ASICS Run Tokyo Marunouchi
Lockers, showers, rental shoes and kit, a form lab, and daily group runs. Weekdays 6:30 to 21:30, weekends 7:30 to 19:00.
A field guide to running in Tokyo. Where to run, what to wear in each season, where to buy it, how to fuel from a konbini, which races to enter, and a plan that tells you what to run today.
The palace loopAbout 5 km, counter-clockwise, no traffic lights.
November to MarchDry, cool and clear: Tokyo’s running season.
Tokyo MarathonSunday 7 March 2027, Shinjuku to Tokyo Station.
Race season, liveChecked every day against each official site.
Where to run
Tokyo is enormous and almost flat, threaded with rivers and old gardens. These are the twelve places its runners actually use, with the rules each one asks you to keep.
The palace loop
Five kilometres, no traffic lights, and one direction for everyone. Flat along the moats from Sakuradamon to Takebashi, a climb to Chidorigafuchi, level to Hanzomon, then the long descent home beside the widest moat in Tokyo.
Sakuradamon桜田門Nijubashi二重橋Otemon大手門Takebashi竹橋Chidorigafuchi千鳥ヶ淵Hanzomon半蔵門The climbThe long descentRun stations
Lockers and showers by the loop. Check prices and hours before you go.
JOGLIS
Showers and lockers close to the west side of the loop.
Raffine Running Style
Showers and lockers from about ¥800 to ¥1,000 a visit.
The running year
Tokyo gives you two running seasons and asks you to survive the third. From November to March the air is dry and the sky is blue. From June to September the heat and humidity decide what you can do.
Spring
March to May
Cherry blossom along the canals and the race season’s last weeks. Cedar pollen runs from about mid-February to April and cypress from March to May: sunglasses help if you react. Shinjuku Gyoen bans running in its cherry weeks.
Rainy season
About 7 June to 19 July
Kanto’s rainy season normally runs from about 7 June to 19 July, though the dates move every year. Warm rain, high humidity, slick stone and paint. A brimmed cap and a light shell beat an umbrella.
Summer
July to September
August averages a 31°C high with 74% humidity. The sun is up by about 4:30 in June, and so are Tokyo’s runners. Go at first light, slow down without guilt, and drink salt as well as water.
Typhoons
July to October, peak in September
About three typhoons a year come close to Kanto, most often in September. Riverside paths flood and trains stop. When one is forecast, stay off the river paths and check the Japan Meteorological Agency.
Autumn
October to November
October is still wet, then the air dries, the ginkgo and maples turn, and the heat alerts end. Long runs come back, and so does the race calendar.
Winter
December to February
Tokyo’s secret: dry, sunny, rarely below freezing, with Mount Fuji on the horizon. January averages a 10°C high and most of Japan’s marathons happen now. Sunrise is near 7:00, so early runs start in the dark.
When the heat decides
Japan measures heat for exercise with the WBGT index, which counts humidity and sun as well as temperature. The Ministry of the Environment issues a Heatstroke Alert when the day’s maximum is forecast at 33 or higher: the evening before at about 17:00, and again at about 5:00. In 2026 the alert season runs from 22 April to 21 October.
Stop exercising
運動は原則中止Exercise should stop except in special cases. Move the run indoors or to tomorrow morning.
Severe warning
厳重警戒Avoid hard sessions and long runs. Rest every 10 to 20 minutes and replace water and salt.
Warning
警戒Take active breaks, about every 30 minutes during hard work.
Caution
注意Normal precautions: drink before you are thirsty and watch for warning signs.
Japan Sport Association guideline for exercise. Below 21, normal care.
Today’s heat indexWhat to wear and carry
A Tokyo year asks for four wardrobes: mesh for the wet heat, a brim for the rain, layers for the dry cold, and lights for the evening runs after work.
Summer
Less fabric, more air, and something white on your head.
- Mesh singlet and split shorts
- A light cap you can soak at a fountain
- A small towel: many Japanese runners carry a tenugui
- Sweat-proof sunscreen for the 5:00 sun
Heat days
For the weeks when the heat index decides your run.
- A bottle frozen overnight: cold water for the first half
- A cooling towel round the neck
- Electrolyte tablets or a salty snack
- Check the heat index (WBGT) before you leave
Rainy season
Warm rain needs a brim, not a coat.
- A packable shell for the cool end of June
- A brimmed cap to keep rain off your eyes
- A waterproof pouch for your phone and IC card
- Shoes with grip: wet paint and stone are slick
Winter
Dry and cold at dawn, warm by ten.
