The marathon course for the 2025 Tokyo World Athletics Championships has been officially confirmed by World Athletics (WA) and the Japan Association of Athletics Federations (JAAF). The course details have now been finalized.
“We are pleased to announce the confirmed courses, kilometre markers, and elevation maps,” shared World Athletics in their release.
The marathon course has been recognized as a WA-certified course and an officially sanctioned JAAF course.
Course records
The current Tokyo Marathon course records are 2:02:16 for the men, set by Kenyan Benson Kipruto in 2024. The women’s is 2:15:55, set by Ethiopian Sutume Kebede also in 2024. These performances also represent the fastest marathon times recorded on Japanese soil for both men and women. The records are personal bests for both athletes.
The pre-super shoe era (before summer 2016) records are 2:05:42 by Kenyan Dickson Chumba and 2:21:27 by Kenyan Helah Kiprop.
The current men’s marathon world record is 2:00:35, set by Kelvin Kiptum (Kenya) in October 2023. The women’s record is 2:09:56, set by Ruth Chepngetich (Kenya) in October 2024. The former athlete died in a car crash, while the latter has been suspended due to doping. The pre-super shoe era records are 2:02:47 by Kenyan Dennis Kimetto and 2:15:29 by Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain.
The World Championships marathon records are 2:05:36 by Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia, set in 2022 and 2:18.11 by Gotytom Gebreslase, also of Ethiopia 2022 in Eugene, Oregon. The pre-super shoe era records are 2:20:57 by Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain and 2:06:54 by Abel Kirui from Kenya, set in 2009.
Road race timetable at WCH Tokyo 25
DAY 1: Saturday 13 September 8:00 am: Women’s and men’s 35km race walk (simultaneously)
DAY 2: Sunday 14 September 8:00 am: Women’s marathon
DAY 3: Monday 15 September (public holiday) 8:00 am: Men’s marathon
DAY 8: Saturday 20 September 7:30 am: women’s 20km race walk | 9:50am: men’s 20km race walk
Map of the marathon courseMarathon
Start with one and a quarter laps around the Japan National Stadium – Tomihisacho-W. – Suidobashi – Jimbocho – Sudacho – Akihabara (first turning point) – Ginza 4-chome (second turning point) – Sudacho – Jimbocho – Tokyo Station (third turning point) – Jimbocho – Suidobashi – Tomihisacho-W.- finish at the Japan National Stadium.
The bold sections above represent a loop course, which will be completed twice (as shown in purple on the course map).
The course is unlike the World Marathon Majors Tokyo Marathon run in March
The World Marathon Majors Tokyo Marathon is a relatively fast and mostly flat course through city landmarks like the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building and Tokyo Tower. It ends in front of Tokyo Station. In contrast, the 2025 World Championship marathon course features a large loop followed by two smaller laps around a designated area, including an uphill finish and six 180-degree turns, which is a modified version of earlier Tokyo courses.
Breakdown of the differences
Course Type
Tokyo Marathon: Known for being a fast, flat course designed for personal bests and includes iconic city landmarks.
World Championship Marathon: A more complex circuit. It begins with a large, half-marathon-length loop and then continues with two smaller, 10km laps.
Terrain and features
Tokyo Marathon: Mostly flat with some gentle inclines and several out-and-back sections.
World Championship Marathon: Includes a flat start, a big drop and then a challenging uphill finish and six sharp 180-degree turns.
Finish
Tokyo Marathon: Concludes in front of Tokyo Station.
World Championship Marathon: Finishes at the Japan National Stadium after an uphill climb.
TCS Tokyo Marathon is run in March as part of the World Marathon Majors. 
AloJapan.com