Japan’s marathon season is always busy in February and March. Justin and I love doing “runcation” – a running event plus a vacation! It’s a good excuse to travel to Japan – as we’ve traveled here for a decade!
We’ve run several popular marathons (42 kilometers/26.2 miles) in the past few years, including the Tokyo Marathon, Osaka Marathon, and Shizuoka Marathon.
So we wanted to try Kyoto Marathon – especially the 2026 edition. It was the 40th Anniversary and also had Kyoto-based Nintendo as the main sponsor. So we knew it would be extra special.
If you’re planning your race schedule, we highly recommend this marathon. It’s well organized and one of the most memorable courses with gorgeous views and some hills. It also has the beautiful finisher medal and finisher towel we’ve received. Also, this race is a fantastic alternative to Tokyo Marathon if you missed out on the lottery!
We’ll share details about what to know about this race from registration to our experience, so you can decide whether you want to try this in the future.
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Quick Summary
If you don’t have time to read this post, here are the top 3 reasons to run the Kyoto Marathon.
- It’s a beautiful course through Kyoto’s city and quieter areas
- So many delicious matcha snacks and food along the course at the water stations
- Gorgeous finisher medal and finisher towel
Why Participate in the Race?
Kyoto Marathon is a medium-sized race with 18,000 participants. So it’s not too crowded compared to Tokyo Marathon which has over 30,000 participants.
The course passes through gorgeous areas of Kyoto City such as Arashiyama, the Botanical Garden, and along the Kamo River canal. You run past many temples and shrines and finish at the Heian-jingu Shrine, which has the extra tall orange torii gate.
The course is on the hilly side, yet the gorgeous views and volunteer support made the race memorable. Check out the elevation chart and course map here.
Race is certified by the course certified by JAAF (Japan Association of Athletics Federation), IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations), and AIMS (Association for International Marathons and Distance Races). So you can use this course to qualify for the Boston Marathon.
Justin and I loved taking photos of the Super Mario Bros. 40th Anniversary signs
Race Date
Sunday, February 15, 2026 (The 2027 edition will be on February 21, 2027)
Marathon starts at 9:00am (Time limit: 6 hours)
How to Register for the Race
For foreigners (overseas participants), registration was first come, first served. Application is from mid-July to end of September. Registration is done through the JTB Sports portal. You can get there from the marathon’s entry page.
Note: If you cannot finish a marathon in less than 6 hours, do not sign up for the race. Kyoto Marathon has 8 checkpoints with strict cut-off times.
Cost
General marathon participation fee for overseas participants cost was 35,000 JPY + 3,850 JPY online processing fee. The total was 38,850 JPY (~$264 USD). The 2027 participation fee did not change.
It’s one of the more expensive marathons in Japan as Tokyo Marathon 2026 was a flat rate of $230 per person. Yet, Kyoto Marathon is well worth the price.
Race Swag
Here is what we received:
- Commemorative gift of a furoshiki (a beautiful cloth to wrap things) (This was distributed at the bib pick up)
- Free entrance to Ninna-ji Temple 仁和寺
- Kyoto Marathon notebook
- Finisher towel
- Finisher medal
- Finisher post race goodies
- E-certificate
Note: The race fee does not include a race shirt. You can buy official merchandise at the Expo.
Race Communication
Kyoto Marathon sent minimal emails, but they had everything we needed. Here is what we received from JTB Sports:
1) Confirming registration & payment
2) Runner registration, including bib pick up information
3) Participation guide (in English) – Please read this as it has all the important information about the race!
We relied on the Kyoto Marathon Facebook page (English) and Kyoto Marathon website (English) for the updated details.
Where to Stay in Kyoto
It’s up to you whether you want to stay near the start line or finish line.
The best advice is to choose accommodation next to the train station so you can easily go to the Expo and to/from the start and finish line.
Luckily, Kyoto’s train system is easy to use. The city only has a few train lines around the city, so that makes it easier to navigate.
We use Booking and Agoda to book our hotels in Japan. So, you can find your perfect accommodation on one of these sites.
Click here to check out hotels options in Kyoto on Booking.
Click here for available hotels in Kyoto on Agoda.
Where Did We Stay?
We stayed at the Tanimachikun Hotel Kyoto Station East 29 谷町君 HOTEL 京都駅東29. This apartment hotel was perfect for us as the room had a washing machine and a mini kitchen. It was only 1 minute away from the Shichijo Station, which we used to get to and from the marathon.
We will write a review of the hotel and share it here as soon as it’s ready for publishing.
Check out the hotel availability on Booking.
Click here to see pricing and availability on Agoda.
Expo & Bib Pick Up
For overseas participants, the expo and bib pick up occurred on Friday and Saturday before the race date.
