Choosing between Soweto 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 | Soweto Marathon | Tokyo Marathon |
|---|---|---|
| Next race | Sunday, 1 November 2026 at 6:00 am | Sunday, 7 March 2027 at 9:10 am |
| Elevation | Rolling with gentle hills - approx. 1,767m above sea level. ↑ 150 m · ↓ 140 m · net +10 m | Very flat - approx. 44m above sea level. ↑ 60 m · ↓ 98 m · net −38 m |
| Typical weather | Mild spring | Cool to mild spring |
| Typical participants | Approximately 35k finishers | Approximately 38k finishers |
| Entry difficulty | Moderate | Very competitive |
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.
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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