Osaka Marathon Japan 2026 Application Date Course Map
Osaka Marathon at Rakuten Japan
The Osaka Marathon is one of Japan's premier city marathons, held annually in Osaka. It's a major event that combines elite competition with a large field of non-elite runners, attracting tens of thousands of participants. The race is AIMS-certified, features a flat urban course passing iconic landmarks, and includes charity elements.
Upcoming Event: Osaka Marathon 2026
Official Website:
https://www.osaka-marathon.com/2026/en
Japanese at https://www.osaka-marathon.com
https://www.facebook.com/osakamarathon.official
https://www.instagram.com/osakamarathon.official/
https://www.youtube.com/user/osakamarathon
Date: Sunday, February 22, 2026
Location: Osaka, Japan
Start/Finish: Near Osaka Castle Park (starts near the Osaka Prefectural Government Building/west side of the park; finishes on the east side)
Distances:
Full Marathon: 42.195 km
Shorter option: 720 Naniwa Marathon (7.2 km for runners, 720 m for wheelchairs)
Start Times (approximate):
9:15 AM: Elite/Wave 1 (fastest runners)
Subsequent waves follow
Time Limit: About 7 hours (race ends around 4:15 PM)
Participant Numbers: Typically 30,000+ runners in recent editions
Significance: This edition is part of the Marathon Grand Championship Series (Men's G1 / Women's G2). It also serves as a selection trial for the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games and potentially influences 2028 Los Angeles Olympics considerations.
The course is scenic and flat, showcasing Osaka's highlights like Osaka Castle Park, Midosuji, Nakanoshima, Kyocera Dome, Tsutenkaku, and more, finishing near INTEX Osaka.
Registration and Entry
Entry is usually via lottery due to high demand. For 2026, applications were open from late July to late August 2025 (already closed as of now). Check the official site for any remaining options, waitlists, or future details.
Related Events
Note there's also the separate Osaka International Women's Marathon (elite-focused, held January 25, 2026) and an Osaka Half Marathon (January 25, 2026).
Recent highlight: In the January 2026 Osaka Women's Marathon, Uganda's Stella Chesang won impressively in 2:19:31.
The detailed course map for the Osaka Marathon 2026 (full marathon, 42.195 km) is available directly from the official website. The race uses the certified AIMS/WA/JAAF course, which is largely consistent in recent years (flat urban loop through central Osaka, with minor tweaks possible but no major changes announced for 2026).
Official Course Resources
English Course Map PDF: Download the detailed map here: https://www.osaka-marathon.com/2026/en/info/course/pdf/course_en.pdf
This includes the full route overlay, key landmarks, distance markers (e.g., 5 km, 10 km), and an elevation profile showing it's predominantly flat with only minor undulations (max ~20-30m elevation change total).
Japanese Course Map PDF: https://www.osaka-marathon.com/2026/info/course/pdf/course.pdf (more detailed labels in some versions).
Course Page: https://www.osaka-marathon.com/2026/en/info/course — Features the map link plus landmark explorer via Osaka-Info.
Meeting Place & Course Overview Map: https://www.osaka-marathon.com/2026/en/map.pdf (includes start/finish zones in Osaka Castle Park area).
Course Overview & Key Sections
The route starts in front of the Osaka Prefectural Government Building (near Osaka Castle Park) and finishes inside Osaka Castle Park (near the east side). It's a scenic, mostly flat city course highlighting Osaka's landmarks.
Start (0 km): Osaka Prefectural Government Building / Otemae area → Heads north/west.
Early km (0-10 km): Passes Tenjinbashi-suji shopping street, Ogimachi Park, Osaka Station vicinity, Midosuji Boulevard (famous ginkgo-lined avenue), Osaka City Hall, Central Public Hall.
10-20 km: Crosses bridges (e.g., Sakuranomiya), through business districts, toward Kyocera Dome Osaka (around 20 km), Namba area.
Mid-race (20-30 km): Tsutenkaku Tower (Shinsekai area), Sennichimae, Dotonbori vibes nearby, then south toward bayside.
Late km (30-42 km): Heads to the harbor/port area (Nanko), passes Cosmo Square, Trade Center-mae, loops around the bayfront, finishes back at INTEX Osaka vicinity before returning to Osaka Castle Park finish.
Finish: Within Osaka Castle Park (scenic, with crowds and castle views).
Elevation Profile: Very runner-friendly — mostly flat (under 30m total gain/loss), ideal for PB attempts, with small bridges/undulations as the main "hills."
Here are some high-quality visuals of the course map from reliable sources (including official-style and recent editions, as the 2026 route aligns closely):
These show the looped urban path, key checkpoints (e.g., 10 km, 25 km half-ish point, 30 km), and landmarks. For the most accurate 2026 version, prioritize the official PDFs linked above, as they include exact road overlays and any last-minute adjustments.
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