- A thin merino long-sleeve
- Light gloves and a neck gaiter
- A wind shell for the river paths
- Layers you can tie round your waist
After dark
Tokyo is safe at night; the cyclists cannot always see you.
- A clip-on red light on your back
- A reflective vest for the river paths
- A headlamp for unlit riverbanks and parks
Race day
Nothing new on race day. Everything here has been on a long run.
- Your race shoes, broken in over two or three long runs
- Thin socks you have raced in before
- Gels you have trained with
- A throwaway layer for the start pen
Fuel
Practise eating on the run, the same way you practise running.
- Gels or jelly pouches every 30 to 45 minutes on long runs
- A soft flask that packs flat
- Salt in summer, even on shorter runs
Trails
For Takao, Okutama and beyond.
- A vest with soft flasks
- Shoes with lugs for roots and mud
- A bear bell for the quiet trails
- A charged phone and a paper map
Daily shoes
Two pairs in rotation beat one pair worn out.
- A cushioned trainer for easy and long runs
- A second pair with a different feel
- Retire them when the foam feels flat, not when the upper tears
Always carry
Small things that save a run.
- An IC card (Suica or PASMO): the train home, and drinks from most station vending machines
- Some coins for older machines and lockers
- Your ID: foreign residents aged 16 and over must carry their residence card
After the run
The long run ends at the bath, not at the watch.
- A small towel and soap for the sento
- A foam roller for calves and quads
- Something salty and a rice ball within the hour
Tabi
Split-toe running tabi: the thin-soled shoes some Japanese runners swear by.
- Very little cushioning: build up slowly
- A tenugui, the cotton towel you will see on every runner’s neck
Where to buy it
Japan is home to ASICS and Mizuno, and Tokyo sells running shoes in depth. Try shoes in the afternoon, when your feet are at their largest, and bring the socks you run in.
Older guides are out of date. Nike’s Harajuku flagship closed in August 2025, adidas RUNBASE by the palace has closed, and so has Bain Douche, the runners’ bath at Hanzomon. Every shop below was open when this guide was checked.
ASICS Run Tokyo Marunouchi
A shop and runners’ base by the palace: lockers, showers, rentals, a form lab and daily group runs.
ASICS Tokyo Ginza
The brand’s first store, reopened after a renovation in 2025, with a 3D scan of both feet.
On Tokyo
Opened in Ginza in September 2025, one of On’s largest stores in the world, with a run club space downstairs.
Nike Ginza
A store built around running: shoe trials, run club sessions with pacers, and a locker service.
Stride Lab Tokyo
Ningyocho. Natural-running shoes, foot conditioning, a trail floor and hard-to-find fuel. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
HOKA Harajuku
HOKA’s largest store in Japan, with a run club space on the second floor.
New Balance Harajuku
One of New Balance’s three flagships worldwide, reopened in December 2025 with a performance floor.
Salomon Store Tokyo
Doubled in size in 2024. Road and trail shoes on the ground floor.
DISTANCE Tokyo
A French running boutique from Lyon, opened in March 2026: vintage race tees, Japanese labels and community runs.
Alpen TOKYO
Japan’s largest sports store, by Shinjuku’s east exit, with more than 200 shoe models on one floor.
Step Sports
A long-standing running store in Hongo, five minutes from Suidobashi station.
MIZUNO TOKYO
Mizuno’s global flagship in Kanda Ogawamachi, home of the Wave Rebellion line.
Japanese labels worth knowing
ELDORESO
Independent running wear from a Sangenjaya atelier, with ASICS collaborations.
Mountain Martial Arts
Tokyo trail-running apparel since 2012.
Answer4
A small ultra and trail label with a cult following.
and wander
Technical outdoor wear by two former Issey Miyake designers. More mountain than race.
The konbini is your aid station
Convenience stores and vending machines are everywhere, open all night, and stocked with exactly what a long run needs. Plan routes past them and you can run light.
Pocari Sweat and Aquarius
ポカリスエット・アクエリアスThe sports drinks of Japan. Cold, everywhere, and the easiest way to replace salt on a summer run.
Energy jelly pouches
ゼリー飲料Spouted pouches of carbohydrate jelly, such as Morinaga’s in Jelly. Japanese runners’ favourite pre-run breakfast and long-run fuel.
Onigiri and bananas
おにぎり・バナナSimple carbohydrate before a long run or after it. Plain salted rice balls (shio musubi) go down easily.
OS-1
オーエスワンAn oral rehydration solution for dehydration and heat illness, not a sports drink. Keep it for when things go wrong.
