KOBE MARATHON 2026

KOBE MARATHON 2026 is a major Japanese city marathon built around Kobe's long-running theme of Thanks & Friendship, linking the event with the city's recovery story after the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. The 2026 race is part of the MGC Series 2026-27 and is run under World Athletics Label Road Race rules on a JAAF, World Athletics and AIMS-certified marathon course.

The 42.195 km route starts in front of Kobe City Hall, runs west through Kobe toward Akashi, turns around near Okura Coast, and returns to a waterfront finish at Kobe Harborland on Gas Lamp Street. The official 2026 course profile is notably flat, with a height difference of about 10 metres. The field is capped at 20,000 marathon runners, with a seven-hour event limit measured from the first gun. Entrants are expected to be capable of completing the marathon within 6 hours 30 minutes.

Race morning uses two waves: the first starts at 09:00 JST and the second at 09:15 JST. Baggage acceptance operates before the start, and checked bags are transported to the finish area. The organiser publishes kilometre markers, multiple aid points and intermediate cut-off gates across the course, with the event finishing at 16:00.

Runner check-in takes place at the Kobe International Exhibition Hall No. 1 on Friday 13 November and Saturday 14 November. There is no standard race-day check-in. The same venue hosts the KOBE MARATHON EXPO 2026.

Entry for the 2026 edition is now closed. Overseas applications ran through 31 August 2026. Finishers receive a downloadable official record certificate, and overall, age-group and other performance awards are recognised by the organiser.

Important 2026 runner voucher alert (checked 24 October)

On 16 October 2026, the organiser sent registered participants an email with instructions for their Web Participation Voucher (Athlete Bib Voucher). The organiser still requires the voucher and the entrant's original identification or passport at runner check-in on 13–14 November, with no proxy check-in for ordinary entrants.

Temporary service interruption: The official runner information and participation-voucher page currently warns that RUN PASSPORT voucher issuance is temporarily unavailable while system adjustments are made. Its linked voucher-recovery portal is explicitly marked as out of service. Entrants registered through RUNNET may also check their voucher through their RUNNET My Page, according to the organiser. If unable to retrieve a voucher, follow the organiser's updated guidance rather than repeatedly relying on the suspended recovery link; the Kobe Marathon Runner Call Centre is 0570-018-501, weekdays 10:00–17:00 Japan time. No date for service restoration or alternative identity-verification procedure has been confirmed.

Download the final official participant guides before travel and reconfirm the voucher system's status near check-in. This temporary technical problem is not evidence of event cancellation or a postponed race.