Tokyo Marathon: Elevation Profile, Course Map & Pace Calculator
First Sunday of March · Exceptionally flat and fast · 50 m total ascent
A nearly-flat loop through central Tokyo. The course starts in Shinjuku, sweeps past the Imperial Palace and Tokyo Tower, and finishes at Tokyo Station. Famously polite crowds and clinically precise course measurement have made this the fastest of the Asia Majors.
The Tokyo Marathon is exceptionally flat and fast — rated 1/5 on our difficulty scale. Over the official 42.195 km (26.2 mi) the course gains about 170 ft (50 m) and loses 300 ft (90 m), with a net drop of 39 m (128 ft). No single kilometre stands out on grade-adjusted pace: none costs as much as 3% more effort than flat running, so the weather and the closing 10 km will matter more than the terrain.
Course stats
| Distance | 26.2 mi (42.195 km) |
|---|---|
| Location | Tokyo, Japan |
| Total ascent | 170 ft (50 m) |
| Total descent | 300 ft (90 m) |
| Elevation range | 42 m (140 ft) |
| Net elevation | -128 ft (-39 m) |
| Steepest grade | 1.2% |
| Difficulty | 1/5 |
| Field size | ≈38,000 runners |
| Race day | First Sunday of March |
| Elevation from | GSI DEM (Japan, 5 m) |
Bare-earth terrain model, smoothed over 500 m — it measures the ground, not the rooftops.
Key segments
| km 0–10 | Start to 10K. Net downhill, 40 m (+10 / −45 m), about 2% easier than flat. |
|---|---|
| km 10–21.1 | 10K to halfway. Rolling (+20 / −20 m). |
| km 21.1–30 | Halfway to 30K. Flat (+15 / −10 m). |
| km 30–42.2 | 30K to the finish. Flat (+10 / −10 m). |
Kilometre-by-kilometre splits (grade-adjusted)
Grade-adjusted (GAP) splits for a 4:00:00 finish, computed from the course's elevation profile with the Minetti gradient-cost model: uphill kilometres get more time, downhills less, at even effort. Splits scale proportionally for any other goal time — the interactive pace calculator on this page computes them exactly.
| Kilometre | GAP pace /km | GAP pace /mi | Elev Δ | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5:32 | 8:54 | -21 ft (-6 m) | 5:32 |
| 2 | 5:39 | 9:05 | -8 ft (-2 m) | 11:10 |
| 3 | 5:23 | 8:40 | -38 ft (-12 m) | 16:33 |
| 4 | 5:33 | 8:56 | -18 ft (-5 m) | 22:06 |
| 5 | 5:34 | 8:57 | -16 ft (-5 m) | 27:40 |
| 6 | 5:30 | 8:51 | -23 ft (-7 m) | 33:11 |
| 7 | 5:41 | 9:09 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 38:52 |
| 8 | 5:47 | 9:19 | +7 ft (+2 m) | 44:39 |
| 9 | 5:41 | 9:08 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 50:20 |
| 10 | 5:42 | 9:11 | -1 ft (0 m) | 56:02 |
| 11 | 5:42 | 9:10 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 1:01:43 |
| 12 | 5:39 | 9:06 | -6 ft (-2 m) | 1:07:23 |
| 13 | 5:46 | 9:17 | +6 ft (+2 m) | 1:13:09 |
| 14 | 5:42 | 9:11 | -1 ft (0 m) | 1:18:51 |
| 15 | 5:46 | 9:17 | +6 ft (+2 m) | 1:24:37 |
| 16 | 5:43 | 9:11 | -1 ft (0 m) | 1:30:20 |
| 17 | 5:38 | 9:04 | -8 ft (-3 m) | 1:35:58 |
| 18 | 5:43 | 9:11 | -1 ft (0 m) | 1:41:41 |
| 19 | 5:44 | 9:13 | +1 ft (0 m) | 1:47:24 |
| 20 | 5:40 | 9:07 | -5 ft (-2 m) | 1:53:04 |
| 21 | 5:43 | 9:12 | -1 ft (0 m) | 1:58:47 |
| 22 | 5:45 | 9:15 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 2:04:32 |
| 23 | 5:42 | 9:11 | -2 ft (0 m) | 2:10:14 |
| 24 | 5:44 | 9:13 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 2:15:58 |
| 25 | 5:47 | 9:18 | +6 ft (+2 m) | 2:21:44 |
| 26 | 5:43 | 9:13 | +1 ft (0 m) | 2:27:28 |
| 27 | 5:40 | 9:07 | -6 ft (-2 m) | 2:33:07 |
