The Takahashi Naoko Cup / Gifu Half Marathon 2027

The Takahashi Naoko Cup / Gifu Half Marathon 2027 returns to Gifu City on Sunday, 25 April 2027. The event is one of Japan’s leading half marathons, with the organiser describing it as a World Athletics Gold Label race. Sydney 2000 Olympic marathon champion and Gifu native Naoko Takahashi serves as event chair and supervises the course, while the race is also part of the Japan Premier Half Series.

The main 21.0975 km race is capped at 10,000 runners and starts in two waves at 09:00 and 09:10 JST. A separate 3 km race, capped at up to 1,000 participants, starts at 09:25. The half marathon has a 3 hour 5 minute limit measured from the first-wave gun, while the 3 km closes after 25 minutes.

The certified half-marathon course starts at the marathon gate of Gifu Memorial Center and runs down Kinkabashi-dori towards Gifu Station before passing the historic Kawara-machi district. Runners then follow roads beside the Nagara River, cross the Chidori Bridge area and return via the river promenade to finish inside Himalaya Stadium Gifu. The route is certified by World Athletics/AIMS and the Japan Association of Athletics Federations. Published half-marathon checkpoints close at 5.8 km at 10:10, 10.1 km at 10:40, 13.2 km at 11:00 and 17.3 km at 11:32, with the finish closing at 12:05.

General half-marathon entry is JPY 11,000. The 3 km fee is JPY 3,500 for adults and JPY 2,000 for junior-high and high-school students. General registration is scheduled from 6 November 2026 until 28 February 2027, subject to places remaining because entries are accepted first-come, first-served.

Athlete-bib collection is scheduled for Saturday, 24 April from 10:00 to 20:00 at the Fureai Dome inside Gifu Memorial Center. Runners who purchase the optional advance bib-posting service do not need to attend collection. Bib timing uses BibTag transponders. Changing areas and baggage storage are available at the venue. Organisers encourage public transport; buses run from JR Gifu and Meitetsu Gifu, while a limited paid park-and-ride option can be reserved during entry.