Highlights
- Sunday 8 November 2026, 8:20 gun: from Tenjin (Watanabe-dori) to near the Itoshima City Koryu Plaza Shima-kan, with a 7-hour limit (closes 15:20)
- Roads close 6:00–16:35 (planned); race day overlaps early voting for the Fukuoka mayoral election, and routes to polling stations may be restricted
- Bib pickup only on 6 and 7 November at Fukuoka City Hall's west plaza, with no race-day pickup
- Free shuttle from the finish to JR Chikuzen-Maebaru, paid shuttle to Tenjin and Hakata (boarding moves into the AEON Itoshima car park from about 16:00)
Background & story
A mass-participation marathon linking Fukuoka City and Itoshima: it leaves the Tenjin city centre, runs along the Momochi and Ikinomatsubara coast, passes Kyushu University's Ito Campus and ends on the Genkai Sea coast of Itoshima. Organised by Fukuoka City, Itoshima City and the Fukuoka Athletics Association.
Fukuoka Marathon 2026 is on Sunday 8 November 2026. The marathon and fun run start at 8:20 (wheelchair race 8:10) near Tenjin Intersection on Watanabe-dori in central Fukuoka, and the marathon finishes near the Itoshima City Koryu Plaza Shima-kan, closing at 15:20. It goes ahead rain or shine, and runner entry has already closed. Below: start times, road closures, bib pickup (there is none on race day), shuttle buses back from the Itoshima finish, cut-offs and estimated passing times for spectators, from the organisers' and Fukuoka City's current announcements (checked 2026-10-14).
Note: the similarly named Fukuoka International Marathon is a different race. This page is about the mass-participation Fukuoka Marathon run from Fukuoka City to Itoshima.
Quick facts (checked 2026-10-14)
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date | Sunday 8 November 2026 (held rain or shine) |
| Start times | 8:10 wheelchair race / 8:20 marathon and fun run |
| Start | near Tenjin Intersection, Watanabe-dori, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka |
| Finish | marathon: near Itoshima City Koryu Plaza Shima-kan / wheelchair and fun run: near Fukuoka City Museum |
| Marathon closes | 15:20 (7-hour limit, timed from the gun) |
| Road closures | 8 November, 6:00–16:35 (planned; official traffic page) |
| Bib pickup | Fri 6 Nov 12:00–20:00 and Sat 7 Nov 10:00–20:00 (planned), Fureai Plaza on the west side of Fukuoka City Hall; none on race day |
| Organisers | Fukuoka City, Itoshima City and the Fukuoka Athletics Association |
| Official site | https://www.f-marathon.jp/ |
Events, field size, time limits and fees
| Event | Distance | Field | Time limit | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marathon | 42.195 km | 13,000 | 7 hours | ¥16,000 (Japan entry) / ¥30,000 (overseas entry) |
| Wheelchair race | 5.2 km | 20 | 30 min | ¥3,300 (high school and older) / ¥2,200 (junior high) |
| Fun run | 5.2 km | 2,000 | 65 min | ¥4,100 (high school and older) / ¥2,200 (junior high) |
Time limits are measured from the starting gun (official race outline). The field sizes, limits and fees match Fukuoka City's own briefing paper of 9 April 2026.
Runner applications were open from 20 April to 20 May 2026, and the donation-based "Fukuoka Sports Supporter Runner" places closed at 17:00 on 24 July (Fukuoka City newsletter, 15 April 2026). According to the organisers, lottery result e-mails went out on 30 June and winners had to pay by 23:59 on 13 July. Excluding some priority places, 33,949 people applied for the marathon, 2,801 for the fun run and 19 for the wheelchair race, 36,769 in total (2,585 from overseas), up 7,187 on the previous race (official notice, 11 June 2026).
Bib pickup: no race-day pickup
Runner check-in is on Friday 6 November, 12:00–20:00, and Saturday 7 November, 10:00–20:00 (planned), at the Fureai Plaza on the west side of Fukuoka City Hall (planned). There is no check-in on race day (8 November). If you are flying in on the Saturday, plan to reach Tenjin before 20:00 (official race outline; Crossroad Fukuoka).
Road closures: 8 November, 6:00–16:35 (planned)
According to the official traffic page, roads on and around the course close from 6:00 to 16:35 (planned) on race day, and the times may change with the race situation. Vehicles cannot use or cross the course roads (emergency vehicles excepted), and pedestrians and cyclists are also restricted from crossing during the race.
- Expect bus cancellations, route and timetable changes and delays. The Imajuku–Meinohama "Nagisa" bus line will partly not run on the day.
