Highlights
- A JAAF-certified, WA/AIMS-measured 42.195 km course from Takebishi Stadium Kyoto to Heian-jingu Shrine
- Marathon and pair-ekiden start at 9:00 a.m. (wheelchair race 8:55); the course closes at 15:00, with a 6-hour limit
- 16,000-runner marathon field plus 250 ekiden pairs and 20 wheelchair athletes
Background & story
Revived in 2012 after a same-named race that ran from 1969 to 1982, the Kyoto Marathon is now one of Japan's largest citizen marathons, capped at 16,000 runners to keep the course manageable through the city's narrow historic streets. The February 2027 race is the 14th edition since the relaunch.
Kyoto Marathon 2027 takes place on Sunday, February 21, 2027, with the marathon and pair-ekiden gun going off at 9:00 a.m. JST (wheelchair race at 8:55 a.m.) from TAKEBISHI Stadium Kyoto in the Nishikyogoku Athletic Park. The 42.195 km course starts at Takebishi Stadium Kyoto in Nishikyogoku and finishes in front of Heian-jingu Shrine (a JAAF-certified, WA/AIMS-measured course). Here's the full go-info — venue, fee, course, and how to enter.
This is one of Japan's largest citizen marathons: a field of 16,000 marathon runners, 250 pairs (500 runners) in the pair-ekiden relay, and 20 wheelchair athletes, all moving through the city on the same February Sunday.
Quick facts (as of September 18, 2026, from the official race guidelines)
- Date: Sunday, February 21, 2027; marathon & pair-ekiden start 9:00 a.m. JST, wheelchair race 8:55 a.m.
- Start: TAKEBISHI Stadium Kyoto (Nishikyogoku Athletic Park), 29 Nishikyogoku Shinmei-cho, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto
- Finish: In front of Heian-jingu Shrine
- Distance: 42.195 km marathon; pair-ekiden split into a 27.6 km first leg and a 14.6 km second leg, with the changeover inside the Kyoto Botanical Gardens; 6.1 km wheelchair race
- Entry fee: ¥18,500 (Kyoto city residents) / ¥19,500 (other domestic applicants) / ¥35,000 (overseas applicants); pair-ekiden ¥34,000 per pair; wheelchair race ¥3,000
- Field size: 16,000 marathon runners, 250 ekiden pairs, 20 wheelchair athletes
- Spectating: free along the entire course
The course — from Arashiyama through northern Kyoto to Heian-jingu
The route is the race's signature draw: starting at the Nishikyogoku athletics stadium in the west of the city, it winds past Tenryu-ji in Arashiyama, then the cluster of Ninna-ji, Ryoan-ji and Kinkaku-ji in the northwest, continues to Kamigamo-jinja and Shimogamo-jinja in the north, and passes Ginkaku-ji in the east before the final stretch to the finish line at Heian-jingu Shrine — a route that passes close to several components of the "Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto" UNESCO World Heritage listing. The official course map (kyoto-marathon.com/info/course/) is the authority on the exact roads. The wheelchair race runs a separate route from the stadium out to Arashiyama. Pair-ekiden runners hand off inside the Kyoto Botanical Gardens, which the official race guidelines name as the relay point.
How to enter
Applications are made online through RUNNET via kyoto-marathon.com. General entry for the 2027 race has already closed: the window ran 10:00 on July 16 to 17:00 on August 31, 2026 (checked September 18, 2026). Lottery results are due on October 5, 2026 (provisional), with entry-fee payment due by October 19. Hometown-tax (furusato nozei) places are still taking payments, first-come, until 17:00 on October 28, 2026. Domestic entries go into a lottery once applications exceed the cap — registering doesn't guarantee a bib. Overseas runners had a separate allocation of 3,000 places for 2027, awarded first-come rather than by lottery, via the official English entry page (kyoto-marathon.com/en/). You only pay the entry fee once your application is accepted.