Amino Vital
アミノバイタルAjinomoto’s amino acid range, including energy jellies and small gels for racing.
Mag-on and Medalist
マグオン・メダリストJapanese race gels (Mag-on carries magnesium) and Medalist’s citric acid drinks, sold by specialists such as Stride Lab.
Recover like a local
Tokyo has around 400 public baths, and a long run that ends in a hot bath is a ritual for many local runners. The water is hot: start with a few minutes and drink when you get out.
- Pay and take off your shoes.The adult price in Tokyo is ¥600 since 1 August 2026. Shoes go in the lockers at the door.
- Wash first, sitting down.Scrub at the taps before you get into any bath. Rinse off all the soap.
- Keep your towel out of the water.Fold the small towel on your head or leave it at the side. Tie up long hair.
- No swimsuits.Everyone bathes without clothes, in separate men’s and women’s sides.
- Dry off before the changing room.Wipe down with your small towel so you do not drip on the floor.
Inariyu
A classic sento with a Mount Fuji mural in Uchi-Kanda, about 5 minutes from Otemachi. Many regulars are palace-loop runners.
Tokyo Physio
English-speaking physiotherapy in Ebisu, including running gait assessments.
Club 360
Physiotherapy and sports massage in English, in Azabu.
Races
Japan’s race calendar is packed into the cool months. Big-city races use a lottery; many smaller ones are first come, first served, and sell out within days. Here is the season ahead.
Updated daily. Each date checked against its official site on 7 October 2026.
- Sun 18 OctTokyo Legacy Half東京レガシーハーフEntry closed. Come and watch.Official site
Half marathon starting and finishing in the National Stadium.
- Sun 25 OctYokohama Marathon横浜マラソンEntry closed.Official site
The port city’s big marathon, half an hour from Tokyo.
- Sun 8 NovChiba Aqualine MarathonちばアクアラインマラソンEntry closed.Official site
Run out over Tokyo Bay on the Aqualine. Held every other year.
- Sun 6 DecShonan International Marathon湘南国際マラソンSee the official site.Official site
A coastal course on the Shonan shore. Runners carry their own bottle: no paper cups.
- Sat 2 Janand Sun 3 JanHakone Ekiden箱根駅伝Spectating only.Official site
Japan’s great university relay, 10 legs and 217.1 km from Otemachi to Lake Ashi and back. Go and line the road.
- Sun 14 FebSaitama MarathonさいたまマラソンMarathon sold out on 31 August (first come).Official site
Flat and fast, just north of Tokyo.
- Sun 21 FebKyoto Marathon京都マラソンLottery done.Official site
Temples and shrines from Takebishi Stadium to Heian Shrine.
- Sun 21 FebOme Marathon青梅マラソンFirst come, 15 August to 3 November 2026.Official site
The classic hilly 30 km in the western Tokyo valleys, plus a 10 km.
- Sun 28 FebOsaka Marathon大阪マラソンGeneral entry closed; charity places open.Official site
A fast, flat big-city course that now hosts the old Lake Biwa elite race.
- Sun 7 MarTokyo Marathon東京マラソンLottery closed in August; results out.Official site
The 20th edition, with 40,000 runners. A World Marathon Major from Shinjuku to Tokyo Station.
- Sun 14 MarNagoya Women’s Marathon名古屋ウィメンズマラソンLottery results out 2 October.Official site
One of the world’s largest women’s marathons, starting and finishing at the dome.
- Sat 24 Aprand Sun 25 AprLondon MarathonBallot closed; charity places possible.Official site
A double marathon in 2027: 45,000 runners on Saturday and 55,000 on Sunday.
Tokyo Marathon
A World Marathon Major through the whole city: out of Shinjuku, east through Kanda to the turn at Ueno-hirokoji, across the Sumida twice, through Ginza, out to Tamachi and back to Tokyo Station.
7 March 2027Marathon starts at 9:10, wheelchair race at 9:05
40,000 runnersThe 20th edition, the largest yet
7 hoursThe finish closes at 16:10, with cut-offs along the way
¥19,800Domestic entry; overseas entry is US$230
- Tokyo Metropolitan Government0 km
- Ichigaya5 km
- Jinbocho8 km
- Ueno-hirokoji turnaround10.6 km
- Nihonbashi13 km
- Komagatabashi, Asakusa18 km
- Ryogoku21 km
- Tomioka Hachimangu turnaround23.95 km
- Ginza33 km
- Shiba Park, by Tokyo Tower36 km
- Tamachi Station turnaround37.5 km
- Wadakura-mon, Tokyo Station42.195 km
General lottery
Entry opens in August for the following March. For 2027 it ran from 14 to 28 August 2026, with results in September. Expect to lose a few times.
