Ai-no-Tsuchiyama Marathon 2026 - Koka, Japan

The 2026 Ai-no-Tsuchiyama Marathon takes runners through Koka City in Shiga Prefecture, Japan, on a certified road course in and around the Tsuchiyama district. The organisers offer a full marathon, half marathon and a separate 2.195 km challenge for primary-school pupils in years five and six. The longer distances start at 10:30 am JST on Sunday 1 November, while the children's races follow from 10:40 am. Both adult distances are included in the same event edition.

Course and race rules

The marathon and half marathon use the officially recognised Ai-no-Tsuchiyama course. Competitors should be prepared for an undulating road route rather than assume a flat city marathon. Entry is for people born on or before 1 April 2008, excluding high-school students. The organisers set a five-hour-and-five-minute measurement limit for the full marathon and three hours and five minutes for the half, with intermediate road-closure checkpoints. One shared checkpoint is at 15.8 km by 12:45 pm; marathon runners then face checks at 25.6, 31, 35.5 and 40.2 km. Participants who miss cutoffs may be withdrawn for safety.

Arrival and race-day arrangements

The event office and main venue are at Tsuchiyama Gymnasium, 414-2 Kitatsuchiyama, in Koka. Free race-day shuttle buses are scheduled from Kibukawa Station on the JR Kusatsu Line and Kameyama Station on the Kansai Main Line. The official race outline publishes the outbound and return departures, and organisers caution that timings may change with entry numbers. Adult runners receive bibs and instructions by post in advance; there is no adult on-the-day registration desk. Children's bib collection is scheduled for 8:00 to 10:00 am with a signed parental consent document.

Online entry through RUNNET closed on 10 August 2026. Adult marathon and half-marathon fees were JPY 7,000, with JPY 1,000 for children. The organising committee plans original shirts for adult participants, distributed at the event venue, and finisher certificates for those completing their races. Conditions and weather decisions are communicated through the official event site; check it before travelling.