Choosing between Boston Marathon and Tokyo Marathon? This page puts the essentials side by side — next race date, elevation, typical weather, field size, and entry difficulty — with a short overview of each course below.
The headline differences between both races. Follow each marathon link for the full route map, elevation chart, and entry details.
| Detail | Boston Marathon | Tokyo Marathon |
|---|---|---|
| Next race | Monday, 19 April 2027 at 10:00 am | Sunday, 7 March 2027 at 9:10 am |
| Elevation | Net downhill with famous Newton hills - approx. 50m above sea level. ↑ 248 m · ↓ 388 m · net −140 m | Very flat - approx. 44m above sea level. ↑ 60 m · ↓ 98 m · net −38 m |
| Typical weather | Cool to mild; often windy | Cool to mild spring |
| Typical participants | Approximately 26k finishers | Approximately 38k finishers |
| Entry difficulty | Very competitive | Very competitive |
The Boston Marathon is the world's oldest annual marathon and the only major requiring qualification for most runners. Starting in Hopkinton and finishing on Boylston Street, the course features the challenging Heartbreak Hill and legendary New England crowd support. It is the pinnacle race for competitive amateur marathoners.
The Tokyo Marathon is one of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, drawing over 38,000 runners through the heart of Japan's capital. The course showcases iconic landmarks including the Tokyo Station, Imperial Palace, and Ginza district before finishing near Tokyo Station. Known for exceptional organisation and enthusiastic crowd support, it is a bucket-list race for international runners.
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