| 28 | 5:46 | 9:16 | +5 ft (+1 m) | 2:38:53 |
| 29 | 5:44 | 9:14 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 2:44:37 |
| 30 | 5:42 | 9:10 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 2:50:19 |
| 31 | 5:41 | 9:08 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 2:56:00 |
| 32 | 5:45 | 9:16 | +4 ft (+1 m) | 3:01:45 |
| 33 | 5:43 | 9:12 | 0 ft (0 m) | 3:07:28 |
| 34 | 5:43 | 9:12 | 0 ft (0 m) | 3:13:11 |
| 35 | 5:45 | 9:15 | +4 ft (+1 m) | 3:18:56 |
| 36 | 5:41 | 9:09 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 3:24:37 |
| 37 | 5:43 | 9:12 | +1 ft (0 m) | 3:30:21 |
| 38 | 5:43 | 9:12 | 0 ft (0 m) | 3:36:04 |
| 39 | 5:42 | 9:11 | -1 ft (0 m) | 3:41:46 |
| 40 | 5:42 | 9:11 | -1 ft (0 m) | 3:47:28 |
| 41 | 5:42 | 9:10 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 3:53:10 |
| 42 | 5:43 | 9:12 | 0 ft (0 m) | 3:58:53 |
| 42.2 | 5:44 | 9:13 | 0 ft (0 m) | 4:00:00 |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Tokyo Marathon flat or hilly?
The Tokyo Marathon is exceptionally flat and fast (1/5 difficulty). Total ascent is about 170 ft (50 m) over 26.2 miles.
How much elevation gain does the Tokyo Marathon have?
About 170 ft (50 m) of total ascent and 300 ft (90 m) of descent, for a net change of -128 ft (-39 m). Elevation is sampled from GSI DEM (Japan, 5 m) and smoothed over 500 m, so it will not match a GPS watch step for step.
What is the hardest part of the Tokyo Marathon course?
Not the terrain. No kilometre costs as much as 3% more effort than flat running by grade-adjusted pace, so wind, crowding in the first few kilometres and the closing 10 km decide the race rather than any climb.
How long is the Tokyo Marathon?
42.195 km (26.2 miles), the standard marathon distance. Certified courses are measured along the shortest legal line with a small safety margin, so a GPS watch usually reads a few hundred metres long — you run wider than the measured line, and GPS adds error of its own. Pace off the course markers rather than your watch's distance in the closing kilometres.
When is the Tokyo Marathon?
The Tokyo Marathon is typically held on the first Sunday of March. The next edition is expected around March 7, 2027. Confirm the exact date on the official race website.
How many runners take part in the Tokyo Marathon?
The field is roughly 38,000 runners.
What pace do I need to run the Tokyo Marathon in my goal time?
At an even pace: 3:00:00 needs 6:52/mi (4:16/km); 3:30:00 needs 8:01/mi (4:59/km); 4:00:00 needs 9:09/mi (5:41/km); 4:30:00 needs 10:18/mi (6:24/km); 5:00:00 needs 11:27/mi (7:07/km); 5:30:00 needs 12:35/mi (7:49/km). On this course, grade-adjusted pacing shifts a few seconds per mile between uphill and downhill splits — the pace calculator on this page computes those splits for any goal time.
Plan your Tokyo race
Courses like this one
- Amsterdam Marathon — 1/5 difficulty, 200 ft (60 m) ascent
- Chicago Marathon — 1/5 difficulty, 230 ft (70 m) ascent
- Berlin Marathon — 1/5 difficulty, 230 ft (70 m) ascent
How Tokyo Marathon ranks
- Flattest marathon courses — ranked 1 of 20 (170 ft (50 m) of climbing)
- Net-downhill marathon courses — ranked 8 of 13 (130 ft (40 m) net drop)
- World Marathon Majors compared — ranked 1 of 7 (170 ft (50 m) of climbing)
- Biggest marathons by field size — ranked 7 of 20 (≈38,000 runners)
Official race site: https://www.marathon.tokyo/en/