Charity places
5,000 places, with a donation set by each charity (often ¥100,000 or more) on top of the entry fee. Applications run from late June into August.
ONE TOKYO
The Tokyo Marathon Foundation’s free club. Members get a separate draw for runners who have lost three years in a row.
Where Japanese races take entries
RUNNET
Japan’s main race portal. Most domestic races take entries here, and it lists which entries open each week.
Sports Entry
The second big portal for road races and trail events.
e-moshicom
Smaller and newer events, fun runs and trail races.
Watch the Hakone Ekiden
On 2 and 3 January, university teams relay a sash 217.1 km from Otemachi to Lake Ashi and back. It is one of the most watched sporting events in Japan. Good places to stand:
- Otemachi, for the start (2 January) and the finish (3 January).
- Rokugo Bridge, after km 17 of the first leg.
- Gontazaka hill, on the second leg.
- The Route 134 coast on the third leg, with Mount Fuji behind the runners.
- The climb of the fifth leg, to its high point near 874 m, then the torii at Hakone Shrine.
And London
This guide began as a plan for one runner training in Tokyo for London. A Tokyo winter is ideal preparation, and the last long runs fall in cherry season. What to know for 2027:
- A double marathon: 45,000 runners on Saturday 24 April and 55,000 on Sunday 25 April.
- The ballot is closed: 1,338,544 people entered.
- Charity places are still possible through the official site.
- Tokyo is eight hours ahead of London in late April (British Summer Time), so start shifting your sleep a week early.
Run with people
Tokyo’s clubs are free, friendly and used to newcomers. Most announce the week’s runs on Instagram, LINE or Strava, so follow before you show up.
Namban Rengo
The English-speaking club. Wednesday 19:30 track workout at Oda Field (when open), then the sento and a drink in Yoyogi-Hachiman.
Tokyo Run Club
Three or four runs a week at rotating spots, mornings 6:30 to 9:00 and evenings 18:00 to 21:00. Posted a day or two ahead on Instagram, LINE and Strava.
080TOKYO
A relaxed crew in Yoyogi Park on Monday evenings (20:10) and Saturday mornings (9:00). Check Instagram for the meeting point.
ONE TOKYO
The Tokyo Marathon Foundation’s club: events, training content, and a separate entry draw for repeat lottery losers.
Brand runs
ASICS Run Tokyo Marunouchi (daily, by pace group), Nike Ginza, On Tokyo in Ginza and HOKA Harajuku host group runs. Check each store’s channels for the week.
RETO Running Club
Coached sessions led by a former Asian marathon champion, at changing venues.
Manners and safety
Tokyo works because people share tight spaces with care. Runners are guests on the pavement; run like one and the city opens up.
Walkers first
On shared pavements, pedestrians have priority. Slow down rather than weave.
Go with the flow
The palace and Komazawa loops run counter-clockwise. Never run against them.
Keep it single file
At narrow points, run in a line and wait to pass.
Small groups
Large groups need permission at the palace (20 or more) and are not allowed in Shinjuku Gyoen (10 or more).
Bins are rare
Carry your gel wrappers and bottles home, or use the recycling bins beside vending machines for bottles only.
If the ground shakes
Phones sound an Earthquake Early Warning. Move away from walls, vending machines, poles and glass, and watch for falling objects.
Six phrases
すみません、通ります
Sumimasen, tōrimasu
Excuse me, coming through.
お疲れさまです
Otsukaresama desu
Said to fellow runners after a session: well done.
頑張って！
Ganbatte!
What the crowd shouts: keep going!
トイレはどこですか
Toire wa doko desu ka
Where is the toilet?
足がつりました
Ashi ga tsurimashita
I have a cramp in my leg.
救急車を呼んでください
Kyūkyūsha o yonde kudasai
Please call an ambulance.
If something goes wrong
119Ambulance and fire. Say “kyūkyū” (emergency) and where you are.
110Police.
#7119Tokyo Fire Department advice line, 24 hours, multilingual: is this an ambulance?
Visitors can call the Japan Visitor Hotline, 050-3816-2787, any time, in English. Foreign residents aged 16 and over must carry their residence card, on runs too; visitors their passport.
A plan that knows what today is for
Tell it how much you run, how many days you have and which race you are aiming at. Every day it gives you one thing to do, and it adapts when life gets in the way: a lighter week when you are tired, short runs when you travel, walk-run when something hurts. It stays on this device. No account.