons and benefits Atmospheric Stress score.
Score confidence: preliminary. Computed from public course, weather, and prize data.
Course profile
- Elevation gain
- 60m / 200ft
- Elevation loss
- 98m / 321ft
- Surface
- paved smooth
- Late-stage climbs (after mile 18)
- None statistically significant; course is riddled with micro-ascents throughout.
- Profile notes
- Aggressively front-loaded downhill start, then flat mid-race stretches.
Race day
- Date
- Sunday, March 7, 2027
- Start time
- 9:10 AM
- Field size (approx.)
- 37,500
- Entry
- General lottery when entries exceed the field, plus ONE TOKYO member (3,000 places), charity (5,000) and semi-elite (280) entries. Acceptance odds are not published.
- Time limit
- 7 hours (finish closes 4:10 PM)
Weather (historical)
- Median temp
- 10°C
- Temp range
- 9°C to 16°C
- Humidity
- 30-49%
- Wind
- ~6 mph north
Prize money
- Total purse
- $750,000+
- Winner
- $80K
- 2nd / 3rd
- $30K / $15K
- World record bonus
- $200K
- Time bonuses
- Unique split-time bonuses at the 10km mark to incentivize leading pacers.
Course records
Recent winners
Top East African winners (Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Uganda) across the last 10 verified editions: 10 men, 9 women.
| Year | Men's winner | Time | Women's winner | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Tadese Takele (ETH) | 2:03:37 | Brigid Kosgei (KEN) | 2:14:29 |
| 2025 | Tadese Takele (ETH) | 2:03:23 | Sutume Kebede (ETH) | 2:16:31 |
| 2024 | Benson Kipruto (KEN) | 2:02:16 | Sutume Kebede (ETH) | 2:15:55 |
| 2023 | Deso Gelmisa (ETH) | 2:05:22 | Rosemary Wanjiru (KEN) | 2:16:28 |
| 2022 | Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) | 2:02:40 | Brigid Kosgei (KEN) | 2:16:02 |
| 2020 | Birhanu Legese (ETH) | 2:04:15 | Lonah Chemtai Salpeter (ISR) | 2:17:45 |
| 2019 | Birhanu Legese (ETH) | 2:04:48 | Ruti Aga (ETH) | 2:20:40 |
| 2018 | Dickson Chumba (KEN) | 2:05:30 | Birhane Dibaba (ETH) | 2:19:51 |
| 2017 | Wilson Kipsang (KEN) | 2:03:58 | Sarah Chepchirchir (KEN) | 2:19:47 |
| 2016 | Feyisa Lilesa (ETH) | 2:06:56 | Helah Kiprop (KEN) | 2:21:27 |
Training for Tokyo Marathon?
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