Event Detail
The 44th Carter Memorial Kurobe Meisui Marathon will take place on Sunday 23 May 2027 in Kurobe, Toyama Prefecture, Japan. The organiser announced the date on 6 August 2026 and confirmed a notable change: this will be a single-day event, the first such edition in six held races excluding cancellations. It is an established community road-running festival with a distinctive history and a full-marathon tradition.
A race with a presidential story
The event grew from a jogging gathering held in Kurobe on 22 May 1984 to mark the visit of former US president Jimmy Carter for YKK's 50th anniversary. According to the official event history, Carter was expected to start the race but surprised spectators by joining approximately 1,500 participants for a run. The event later developed into an officially recognised road race, and its half-marathon format became a full marathon in 2014. That history makes it more than a routine city race.
Kurobe course and previous race programme
The established 42.195 km marathon has started outside Kurobe City General Park and finished inside the park. The Japanese athletics-certified road course has traditionally headed inland across the Kurobe River alluvial fan towards the Unazuki area before returning towards the coast. Its sustained gradual climb on the outbound section and downhill return can reward sensible pacing. The 2026 two-day programme included the marathon, 10 km, 5 km, 2.5 km, a wheelchair category and recreational jogging. These are previous-edition arrangements; final 2027 distances, courses and start times have not been published.
Planning travel and entry
In 2026, runners used Kurobe City General Park and its sports centre as the event hub. The organiser provided free event shuttles from Kurobe-Unazukionsen Shinkansen Station, Kurobe Station and Dentetsu-Kurobe Station, as well as temporary car parks. Numbered bibs and race materials were sent out in advance instead of using an on-site collection desk. The previous marathon had a six-hour limit with seven checkpoints. Do not assume any of these transport, collection or cutoff arrangements are confirmed for 2027.
As of October 2026, the organiser had not yet announced 2027 registration dates, entry fees, opening times, final race categories, benefits or a current-edition poster. The official news page says this information will be posted once decided. Overseas participants should check the updated entry rules, race-pack arrangements and transport notices before booking. The date is official, but the time recorded for this calendar entry is a date-only placeholder, not a confirmed flag-off time.