2027 Osaka Half Marathon

The 2027 Osaka Half Marathon is a major city road race held on the same day as the Osaka International Women's Marathon. The 21.0975 km course starts on Tamatsukuri-suji on the east side of Osaka Castle Park and finishes inside Yanmar Stadium Nagai. The organiser describes the course as flat and fast, and it is certified by the Japan Association of Athletics Federations as well as WA/AIMS. The event has a 7,000-runner field and is run as a serious competitive half marathon rather than a casual fun run.

One of the race's distinctive features is its relationship with the Osaka International Women's Marathon. The two events use substantial sections of the same city-road network in opposite directions, allowing half-marathon runners to see elite women's marathon competitors during the race. The stadium finish at Nagai also places runners in one of Osaka's best-known athletics venues.

The gun is at 12:00 JST and the overall limit is 2 hours 5 minutes from the starting signal. Seven intermediate checkpoints close progressively, beginning at 2.0 km at 12:18 and ending at 20.6 km outside Yanmar Stadium Nagai at 14:05. Runners who miss a checkpoint must stop racing and follow officials' instructions.

Start seeding places invited athletes and recommended Kansai Student Half Marathon Championship runners first, followed by an A block for qualifying runners, then other entrants by predicted finish time. A-block standards are 1:20:00 for men and 1:35:00 for women using eligible half-marathon performances from 1 January 2025 onwards, with proof due by 6 November 2026.

Registration opened on 5 August 2026 and is scheduled to close at 23:59 JST on 4 November, or earlier if capacity is reached. Athlete bib collection is available on 30 or 31 January 2027, with exact reception times due in the participant email sent in early January. Runners must collect their own bibs. On race day, baggage can be deposited at Osaka Castle Park and is transported to Nagai Park for collection after finishing. No race-day parking is available at the start or finish, so public transport is required.