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Compare London MarathonvsTokyo Marathon

Choosing between London 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.

At a glance

The headline differences between both races. Follow each marathon link for the full route map, elevation chart, and entry details.

DetailLondon MarathonTokyo Marathon
Next raceSunday, 25 April 2027 at 9:30 amSunday, 7 March 2027 at 9:10 am
ElevationFlat with minor bridges - approx. 25m above sea level. ↑ 127 m · ↓ 161 m · net −34 mVery flat - approx. 44m above sea level. ↑ 60 m · ↓ 98 m · net −38 m
Typical weatherCool to mild spring conditionsCool to mild spring
Typical participantsApproximately 57k finishersApproximately 38k finishers
Entry difficultyVery competitiveVery competitive

About these races

London Marathon

The TCS London Marathon is one of the world's most popular races, famous for its incredible charity fundraising and electric atmosphere. The fast course passes Tower Bridge, the Cutty Sark, Canary Wharf, and finishes on The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace. With gentle undulations and around 127 metres of total climbing, it consistently produces fast times — including Sabastian Sawe's 1:59:30 men's world record and Tigst Assefa's 2:15:41 women's-only world record, both set at the 2026 race.

Read the full London Marathon profile

Tokyo Marathon

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.

Read the full Tokyo Marathon profile

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