Getting there
The start at TAKEBISHI Stadium Kyoto is about a 10-minute walk from Nishikyogoku Station on the Hankyu Kyoto Line, or 5 minutes from the Nishikyogoku Undokoen-mae bus stop — city bus #73 runs there from Kyoto Station and #80 from Shijo-Kawaramachi. The Heian-jingu finish area is closest to Higashiyama Station on the Tozai subway line (about 10 minutes on foot) or Jingu-Marutamachi Station on the Keihan line (about 15 minutes on foot).
A revival, not a new race
The Kyoto Marathon traces back to a race of the same name held from 1969 to 1982; the modern event relaunched in 2012 after a 30-year gap and has run every winter since. The 2026 edition (February 15, 2026) was its 13th outing, making the February 2027 race the 14th edition of the current run. The field is deliberately capped at 16,000 — smaller than Tokyo's or Osaka's marathons — to keep the course manageable as it passes through some of Kyoto's most visited, and narrowest, historic streets.
Watching for free
You don't need a bib to enjoy race day. The full course is open to spectators at no cost, and the temple- and shrine-lined stretches near Kinkaku-ji, Kamigamo-jinja and the Heian-jingu finish draw the largest crowds. Trains and buses along the route get busy from early morning, so arrive at your chosen viewing spot well ahead of the 9:00 a.m. start.
All dates and figures above reflect the official race guidelines published by the Kyoto Marathon organizing committee as of September 18, 2026 — always confirm the latest details, including the exact entry-application window, on kyoto-marathon.com before you apply, since fee and registration details are set by the organizer and can be adjusted.
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Racing in Japan? All eight 2026–2027 marathons, entry windows and how overseas runners get a guaranteed bib: Japan Marathons guide.
Good to know for visitors
- Getting there
- Start is about a 10-min walk from Nishikyogoku Station (Hankyu Kyoto Line) or 5 min from the Nishikyogoku Undokoen-mae bus stop (bus #73 from Kyoto Station, #80 from Shijo-Kawaramachi). Finish near Heian-jingu is closest to Higashiyama Station (Tozai subway line, ~10 min walk) or Jingu-Marutamachi Station (Keihan line, ~15 min walk).
- Booking & entry
- Check tickets and details on the official page (button above).
- Paying
- Marathon entry ¥18,500 (Kyoto residents) / ¥19,500 (other domestic) / ¥35,000 (overseas); pair-ekiden ¥34,000/pair; wheelchair race ¥3,000. Spectating is free. (Fees per the official race guidelines, as of September 18, 2026.). 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 for
- culture seekers, groups of friends
Good to know
Domestic entry goes to a lottery when a category is oversubscribed; check the application window in the official guidelines on kyoto-marathon.com. Bib pickup is February 19-20, 2027 at Miyako Messe, with normally no race-day registration (official). Not running? The Heian-jingu finish is the liveliest free spot to cheer.
Frequently asked questions
- When is the Kyoto Marathon 2027?
- Sunday, February 21, 2027. The wheelchair race starts at 8:55 a.m., the marathon and pair-ekiden at 9:00 a.m., and the course closes at 15:00 (official race guidelines).
- Where are the start and finish?
- The start is Takebishi Stadium Kyoto (inside Nishikyogoku Sports Park) and the finish is in front of Heian-jingu Shrine, on a JAAF-certified, World Athletics and AIMS measured course (official).
- How large is the field and what does it cost?
- 16,000 marathon runners (entry fee 18,500 yen for Kyoto city residents, 19,500 yen for other domestic entrants, 35,000 yen overseas), 250 ekiden pairs (34,000 yen per pair) and 20 wheelchair athletes (3,000 yen). Oversubscribed categories go to a lottery (official, as of September 18, 2026).
- What is the time limit, and when is bib pickup?
- Six hours for both the marathon and the pair-ekiden, timed from the gun. Bib pickup is on February 19 and 20, 2027 at Kyoto Miyako Messe; there is normally no registration on race day (official).