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.
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.
Energy jelly pouches
ゼリー飲料Spouted pouches of carbohydrate jelly, such as Morinaga’s in Jelly. A common pre-run breakfast and long-run fuel for Japanese runners.
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.
- Take off your shoes, then pay.Shoes go in the lockers at the door. The adult price in Tokyo is ¥600 since 1 August 2026.
- 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, and no phones.Wipe down with your small towel before the changing room. Keep your phone in the locker: no phones in the changing room or the bath.
Inariyu
A neighbourhood sento in Uchi-Kanda, about 5 minutes from Otemachi, with a painted bath mural renewed every year. Its bag storage is popular with palace-loop runners. Closed Sunday.
Tokyo Physio
English-speaking physiotherapy in Ebisu, including running gait assessments.
Club 360
Physiotherapy and sports massage in English, in Azabu.
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.
Keep Run Tokyo running
This site costs me time and money to keep current and hosted. I update it every day with new addresses and races. A coffee goes a long way.