- Race day falls in the early-voting period for the Fukuoka mayoral election, and the organisers warn that routes to polling stations may be restricted and ask voters to check the closure times in advance (official traffic page and traffic flyer PDF).
- Race day is a "no private car day": use the shuttle buses and public transport. There is no parking around the finish area.
Section-by-section closure maps are in the PDF on the official traffic page (https://www.f-marathon.jp/traffic/).
Shuttle buses: getting back from the Itoshima finish
The finish is in the Shima area of Itoshima, and free shuttle buses link it with the nearest station (official shuttle-bus page).
- To JR Chikuzen-Maebaru Station (free): between the finish area and the station area. Spectators can use it, and no booking is needed.
- To Tenjin and Hakata Station (paid): tickets are sold in advance through Lawson Ticket (web) and Loppi terminals in Lawson and Ministop stores (L-code 83765). Phase 2 runs until 23:59 on Saturday 31 October at ¥1,900; phase 3 runs from 10:00 on Monday 2 November to 23:59 on Saturday 7 November at ¥2,000 (tax included; sales end when sold out; the last web orders in each phase close at 22:00). Spectators can buy tickets too.
- Because the roads reopen, the paid buses' boarding point moves into the AEON Itoshima Shopping Center car park from about 16:00 (times may shift on the day).
The organisers ask runners not to drive or cycle after the race, so do not plan to drive yourself home from Itoshima.
Course and cut-offs
From Tenjin (Watanabe-dori) the marathon passes Seaside Momochi (around 5 km), the Ikinomatsubara and Nagatare coast (around 11–13 km), Kyushu University's Ito Campus (around 20 km), the Umizuri sea-fishing park (around 29 km) and Futamigaura (around 35 km) on the way to Itoshima. A climb with a 25 m height difference comes in the second half, after which the course opens onto the Genkai Sea coastline (official course page).
Main marathon cut-off points (official race outline):
| Cut-off point | Distance | Closes |
|---|---|---|
| Momochi Chuo Park | 5.3 km | 9:25 |
| Before Odo-nishi Intersection | 9.9 km | 10:09 |
| Kyushu University Ito Campus | 19.8 km | 11:44 |
| Imazu Sports Park | 25.0 km | 12:33 |
| Kitazaki Elementary School | 29.8 km | 13:20 |
| Before Imuta Intersection | 36.9 km | 14:28 |
| Before Yoshida three-way junction | 40.1 km | 14:59 |
There are two more cut-offs, past Imajuku Station-mae Intersection (14.3 km, 10:52) and at the Showa Bus Nishiura depot (32.9 km, 13:50), nine in all. In the wheelchair race the cut-off past Fukushi Center Intersection (0.8 km) closes at 8:15.
Watching from the roadside: estimated passing times
The official spectator page publishes estimated passing times by location (estimates).
| Point | Leaders | 4-hour runners | 5-hour runners | 6-hour runners | Last runners |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 km, Fukuoka City Museum | 8:36 | 8:50 | 9:02 | 9:13 | 9:22 |
| 20 km, near Kyushu University Ito Campus | 9:23 | 10:15 | 10:46 | 11:17 | 11:46 |
| 35 km, near Futamigaura rest area | 10:11 | 11:39 | 12:30 | 13:20 | 14:10 |
| Finish, near Koryu Plaza Shima-kan | 10:35 | 12:20 | 13:20 | 14:20 | 15:20 |
Please cheer without stepping onto the course or getting in the runners' way.
Contact
Fukuoka Marathon general call centre: 092-711-4422 (weekdays 9:30–17:00, as listed by Crossroad Fukuoka; Japanese). The secretariat is the Fukuoka Marathon Executive Committee office on the 7th floor of Fukuoka City Hall.
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For other races, dates and how overseas runners enter, see our Japan marathons 2026–2027 guide. If you are eating in Tenjin or Nakasu the night before, see Fukuoka yatai food stalls (Nakasu).
Sources (checked 2026-10-14)
- Fukuoka Marathon official race outline: https://www.f-marathon.jp/about/
- Fukuoka Marathon official traffic page: https://www.f-marathon.jp/traffic/ and the traffic flyer (PDF)
- Fukuoka Marathon official shuttle buses: https://www.f-marathon.jp/runner/bus.php
- Fukuoka Marathon official course and access: https://www.f-marathon.jp/about/course.php
- Fukuoka Marathon official spectator page: https://www.f-marathon.jp/cheerer/map.php
- Fukuoka Marathon official notices (applicants, 11 June 2026; lottery results, 30 June 2026)
- Fukuoka City briefing paper on Fukuoka Marathon 2026 (PDF, 9 April 2026)
- Fukuoka City newsletter, 15 April 2026 issue
- Crossroad Fukuoka (Fukuoka Prefecture Tourism Association): https://www.crossroadfukuoka.jp/event/11923
Checked 2026-10-14. Dates, times and fees are from the Fukuoka Marathon Executive Committee and Fukuoka City. Closures and buses can change, so check the official site before race day.
