Choosing between Osaka Marathon and Soweto 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 | Osaka Marathon | Soweto Marathon |
|---|---|---|
| Next race | Sunday, 28 February 2027 at 9:15 am | Sunday, 1 November 2026 at 6:00 am |
| Elevation | Mostly flat with gentle undulations - approx. 4m above sea level. ↑ 21 m · ↓ 21 m · net 0 m | Rolling with gentle hills - approx. 1,767m above sea level. ↑ 150 m · ↓ 140 m · net +10 m |
| Typical weather | Cool and humid winter | Mild spring |
| Typical participants | Approximately 32k finishers | Approximately 35k finishers |
| Entry difficulty | Competitive | Moderate |
The Osaka Marathon is one of the world's largest marathons, drawing approximately 32k finishers on an urban road in Osaka, Japan. The course starts and finishes at Osaka Castle Park. The route passes Osaka Castle, Nakanoshima, Umeda, and Namba through central Osaka. Mostly flat with gentle undulations on bridge approaches over the city's rivers.
The Soweto Marathon is one of Africa's largest marathons, drawing about 35,000 finishers each November through Johannesburg's historic Soweto township. The course passes the Hector Pieterson Memorial, Vilakazi Street (home of Mandela and Tutu), and FNB Stadium. November summer weather and powerful historical symbolism make it South Africa's most significant mass-participation marathon.
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