Choosing between Edinburgh 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 | Edinburgh Marathon | Tokyo Marathon |
|---|---|---|
| Next race | Sunday, 30 May 2027 at 10:00 am | Sunday, 7 March 2027 at 9:10 am |
| Elevation | Hilly with notable climbs - approx. 66m above sea level. ↑ 120 m · ↓ 120 m · net 0 m | Very flat - approx. 44m above sea level. ↑ 60 m · ↓ 98 m · net −38 m |
| Typical weather | Cool to mild and humid spring | Cool to mild spring |
| Typical participants | Approximately 30k finishers | Approximately 38k finishers |
| Entry difficulty | Very competitive | Very competitive |
The Edinburgh Marathon is one of the world's largest marathons, drawing approximately 30k finishers on an urban road in Edinburgh, United Kingdom. The course starts in Edinburgh and finishes in Musselburgh on the coast — point-to-point. Hilly only in the first few miles leaving Edinburgh.
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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