Location: Miyako Messe (Kyoto International Exhibition Hall 京都市勧業館 みやこめっせ) (Click here to view on Google Maps)
Nearest Train Station: Higashiyama Station 東山駅
Friday Pick Up Times: 1:30pm to 8:00pm
Saturday Pick Up Times: 10:30am to 7:00pm
The process was seamless. We went to the foreigner pick up section and showed our confirmation number and passport to receive our bibs. We received our check in bag and other goodies – commemorative furoshiki, free ticket to Ninna-ji Temple, and a Kyoto Marathon notebook.
The expo was large and covered two separate areas. We spent 2 hours taking photos with the Nintendo Super Mario Bros themed signage and wandered through the exhibits.
There were artists showcasing their handicraft from stamping, lacquerware, and spinning tops. I love collecting stamps, so I added one to my collection.
I love collecting stamps, so this Kyoto Marathon stamp was a special one.
Everyone went crazy buying shirts at the CW-X exhibit, which was one of the sponsors for the race. It was one of the largest exhibits too.
But we wanted the official Kyoto Marathon merchandise, which was located on the second level. As we mentioned earlier, the race does not include a race shirt. So, Justin bought an orange technical t-shirt while I picked up a black long sleeve shirt.
Overall, the Expo didn’t have a lot of free giveaways. We received a pen and some stickers from one of the booths.
Kyoto Marathon Race Experience
The start and end locations are at two different spots. So, you’ll need to bring your ICOCA, Suica, Pasmo, or any IC transportation card for the train travels.
Starting Location: Takebishi Stadium Kyoto たけびしスタジアム京都 (Nishikyogoku Athletic Park) (Click here to view on Google Maps)
Nearest Train: Nishikyogoku Station 西京極駅
Ending Location: Heian-jingu Shrine 平安神宮 (Click here to view on Google Maps)
Nearest Train Station: Jingu-Marutamachi Station 神宮丸太町駅 or Sanjo Station 三条駅
Weather
The weather was surprisingly cool at 17°C. We were lucky and didn’t have any rain. We heard about the rainy weather in past races.
Start Line
Around 7ish, we took the train from our hotel area to the Nishikyogoku Station. Many runners took the train, so it took a while to leave the station. There was a long line to use our ICOCA IC card to pay for the ride.
It was only a few minutes’ walk to Takebishi Stadium Kyoto, which was super convenient. We followed the crowds.
Everything was well organized from the bag drop off to the toilet line. Justin dropped off his bag at his designated truck. I did not use the bag drop.
The stadium had a lot of toilets for men and women, so we didn’t need to worry about the portable toilets. Volunteers were inside the bathroom directing runners to stalls and outside holding a sign for the end of the line. It was so efficient, and I waited less than 10 minutes for the women’s toilet! We think all running races should start at the stadium!
Justin and I are ready for Kyoto Marathon!
Starting on the track was a special. It felt like we were doing a track workout. Justin started in Corral B (a faster speed) while I was in Corral G (slower speed).
After a welcome speech from the race organizers, each corral had its own start.
Course Experience
With the move from Vietnam to Taiwan, my overall poor training, and the hilly course, I wasn’t expecting a personal best (PB). So I decided to take it easy – just run slowly, walk up the hills, take photos, and eat as much as possible at the hydration station.
The course was so pretty. I loved running through Arashiyama and seeing the mountains. It was the perfect start to the run. Here are photos of the gorgeous scenery:
We’re running in Arashiyama area
If you enjoy visiting shrines and feeling spiritual energy, we ran by tons of shrines and temples – Umenomiya taisha Shrine, Seiryo-ji Temple, Ninnaji Temple, Imamiya-jinja Shrine, and so much more.
One of the many shrines we passed by on the course
Remember how we mentioned that Nintendo was a sponsor of the race? They did a fantastic job incorporating the Super Mario Bros characters in the race. Whenever we had a U-Turn, there was one character in the green warp pipe. Everyone gave a high five to Mario, Toad, Bowser, Luigi, Yoshi, and Princess Peach. I somehow missed the Luigi sign.
This is one of the amazing U-turn signs with the Super Mario Bros. characters
The crowd support was amazing! From the Taiko drumming in front of the temples to geisha dancing in Arashiyama. I passed by Mayumaro, the silkworm mascot of Kyoto’s public relations, and had to take a photo with him. When everyone ran through the Botanical Garden, it was so cool to see the public cheering the runners. We also saw lots of supporters cheering us along the Kamo River canal.
It was an honor to take a photo with Mayumaro, an adorable mascot for Kyoto’s Public Relations team.
