Choosing between Tokyo Marathon and Zhengzhou 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 | Tokyo Marathon | Zhengzhou Marathon |
|---|---|---|
| Next race | Sunday, 7 March 2027 at 9:10 am | Sunday, 18 October 2026 at 7:00 am |
| Elevation | Very flat - approx. 44m above sea level. ↑ 60 m · ↓ 98 m · net −38 m | Very flat - approx. 104m above sea level. ↑ 50 m · ↓ 50 m · net 0 m |
| Typical weather | Cool to mild spring | Mild autumn |
| Typical participants | Approximately 38k finishers | Approximately 36k finishers |
| Entry difficulty | Very competitive | Competitive |
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.
The Zhengzhou Marathon attracts approximately 36k finishers each October through Henan province's transport hub on the Yellow River. The course links the Zhengdong New Area CBD towers, Erqi Memorial Tower, and the Songshan foothills approach on wide Henan boulevards. October's mild central-China weather and a largely flat profile make it one of the country's fastest major mass-participation marathons.
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