Out of the 6 World Marathon Majors, Tokyo Marathon is the only race to start as a massive race from its first race. Taking place on 28 February 2016 Sunday, the upcoming Tokyo Marathon 2016 will be its 10th anniversary running and has expanded its race scale to 36,500 for this special milestone.
A Race That Promotes Unity
This year’s new logo reflects the race theme “The Day We Unite”, symbolising the image of the vast and rich range of stories that merge on the grand stage of the Tokyo Marathon, where runners, volunteers and spectators unite. Donations from the Tokyo Marathon Charity Program also go to respective charitable activities according to the concept of “Tsunagu,” building connection.
There will be two race distances to choose from: Full Marathon (Men, Women, Wheelchair Men, Wheelchair Women) and 10km (Men and Women for Junior & Youth, Visually Impaired, Intellectually Challenged, Organ Transplant Recipients and Wheelchair categories)
The Race Course
Marathon runners will get to pass by a few places of interests around Tokyo with this route: Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building — Iidabashi — Imperial Palace — Hibiya — Shinagawa — Ginza — Nihonbashi — Asakusa Kaminari-mon — Tsukiji — Toyosu — Tokyo Big Sight.
The route for 10km race category focuses more on central Tokyo: Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building — Iidabashi — Imperial Palace — Hibiya Park. Check out the detailed race map here.
Tokyo’s climate
The end of winter with average 7°C temperature makes it a slightly chilly temperature for runners. The weather is usually sunny and dry but with relatively short days. As it is still during winter season, the sunsets are early at around 5:30pm. Be prepared for temperatures as low as 2°C during night time!
3 Recommended running routes in Tokyo
1. Meguro River
One of the most beautiful places in Tokyo, Meguro River runs not far from Yamanote Line stations Meguro, Gotanda and Osaki. The best time to visit this running route would be during March and April when the cherry blossoms are on full bloom.
2. Akasaka Palace
The Akasaka Palace is a convenient running place for people staying near downtown Tokyo. The 3.3km running course goes around the Akasaka Palace and includes a couple of challenging hills.
3. Arakawa River
The Arakawa River is a great place to run and cycle. There is a running course that goes all along the river and has clear kilometer markers every 1km up to 35km mark. This is perfect for runners to evaluate the distance covered during each training session.
With its beautiful sceneries and clean city environments, Tokyo makes a great place for runners to visit while immersing in the city’s rich culture.
