Tsukuba Marathon 2026

The Tsukuba Marathon 2026 is the 46th edition of one of Japan's long-running city marathons, held in Tsukuba, Ibaraki, under the event theme "Science of the Marathon". The race is closely associated with Tsukuba's research and university community and is organised by Tsukuba City, the University of Tsukuba, the Ibaraki Athletics Association and Yomiuri Shimbun. The main 42.195K race uses a Japan Association of Athletics Federations-certified course and has an official capacity of 11,000 runners.

The marathon starts on the outer road around Iias Tsukuba and finishes at Tsukuba City Hall. The revised course introduced for the previous edition keeps the race's generally flat, performance-oriented character while moving through central Tsukuba. Runners encounter sections showcasing the city's two defining identities: views towards Mount Tsukuba and greener urban landscapes, followed by areas associated with Tsukuba's research institutions and science facilities. The course also uses pedestrian-deck sections near Tsukuba Station. Both the start and finish are around a seven-minute walk from Kenkyu-gakuen Station.

The marathon begins with a planned wave start from 08:50 to 09:10 JST and has a six-hour limit with intermediate checkpoints. The programme also includes a 1.5K Fun Run at 09:25, with 500 general places plus 30 wheelchair places. ARC does not currently expose an exact 1.5K distance, so that race is documented here rather than mapped to an inaccurate distance.

General entry ran from 5 July to 27 July 2026, subject to closing once capacity was reached, and registration is now closed. There is no pre-race check-in: athlete bibs and participant information are mailed in advance. The main venue provides a free self-service baggage area for non-valuables, while medical support includes aid stations, mobile AED teams and doctor runners.

The organiser does not provide event parking and asks runners and supporters to use public transport. This is particularly practical for 2026 because the start and finish are both close to Kenkyu-gakuen Station. Marathon awards go to the top eight men and women overall, with additional age-group awards through eighth place for categories above the under-40 division.