Update log: 2026-10-14 published from the official race outline, traffic, shuttle-bus and spectator pages.
Good to know for visitors
- Getting there
- The start is near Tenjin Intersection on Watanabe-dori in central Fukuoka, and bib pickup is at the Fureai Plaza on the west side of Fukuoka City Hall. There is no parking at the Itoshima finish; free shuttle buses run between the finish and the JR Chikuzen-Maebaru Station area, and paid shuttles run to Tenjin and Hakata Station (Lawson Ticket / Loppi, L-code 83765). Race day is a no-private-car day (checked 2026-10-14). Open directions in Google Maps ↗
- Booking & entry
- Check tickets and details on the official page (button above).
- Paying
- Entry fees (entry closed): marathon ¥16,000 (Japan entry) / ¥30,000 (overseas entry); fun run ¥4,100 (high school and older) / ¥2,200 (junior high); wheelchair race ¥3,300 / ¥2,200. Watching from the roadside is free. Paid shuttle to Tenjin/Hakata: ¥1,900 until 31 Oct, ¥2,000 from 2 to 7 Nov.. Smaller venues in Japan are often cash-first — carry some yen (cards/IC not guaranteed).
- Language
- Mostly in Japanese — a translation app on your phone helps.
Good to know
Bib pickup is only on Friday 6 November (12:00–20:00) and Saturday 7 November (10:00–20:00), never on race day. The paid shuttle back to Tenjin and Hakata costs ¥1,900 until 31 October (web orders close at 22:00, Loppi at 23:59) and ¥2,000 from 2 November, and sells out, so buy early via Lawson Ticket or Loppi (L-code 83765) (checked 2026-10-14).
Frequently asked questions
- When is Fukuoka Marathon 2026 and what time does it start?
- Sunday 8 November 2026, held rain or shine. The wheelchair race starts at 8:10 and the marathon and fun run at 8:20 near Tenjin Intersection on Watanabe-dori in central Fukuoka; the marathon closes at 15:20 (official race outline, checked 2026-10-14).
- When are the roads closed for Fukuoka Marathon 2026?
- From 6:00 to 16:35 on 8 November (planned), on and around the course. Times may change with the race, and buses will be cancelled or delayed. Race day falls in the early-voting period for the Fukuoka mayoral election, and the organisers warn that routes to polling stations may be restricted (official traffic page, checked 2026-10-14).
- Where and when do I pick up my bib? Is there race-day pickup?
- Friday 6 November 12:00–20:00 and Saturday 7 November 10:00–20:00 (planned), at the Fureai Plaza on the west side of Fukuoka City Hall (planned). There is no check-in on race day (official race outline, checked 2026-10-14).
- How do I get back from the finish in Itoshima?
- Take the free shuttle to the JR Chikuzen-Maebaru Station area (no booking needed) or the paid shuttle to Tenjin and Hakata Station, sold in advance via Lawson Ticket and Loppi (L-code 83765): ¥1,900 until 31 October, ¥2,000 from 2 to 7 November, until sold out. There is no parking near the finish (official shuttle-bus page, checked 2026-10-14).
- What are the time limit and cut-offs?
- Seven hours from the gun, so the marathon closes at 15:20. There are nine cut-offs, from Momochi Chuo Park (5.3 km, 9:25) to before the Yoshida three-way junction (40.1 km, 14:59) (official race outline, checked 2026-10-14).
- Can I still enter, and how much was it?
- No. Applications ran from 20 April to 20 May 2026 and the donation-based supporter places closed on 24 July. Fees were ¥16,000 (Japan entry) or ¥30,000 (overseas entry) for the marathon, ¥4,100 for the fun run and ¥3,300 for the wheelchair race (high school and older) (official outline and Fukuoka City, checked 2026-10-14).
Getting there
Start near Tenjin Intersection (Watanabe-dori), Fukuoka; finish near Itoshima City Koryu Plaza Shima-kan — Tenjin 1-chome, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka (near the start; bib pickup at Fureai Plaza, west side of Fukuoka City Hall)