19th Nagoya Adventure Marathon 2026 - Aichi, Japan

The 19th Nagoya Adventure Marathon returns on Sunday 29 November 2026, bringing an established community road and riverside running festival to Shonai Ryokuchi Park in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. First staged in 2008, the event is run by RUNSTYLE with the Nagoya Adventure Marathon Executive Committee and the City of Nagoya as co-organiser. Unlike a conventional closed-road city marathon, the main races venture onto the Shonai and Yada river embankments, combining sections of parkland, narrow paths, occasional slopes and the changing texture of a riverside route.

Race-day programme

The official 2026 event regulations list a 9:00 am JST full-marathon start, 9:40 am half-marathon start, 10:20 am 10 km start and 10:25 am 2.3 km Enjoy Run. The Enjoy Run offers both solo and family-team participation; this additional 2.3 km distance is described here because the ARC selector does not currently have an exact 2.3 km option. All event times are local Japan time.

The main start and finish area is the park's Multipurpose Square, beside Car Park 3. On-site check-in is scheduled from 7:00 am until 30 minutes before the relevant start, with an opening ceremony planned for 8:00 am. Full-marathon participants have a six-hour cutoff, finishing by 3:00 pm. The official rules do not impose a separate finish-time limit on the other distances.

What makes this different

This is not a fully segregated race circuit. The organiser cautions that other users may be present on the river paths, and that some sections can be narrow or uneven. Marshals' instructions and considerate passing are therefore particularly important. Entrants are asked to supply an estimated finishing time so they can be placed appropriately in the start field. The official event page also explains how a portion of entry revenue supports local non-profit organisations.

Entry requirements vary: the full and half marathons are for runners aged 19 and over, the 10 km is open from junior-high-school age, and the 2.3 km solo or family event is open from elementary-school age subject to the organiser's supervision rules. The published capacity is 1,300 entrants each for the full and half and 400 for the 10 km.

Travel and practical planning

The organiser recommends public transport. Shonai Ryokuchi Koen Station on the Nagoya Subway Tsurumai Line has an exit immediately north of the park, whereas vehicle departure from busy event parking can take more than two hours. The event plans to email participant instructions in early November. Runner entry includes accident insurance and a commemorative gift; the event has also announced a food-truck lunch voucher for participants. The website's updated 2026 schedule should be followed where an older entry table displays different start times.