It was lovely to run through the Botanical Garden
Eventually, fatigue caught up when I dreaded the race. Parts of the course were highly congested for my running speed. It was very crowded along the Kamo Rive,r so the canal area was difficult to pass people. I had to go on the grassy area to pass runners. Also, the last 5k of the race was a bit painful as there was a small hill.
Finish Line
The finish line was right across from the Heian-jingu Shrine. To be honest, I don’t remember if there were any announcements saying people’s names as they crossed the finish line.
Yet, I was glad to be done! WooHoo!
I finished in 4:51 (net time), while Justin finished in 3:30 (net time). We didn’t see each other at the finish area as he finished way ahead of me.
All runners followed the line for the finisher goodies
Volunteers ushered us to a line to collect our finisher towel, finisher medal, and a plastic bag. We filled the plastic bag with post-race goodies – a plum onigiri (rice ball), a bottle of Pocari Sweat, Malebranche matcha cookie (one of my favorite matcha cookies), and an energy gel.
I finished the marathon and proudly hold the finisher towel.
Kyoto Marathon has the most beautiful finisher towels and finisher medal. It’s worth running this race just for this medal! The details and colors were gorgeous. The medal design had four guardian deities: Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermillion Bird, and Black Tortoise. We proudly wore the medal for the rest of the day.
This is the 2026 Kyoto Marathon finisher medal. Isn’t it gorgeous?!
Finishers could go Miyako Messe (where Expo took place) for post-race amenities such as miso soup, foot bath, and massages. Unfortunately, signage was poor, and I couldn’t figure out how to get there. So I went directly to the train station to meet Justin at the hotel.
Volunteers
Thank you to the volunteers who made this event possible. They did an amazing job as the cheering squad, distributing snacks and drinks at the hydration stations, and supporting the runners.
Please remember to thank them for their efforts!
Hydration Station & Race Food
Kyoto Marathon does not have any drink or bottle restrictions when entering the race. You can bring whatever hydration you need at the start of the race. Hooray! So, it’s a completely different experience than Tokyo Marathon.
The race had 14 hydration stations. They had both Pocari Sweat electrolyte drink and/or water.
Remember how I mentioned the food along the course? I was especially excited to eat the matcha snacks, since Kyoto’s Uji area is one of the tea-growing regions for matcha.
I had cherry tomatoes, strawberries, matcha and hojicha baumkuchen, rice crackers, banana, and shrimp tempura roll. Food was so good!! It was worth taking the time to slow down and enjoy them.
I did miss out on a matcha cream eggroll. I was in a later running group, so I saw the opened wrappers on the ground.
Check out the food provided on the course! Photo credit: Kyoto Marathon Participant Guide
Bathrooms
There were 37 portable toilet areas and signs directing runners on where to go.
Cut-Off Times
Japan is known to have strict cut-offs for marathons. Kyoto Marathon has 8 checkpoints. Here are the checkpoints to know.
Please be aware of the various checkpoints and cut off times. Photo credit: Kyoto Marathon Participant Guide
Once the timing has passed, the volunteers pull a banner across the road to prevent people from crossing. Afterward, the race organizers will pull runners off the course. Runners need to board a bus that will go to the finish line area.
Here is an IG Reel from the Kyoto Marathon 2026 at one of the cut-off points. Click here to see the video.
Race Photos
All Sports provided the race photos. You could buy the entire set of race photos for 19,965 JPY (~$127.96 USD fixed pricing). We didn’t buy any this time. I saw on Facebook that race photos were available for purchase till April 1, 2026, so 46 days after the race.
Race e-Certificates
Runners could download an early version of the race e-certificate a few days after the race ended. The official e-certificate was available in early March.
Opportunities for Improvement
The race organizer did an excellent job executing the marathon. We didn’t have any major issues, except for the two listed below.
1) Since I’m a slower runner, the only complaint I had was the congestion along Kamo River. I’m not sure how to fix that since the canal walkway is narrow. The solution is for me to run faster!
2) Also, I wish there was a better way to enter the Miyako Messe after finishing the race. Signage was poor. I was tired and wanted some miso soup to rehydrate.
Final Thoughts
We hope you consider running Kyoto Marathon in the future. The race can be added to your next Kyoto itinerary.
This is an ideal race for those who want mid-size race with fewer crowds and the chance to earn a gorgeous medal and finisher towel. Plus, the race swag and ample matcha snacks and hydration along the course make it worth traveling here.
We would consider doing this race again, as it was such a beautiful course. It’s a great alternative if you missed out on a Tokyo Marathon general lottery spot.
Happy training!
Inspired to try other marathons in Japan? Read our other race reviews:
Yokohama Marathon Review
Tokyo Marathon Review
Shizuoka Marathon Review
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