How does the Tokyo Marathon 2027 ballot work?

When exactly does the Tokyo Marathon 2027 ballot open and close?

General entry ran from 11:00 JST on Friday 14 August 2026 to 17:00 JST on Friday 28 August 2026, confirmed on the official participants page. Japan Standard Time matters here: 5:00 p.m. in Tokyo is early morning in Europe and the middle of the night in the US, so don't plan on a last-day evening application from another timezone. When you apply within the window makes no difference to your chances; it's a draw, not a race to apply.

How does the draw work and what does it cost?

You apply once through the official entry portal at marathon.tokyo. Entering costs nothing. If you're drawn, you pay JPY 19,800 (domestic) or USD 230 (overseas), which includes the entry fee, handling fee, and tax, between 18 and 30 September 2026. Miss the payment window and your place is gone. There's no fee for unsuccessful applicants at any point.

When do Tokyo Marathon 2027 ballot results come out?

General ballot results are announced on 18 September 2026, with payment due from 11:00 JST that day until 17:00 JST on 30 September 2026. Miss that payment window and the place is forfeited, so a result email is a deadline as well as good news. Runners in the earlier ONE TOKYO GLOBAL member draw got their result sooner, on 1 September 2026, with payment due 1 to 11 September 2026. Full dates and sources are on our Tokyo Marathon 2027 event page.

What are the odds of getting a place?

The Tokyo Marathon Foundation doesn't publish odds. The field is around 40,000 and the general ballot has historically been oversubscribed at roughly 10 to 1 (an unofficial figure), which makes it one of the harder World Marathon Majors to get into by lottery alone. Every application in the window has an equal chance.

Is there an earlier or better route than the general ballot?

Two official ones, and both closed to new entries before general entry opened. ONE TOKYO GLOBAL members had their own draw, running from 11:00 JST on 31 July 2026 until 17:00 JST on 13 August 2026, effectively a second bite for those who joined and entered both cycles where permitted. Charity entry offers guaranteed places in exchange for a fundraising commitment; the 2027 charity application window closed 17:00 JST on 9 July 2026, with charity payments and donations running to 13 August 2026 and donation-only extended to 31 August 2026. A semi-elite route (RUN as ONE) ran on the same 31 July to 13 August 2026 window for fast qualifiers.

Who can enter?

Anyone worldwide aged 19 or older on race day (born on or before 7 March 2008) who can finish within 6 hours 30 minutes. There's no qualifying time for the general ballot; the time limit is the only performance requirement.