By Harry Nara · Last updated
- Runner check-in opens, Miyako MesseFriday 19 February 2027
- Where
- TAKEBISHI Stadium Kyoto (start) to Heian Shrine (finish)
- Tickets
- Free
- Time of year
- February
- Dates
- Around the same dates every year
From the organisers, Kyoto City and the Kyoto Athletic Association. The wheelchair race starts at 8:55am and the marathon at 9am; the course closes at 3pm. Check-in is on Friday 19 and Saturday 20 February at Miyako Messe, never on race day.
The Kyoto Marathon sets off at 9am from the stadium at Nishikyogoku, in western Kyoto, and runners have six hours to reach the finish outside Heian Shrine. The course follows the Katsura River past Arashiyama and comes back down the Kamo River. Overseas runners enter first come, first served for ¥35,000; watching is free.
What Kyoto Marathon actually is
Kyoto City and the Kyoto Athletic Association run it as a citizens’ race: about 16,000 marathon runners, plus a two-person relay in which each pair hands over at the Botanical Gardens.
The course is the draw. The organisers route it near seven World Heritage sites, from Tenryu-ji, Ninna-ji, Ryoan-ji and Kinkaku-ji in the west to Kamigamo and Shimogamo shrines and Ginkaku-ji, and through the grounds of the Imperial Palace before the finish.
Non-runners should leave the car behind: the city calls it a no-car day and closes roads around the course so that buses and emergency vehicles can keep moving.
Where to watch the race
- Arashiyama, early on. The course runs beside the Katsura River within sight of the Togetsukyo Bridge, with the hills of Arashiyama behind.
- The temple road that links Ninna-ji, Ryoan-ji and Kinkaku-ji, which the course follows through the north-west of the city.
- The Kamo River, later in the race, where the course runs beside the water and it is easy to join the crowd.
- The finish in front of Heian Shrine, from late morning when the fastest runners arrive until the course closes at 3pm.
Tickets and what it costs
Watching is free. Running costs ¥35,000 for overseas entrants, who apply online through the English site and are accepted first come, first served; Japan-based runners pay less and go into a lottery if too many apply.
Every runner checks in in person at Miyako Messe on the Friday or Saturday before the race, with ID. There is no check-in on race day, and a place cannot be passed to anyone else.
The race bans costumes and visible advertising, on the course and at the venue.
Official information and booking: kyoto-marathon.com/en/info
Getting there
Use the subway and trains on race day. The city asks residents to leave their cars at home, roads around the course close, and buses that cross it are diverted.
The start is at TAKEBISHI Stadium in Nishikyogoku Athletic Park, beside Nishikyogoku station on the Hankyu line; the finish is beside Heian Shrine, a walk from Higashiyama station on the Tozai subway line.
Mistakes worth avoiding
Planning a bus day across the city
Buses that cross the course are diverted for most of the day. The subway keeps running, so build the day around it.
Flying in on race morning
Check-in is only on the Friday and Saturday before, at Miyako Messe, with ID. Book flights that land in time for it.
Sending a friend to run your place
Places are personal. There are no substitutions, and ID is checked when you collect your number.
Turning up in costume
Costumes and advertising are not allowed on the course or at the venue, so leave the fancy dress for another race.
Saving Arashiyama for race morning
The course passes right through it. Visit on another day of the trip, or come to watch.
Other Kyoto events
Frequently asked questions
When is the Kyoto Marathon?
On a Sunday in the second half of February, starting at 9am.
How do overseas runners enter the Kyoto Marathon?
Online through the English site, first come, first served, for ¥35,000. Runners based in Japan go into a lottery if too many apply.
Where does the Kyoto Marathon finish?
In front of Heian Shrine, after starting at TAKEBISHI Stadium in Nishikyogoku.
What is the time limit for the Kyoto Marathon?
Six hours from the gun, with cut-off times at checkpoints along the course.
Can I watch the Kyoto Marathon in Arashiyama?
Yes. Early in the race the course runs beside the Katsura River there, within sight of the Togetsukyo Bridge.
Sources
- Kyoto Marathon, event information: date, times, fees and check-in
- Kyoto Marathon, the course (Japanese)
- Kyoto Marathon, race-day traffic (Japanese)
Dates on this page are checked against the organiser’s own listing and confirmed through 2027. Written and maintained by Harry Nara.