Kyoto Marathon
Kyoto-shi, Japan
- Marathon, Marathon Relay
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
The Kyoto Marathon course starts at Nishikyogoku Athletic Park and finishes at a point near Heian-jingu Shrine. Passing by seven UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites, runners can fully enjoy the attractions of Kyoto’s picturesque scenery, including spectacular views of the five mountains on which huge bonfires are lit during the … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Feb 15):
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
| H (°C) | 16 | 14 | 17 | 5 | 12 |
| L (°C) | 10 | 1 | 10 | -1 | 1 |
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Turning Japanese
Ah, the duality of the Kyoto Marathon: one of the best in some ways, one of the worst in others. Sign-up is a hassle for foreigners. In August 2022 they … MORE
Ah, the duality of the Kyoto Marathon: one of the best in some ways, one of the worst in others.
Sign-up is a hassle for foreigners. In August 2022 they said the application will strictly close at the end of the month, with a possible lottery. Then they extended the deadline until October because not enough runners, and made me re-sign up. The Japanese website thinks “application” means “registration”, so I kept waiting for an email to tell me that I was accepted, but then the website shut down for maintenance for SIX months and they offered no email updates. I came to Kyoto not 100% sure I was even accepted into the marathon.
As the other guy said, at the expo they make you sign health forms. Few Japanese people speak English, but I was grateful that the volunteers had tags that said which languages they could speak, so I knew who could help me in English. Disappointed that they didn’t give us a free Kyoto Marathon shirt to wear (they had some at the expo for $25, but they looked like crap, like if your mom’s church group designed a shirt). After packet pickup on the first floor of the building, you’re forced to go UPSTAIRS and weave through an endless maze of local businesses hawking their products. At every American expo I’ve been to, you can just grab your packet/shirt and slip out, but here, you are paraded along a roped-off route, past like 30 businesses, none of which even concern you if you aren’t a local.
Race day, it was raining and 55 F. Miserable rain, but pretty good temperature-wise. We started on the athletic track at Takebishi Stadium, and finished near the Exhibition Center 3 miles away. Gear check had already closed when I arrived 20 minutes before start, but they took my bag graciously anyway and transported it to the finish line.
Raceday pros:
-On the application form, they let you write your name in Katakana Japanese and print it on your bib, so several fans saw my name in Katakana and screamed my name. So cool!
-The view of the mountains and creek around 5-6K was phenomenal. Nice forest/mountain aura around 9-11K, a scenic river we cross at 20K and again around 35K, and several temples and shrines. We went through the historical botanical gardens near 27-29K, with geishas at 28K. When drummers banged on ancient drums at 11K and a few other times, that sent chills down my spine.
-Crossaints were offered several times starting at 17K. This will save you if you are a wall-crasher. Aid stations were clearly marked as to water/energy drink/food. The signs even tell you how many of each table there are (i.e. “This is water station 4 of 6 in this aid area!”)
Race day cons:
-I started with the 3:45 wave, which was gridlock for the first 4-5 miles; I couldn’t advance even if I wanted to. Probably a smart idea for them to not have a water stop until 6K. This gridlock cost me 3-4 minutes. Kyoto streets are narrow, the buildings are drab grays and browns, and there are hanging power lines everywhere in the city.
-No music playing, aside from the cool drummers.
-In America, 4 hour marathoners keep running through the aid stations and pick up water cups in stride. Japanese MFs love to slow down to walk unexpectedly at aid tables. Really chaotic when they all do this at the very first aid table, zero thoughts given for anyone behind them. I crashed into a runner who casually walked across the path without looking. I should have said “sumimasen” (sorry), but I wasn’t sorry.
-The first marathon where we didn’t run under a timing gate at the finish. Pretty anticlimactic, just a few timing pads, no speakers, no fun banners. Really sucks because there was a 30-foot Meiji-era gate that looked like 开 a hundred feet behind them, why not finish under that?!?
-Bag check at the finish line was confusing. Someone at the finish told me my bag was in zone 13, but no rhyme or reason how they divided zones. You just had to ask. And once again, after collecting your bag, you were shepherded through a tightly corralled building, through a single doorway that created congestion, past skeptical security guards, and up an escalator (?), past a floor with 200 dudes all sprawled on the floor changing their shirts at the same time, before they let you leave. Oh geez, the smell! Just let us leave already.
TLDR: Crowds were great, cool mountain, river, and temple views, moderately navigable as a foreigner, but a logistical mess in several ways that made me miss American marathons.
Wet and not as expected
Registering for this race like many other races in Japan has a very narrow window for registration. This is one of the few that I found had a site with … MORE
Registering for this race like many other races in Japan has a very narrow window for registration. This is one of the few that I found had a site with English available for selecting. Ensure you read all instructions through to race day as there are required forms needed to picked up your race packet. They did have a separate place just for foreigners which made check in easy as it was crowded. The day of the race they had a bag drop and changing area. We had plenty of rain before and during the race so this was much needed.The course was somewhat disappointing as there were many back and forth, inclines and not many views of what I expected to see in Kyoto. The city has many beautiful sites and a fantastic rail system to get you to them but not many seen during the race. The race was crowded throughout which makes if difficult if you are looking to PR. There were also a lot of inclines so prepare as the elevation chart doesn’t show what you will experience.The finish is well organized but not much occurring afterward. The race is well organized and the Japanese do provide excellent service.