Organizers of the Tokyo Marathon announced a series of changes for the 2027 edition on Monday, headlined by a record $170,000 prize for the men’s and women’s elite champions and a field that grows to 40,000 runners. The updates were revealed in an official announcement from the Tokyo Marathon Foundation as part of the race’s 20th anniversary celebrations.
The new champion’s purse is the largest in the Abbott World Marathon Majors series, eclipsing the top payouts at Boston, New York and other Majors. Organizers say the figure is meant to draw the strongest possible elite field to Tokyo, which has built a reputation in recent years for fast times on its mostly flat course.
A bigger field, and a new shape
The 2027 race will accept 40,000 runners, up from 39,000 in previous editions. That makes Tokyo Japan’s largest marathon by capacity. Demand for entry has consistently outpaced supply, with the general lottery drawing far more applicants than available spots.
The extra capacity arrives alongside a structural change to the event. Tokyo will retire its 10.7-kilometer race and fold those entrants into the full 42.195-kilometer distance. The shift comes with a new para-athlete division at the marathon distance and additional entry categories for people with disabilities.
According to the official press release, the new division was created “to heighten the appeal of marathon elite racing by people with disabilities.”
A new way to race together
After a trial run in 2025, the Duo Team division becomes official in 2027. Each team consists of two runners working as a pair, one in a buggy and one pushing, who cross the finish line together. Organizers said the goal is to “create a society in which everyone can enjoy running.”
The format is designed to broaden access for runners who cannot complete the course on their own, and adds Tokyo to a growing list of major races offering formal inclusive divisions.
Anniversary touches around the city
The 2027 race marks two decades since Tokyo first hosted its citywide marathon in 2007. To commemorate the milestone, finishers will receive a 20th Anniversary Premium Edition medal, with the design to be revealed closer to race day.
Organizers will open a temporary event hub called Tokyo Marathon Square at the Shinjuku Sumitomo Building Sankaku Hiroba from March 5 to March 7, 2027. The space, near the start line, will host press conferences, a post-run party and other public gatherings. The Blue Impulse aerobatic team of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force will also perform an exhibition flight over the city on race day.
The marathon’s official theme remains “The Day We Unite,” a phrase organizers have used to frame the event as a citywide gathering rather than a closed elite race. For 2027, that includes a global volunteer program recruiting helpers from outside Japan, building on a pilot at the 2026 race. The race’s elite field will be confirmed in the coming months.
Sustainability and runner support
The race will introduce a Green Mileage Program and what organizers describe as an “emissions reduction roadmap aimed at carbon neutrality.” A community space called RUN CYCLE SQUARE will focus on sports and sustainability during marathon weekend.
For everyday runners, organizers are promising broader pacing support across a wider range of finish times, plus a health management app to help participants prepare in the months leading up to the race. The stated goal is 100 percent race completion.
How to enter
The race is scheduled for Sunday, March 7, 2027. Entry fees are set at 19,800 yen for residents of Japan and $230 for overseas applicants, with handling fees and tax included. Runner registration opens on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, and runs through late August across several entry categories. All times below are Japan Standard Time.
- Charity Runners (field size: 5,000). Donation applications: June 24, 11 a.m. to July 9, 5 p.m., 2026. Charity runner entry: July 14, 11 a.m. to August 13, 5 p.m., 2026. Donation-only contributions are accepted through August 31.
- Semi-Elite Entry — “RUN as ONE” (capacity: 280). July 31, 11 a.m. to August 13, 5 p.m., 2026. Selection is based on qualifying times set to match the field size.
- ONE TOKYO Premium Member entry (residents of Japan). July 31, 11 a.m. to August 13, 5 p.m., 2026.
- ONE TOKYO GLOBAL Member entry (overseas runners). July 31, 11 a.m. to August 13, 5 p.m., 2026.
- General entry. August 14, 11 a.m. to August 28, 5 p.m., 2026. If applications exceed capacity, a lottery is held, with priority drawings for ONE TOKYO members who missed out on the 2024, 2025 and 2026 races (up to 4,000 spots) and a 1,000-place block for Tokyo residents before the general drawing.
Volunteer recruitment for the 10,000-person VOLUNTAINER program opens October 6, 2026, and includes a global volunteer track for applicants based outside Japan. Packet pickup and the Tokyo Marathon EXPO 2027 will run March 4 to 6 at Tokyo Big Sight South Exhibition Halls, with admission free to the public. Runners can find more on the course and what to expect on race day while they wait for the lottery results.
Source: Tokyo Marathon Foundation official announcement, June 22, 2026.
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