When and How to Watch the Tokyo Marathon
Follow our live coverage of the Tokyo Marathon 2025 on race day on our homepage and via our YouTube live stream “watch along” coverage, starting at 6:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 1, 2025 (about 30 minutes before race start time in Tokyo on Sunday morning). Also, check out our podcast feed to listen to our instant reaction pod right after the race wraps up.
Start Date
The 2025 Tokyo Marathon is scheduled for Sunday, March 2, 2025 (in Japan; so Saturday evening, Eastern Time).
Start Time
The menโs and womenโs races will start at 9:10 a.m. local time (JST). For international viewers, that translates to:
- 12:10 a.m. GMT on March 2
- 7:10 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 1
How to Watch the Tokyo Marathon
The Tokyo Marathon will be broadcast in over 160 countries worldwide. While specific broadcasters for 2025 havenโt been officially confirmed yet, hereโs how the race has been televised in previous years:
- Japan: Nippon TV will air the race nationwide, with live streaming on Hulu, TVer, and NITTERE TADA.
- Europe: Eurosport has traditionally held rights across 63 countries.
- United States and Canada: FloTrack has been the go-to streaming platform for North American viewers.
- Latin America and Caribbean: ESPN International has broadcasted the marathon across 47 countries in this region.
- China: Great Sports Media owns the rights in mainland China, excluding Macau, Hong Kong, and Chinese Taipei.
For official confirmation of broadcasting channels, check this page, as we will update it as more information becomes available, or Tokyo Marathonโs website as race day approaches.
Course Video, Map and Elevation Profile
The Tokyo Marathon is famous for its flat and fast course, making it an ideal setting for elite runners aiming for personal bests or course records. The race starts at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building in Shinjuku, taking runners through a scenic tour of Tokyoโs most iconic districts.
Early in the race, runners pass Suidobashi and Tokyo Dome, then head toward the cultural hub of Ueno Park before reaching the first turnaround point. The course continues through Kanda, known for its historic bookstores, and Nihombashi, a blend of Tokyoโs commercial past and present.
Later in the race, competitors run past Asakusaโs famous Sensoji Temple, the sumo wrestling district of Ryogoku, and the upscale shopping area of Ginza. The final stretch takes runners toward Tokyo Station, finishing on Gyoko-Dori Avenue, a grand boulevard leading to the Imperial Palace.
With minimal elevation changes and multiple out-and-back segments, the course allows for fast times and exciting head-to-head battles among the worldโs top marathoners.
Weather Conditions
Early March in Tokyo typically sees mild temperatures. On race morning, expect a low of 3ยฐ C (37ยฐ F) and a high of 13ยฐ C (55ยฐ F). While these conditions are favorable for fast times, thereโs always the potential for wind or rain, so runners should be prepared for variable weather.
TOKYO WEATHERIs There Prize Money?
While official prize money details havenโt been released, the Tokyo Marathon traditionally offers over $150,000 USD, split equally between men and women. Additionally, runners who break course records or world records may earn bonus payouts from race sponsors.
As a World Marathon Major (WMM) event, Tokyo also contributes to the overall WMM series prize, awarded to top performers across all seven major marathons.
Menโs and Womenโs Elite Field: Who to Watch in 2025
The 2025 Tokyo Marathon boasts one of the strongest fields in race history, with Olympic medalists, world record holders, and defending champions headlining the event. Both the menโs and womenโs races feature fierce competition, promising a thrilling showdown on the streets of Tokyo.
Menโs Elite Field
Kenyaโs Benson Kipruto returns to Tokyo to defend his title after setting a Japanese all-comers’ record of 2:02:16 in 2024. Kipruto, who also placed third at the Paris 2024 Olympics, has proven he thrives in championship-style races and will be tough to beat.
Another major storyline is Joshua Cheptegeiโs marathon debut. The Ugandan world record holder in the 5,000m and 10,000m, and a Paris Olympic 10,000m gold medalist, Cheptegei has dominated the track but struggled in his debut marathon in late 2023, when he ran 2:08:59 at the Valencia Marathon. If he’s made the necessary adjustments to his training and pacing strategy, he could be a serious contender.
Ethiopiaโs Deresa Geleta, who ran 2:02:38 in Valencia 2024, will also be among the top favorites. His recent sub-2:03 performance solidifies him as one of the top marathoners in the world.
