Tokyo Marathon Friendship Run 2027

Tokyo Marathon Friendship Run 2027 is an official 5 km social running event staged by the Tokyo Marathon Foundation on Saturday 6 March, one day before the 20th Tokyo Marathon. Based at the Taito Riverside Sports Centre athletics field near Asakusa and the Sumida River, it brings visiting and Japanese runners together under Tokyo Marathon's theme, 'The Day We Unite'. This is a friendly, non-competitive run, not a separate division of Sunday's full marathon.

Three small-group starts

The organiser will divide the 2,000 available entries into three groups. Group 1 has space for 700 runners: reception from 9:00 am, opening from 9:45 am, and running from 10:00 to 10:30 am. Group 2 also has 700 places, with reception from 10:30 am, opening from 11:15 am, and running from 11:30 am to noon. Group 3 has 600 places, with reception from noon, opening from 12:45 pm, and running from 1:00 to 1:30 pm. All times are Japan Standard Time. The organiser does not permit applications to more than one group.

Who can take part?

Entrants must be at least 12 years old on race day and capable of covering the approximately 5 km course within 40 minutes. Anyone younger than 18 needs a parent or legal guardian's consent. No official timing records will be taken, making this event better suited to a sociable shake-out run, meeting other runners and enjoying the Asakusa atmosphere than chasing a personal best. A finisher medal and RunFes button badge are announced as participation awards.

Entry and race-day preparation

The announced overseas-resident price is JPY 9,900, including tax. Applications are expected to open at noon JST on 1 December 2026 on a first-come, first-served basis; the organiser explicitly marks that opening date as tentative, and an application button will be provided on its official event page when bookings open. Domestic-resident entry tiers and discounts are shown on the Japanese-language version of the official event page. Check eligibility and booking availability before arranging travel.

The meeting point is the Taito Riverside Sports Center Athletics Field, 1-1-10 Imado, Taito City, Tokyo, near Asakusa. The organiser illustrates the route using a previous-edition course map, not a confirmed final 2027 route, so consult the official page for any revisions, group assignment and arrival instructions. This event is separate from the main Tokyo Marathon on Sunday 7 March 2027.