Choosing between Osaka 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 | Osaka Marathon | Tokyo Marathon |
|---|---|---|
| Next race | Sunday, 28 February 2027 at 9:15 am | Sunday, 7 March 2027 at 9:10 am |
| Elevation | Mostly flat with gentle undulations - approx. 4m above sea level. ↑ 21 m · ↓ 21 m · net 0 m | Very flat - approx. 44m above sea level. ↑ 60 m · ↓ 98 m · net −38 m |
| Typical weather | Cool and humid winter | Cool to mild spring |
| Typical participants | Approximately 32k finishers | Approximately 38k finishers |
| Entry difficulty | Competitive | Very competitive |
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 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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