Kenyan Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich, third place in Tokyo last year (2:04:18), is returning to chase a higher podium finish, while Ethiopiaโs Tadese Takele (2:03:24) and Japanโs Akira Akasaki (Paris 2024 Olympic marathoner) round out an incredibly deep field.
Womenโs Elite Field
The womenโs race is headlined by Sutume Asefa Kebede, the defending Tokyo Marathon champion and course record holder (2:15:55). Having demolished the field in 2024, she returns to defend her title against an even stronger lineup.
Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei, former world record holder (2:14:04) and 2022 Tokyo Marathon champion, is back after dealing with injuries over the past year. If sheโs in top form, sheโll be a serious threat.
Another major contender is Rosemary Wanjiru (Kenya), the 2023 Tokyo Marathon champion, who clocked a personal best 2:16:14 in 2024 to finish second. Sheโll be eager to reclaim her crown.
Ethiopiaโs Tigist Ketema, a marathon debutante in Dubai 2024 (2:16:07), shocked the running world with her performance and, after winning Berlin last fall in her second shot at the distance, is now a legitimate title contender. Fellow Ethiopian Hawi Feysa (2:17:25, Frankfurt 2024 winner) is also a major podium threat.
Japanโs Ai Hosoda (2:20:31) leads the domestic runners and will look to break the 2:20 barrier on home soil. The last Japanese woman to win Tokyo was Mizuki Noguchi in 2007, and Hosoda hopes to change that.
With six women boasting sub-2:17 times, this yearโs race has the potential to be one of the fastest ever.
Check Out The Full Elite Start Lists Below
Elite Men
Benson Kipruto (KEN) 2:02:16 (2024 Tokyo Winner; sixth fastest all-time)
Deresa Geleta (ETH) 2:02:38 (seventh fastest all-time)
Birhanu Legese (ETH) 2:02:48 (ninth fastest all-time)
Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich (KEN) 2:03:13
Tadese Takele (ETH) 2:03:24
Dawit Wolde (ETH) 2:03:48
Leul Gebresilase (ETH) 2:04:02
Stephen Kissa (UGA) 2:04:48
Tsegaye Getachew (ETH) 2:04:49
Amedework Walelegn (ETH) 2:04:50
Titus Kipruto (KEN) 2:04:54
Yohei Ikeda (JPN) 2:05:12
Suguru Osako (JPN) 2:05:29
Mulugeta Asefa Uma (ETH) 2:05:33
Ichitaka Yamashita (JPN) 2:05:51
Kenya Sonota (JPN) 2:05:59
Hiroto Inoue (JPN) 2:06:47
He Jie (CHN) 2:06:57
Vincent Raimoi (KEN) 2:07:01
Hendrik Pfeiffer (GER) 2:07:14
Akira Akasaki (JPN) 2:07:32
Suldan Hassan (SWE) 2:07:36
Joshua Cheptegei (UGA) 2:08:59 (10,000m Olympic gold; 10,000m world record)
Benard Koech (KEN) Debut
Geoffrey Toroitich (KEN) Debut
Elite Women
Brigid Kosgei (KEN) 2:14:04 (2022 Tokyo winner; fourth fastest all-time)
Sutume Kebede (ETH) 2:15:55 (2024 Tokyo Winner; eighth fastest all-time)
Tigist Ketema (ETH) 2:16:07 (ninth fastest all-time)
Rosemary Wanjiru (KEN) 2:16:14 (2023 Tokyo winner; 10th fastest all-time)
Hawi Feysa (ETH) 2:17:25
Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH) 2:17:56
Degitu Azimeraw (ETH) 2:17:58
Gotytom Gebreslase (ETH) 2:18:11
Winfridah Moraa Moseti (KEN) 2:18:25
Mestawut Fikir (ETH) 2:18:48
Magdalyne Masai (KEN) 2:18:58
Ai Hosoda (JPN) 2:20:31
Desi Jisa Mokonin (BRN) 2:20:47
Yuka Ando (JPN) 2:21:18
Jessica Stenson (AUS) 2:24:01
Zhang Deshun (CHN) 2:24:05
Rie Kawauchi (JPN) 2:25:35
Kaori Morita (JPN) 2:26:31
Khishigsaikhan Galbadrakh (MGL) 2:26:32
Shiho Kaneshige (JPN) 2:28:51
