5th Setoda Lemon Marathon 2027 - Onomichi, Hiroshima

The fifth Setoda Lemon Marathon brings runners to Ikuchijima in Japan's Seto Inland Sea on Sunday 21 February 2027. Organised by the Setoda Lemon Marathon Executive Committee, this destination race combines coastal running with the citrus-growing landscape and traditional shopping streets of Setoda, part of Onomichi in Hiroshima Prefecture. The organisers cap participation at 1,600 people across four events rather than staging a large metropolitan field.

Course and race options

The 21.0975 km half marathon follows a loop around Takane Island, where the first half includes challenging undulations, before spending roughly its final 9 km beside the Shimanami coast. The 9.1 km Seaside Run offers a shorter coastal route for participants not taking on the half. There are children's races of approximately 3.2 km (upper primary school grades) and 1.8 km (lower grades). The children's routes start on Shiomachi Shopping Street and finish at Setoda Port. The shorter, non-standard distances are described here because ARC lacks exact matching distance filters.

Race-day timetable and entry

The upper-grade children's race starts at 10:40 am JST, followed by the lower-grade race at 10:50 am. Half-marathon waves leave at 11:00, 11:03 and 11:06 am; the Seaside Run starts at 11:15 am. Published capacity is 1,000 for the half marathon, 400 for the seaside event and 100 for each children's event. Entry opened on 1 September 2026 with a scheduled 15 December 2026 deadline, but registration closes earlier if places sell out, and there is no waiting list.

Half-marathon and Seaside Run entrants must carry their own reusable bottle or cup. Participants in those categories can select a Goldwin × Setoda Lemon Marathon soft cup or a ¥500 voucher for Shiomachi Shopping Street and its market, subject to availability. The organiser provides downloadable race certificates after the event and awards top-three places by gender within each event.

Getting there and collecting your bib

On-site check-in is at Setoda Civic Hall, from noon–5 pm on Saturday 20 February or 8–10 am on race morning. The venue is about a 10-minute walk from Setoda Port and approximately a 10-minute drive from the Kita-Ikuchijima interchange. The organiser warns that island accommodation is limited; consider booking early and checking ferry and onward transport schedules before travelling.