PACERTRIP CITY EDITIONJP / RACE GUIDE

35th Ako Gishi Marathon

Name: 赤穂義士マラソン②
Uploaded: 2012-12-04
Description: A flat loop course with one lap measuring 5 km, making it easy to keep track of pace. Time limit runs until sunset, making it suitable for runners aiming to finish. There are also plenty of restrooms

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

Ako
JP

by ja:User:Reggaeman · Public domain663highland · CC BY 2.5663highland · CC BY 2.5Mti · CC BY-SA 3.0

Race date in 53 days: Nov 29, 2026 Sun
City · Distance: Ako · 42.195km · 10km · 5km
Entry fee: 42.195km：6,500円Varies by event and entry period
Status: OpenFri, May 8, 2026 ~ Sun, November 8, 2026See how to enter ↗

Official website ↗D-day as of Oct 7, 2026

About the race Runner stories How to enter Course Race Prep Travel

Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

ABOUT THE RACE

A day you'll remember,
long past the finish line.

A flat loop course with one lap measuring 5 km, making it easy to keep track of pace.

Time limit runs until sunset, making it suitable for runners aiming to finish.

There are also plenty of restrooms throughout the park, so queues are unlikely.

Registration is first come, first served.

The road to your own record

Picture the course in advance
and find the pace that fits you.

When the city cheers

Streets lined with cheers, runners all around.
You'll be part of that scene.

The trip that follows the run

Take it slow with the finish still in you,
and meet the city all over again.

Stories from those who ran it first.

From the joy of finishing to the tough moments — read what runners wrote themselves.

Race reports: 2

たつみRan in 2024 · Finish time ５時間４８分４９秒

“I worried about how the young man would fare midway through, but I was relieved he held on and finished safely.”

Tatsumi mixed running and walking late in the 2024 Akō Gishi Marathon, encouraging a young man attempting his first full marathon and moving forward together. He finished the flat park-loop course in 5 hours 48 minutes 49 seconds, beating his 6-hour goal.

Quoted from the original · translated

Original quote

青年も途中はどうなるかと思いましたが、なんとか粘って無事に完走できたので良かったです。

Read the original on たつみマラソン研究所

Ameblo 空・月・星・虹Finish time under 3:50:00

“On Sunday, December 4, I took part in the Ako Kishi Marathon full marathon.”

The runner ran the 5 km loop at Ako Seaside Park and finished the full marathon in under 3:50 for the first time in years.

Quoted from the original · translated

Original quote

12／4(日)は、赤穂義士マラソン(フル)に参加しました。

Read the original on Ameblo 空・月・星・虹

We translated a short line from each public race report and summarized the experience. Finish times are as stated by the author, and past editions may differ from this year's weather and operations.

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

Preview the course and read what runners who went before you wrote.

Finisher vlog

dnfc1997 · Finisher vlog

View on YouTube

This may be from a past edition. Check the organizer for this year's course and operations.

The way in that fits you

YOUR ENTRY

How to reach the start line —
start with what fits you.

Here are the ways to enter and what each requires.
Check the organizer's page for whether entries are open.

We'll fill this in once the official entry rules are out.

Registration platform RUNNET

Official race website Entry options

From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

The 42.195km I'll run

Know the course and time limit, and race day comes into focus.

Runners start · local timeFrom 10:00

Sunset (final lap entry by 16:20)

Event	Start
Marathon42.195km	10:00
Half21.0975km	10:00
10K10km	11:00
5K5km	10:00

42.195 km: 6,500 yen half marathon: 5,000 yen 10 km: 4,000 yen 5 km: 3,200 yen

not the start line

We have not confirmed the start line coordinates yet.

START

Ako Seaside Park Near large playground equipment (42.195km/half marathon), in front of management office

10km/5km

Start · Google Maps

FINISH

In front of Ako Seaside Park Management Office

Finish · Google Maps

Cut-off
Sunset (final lap entry by 16:20)

Runners start · local time — (42.195km) / 10:00(half marathon) / 11:00(10km) / 10:00(5km)

1-week 5km loop in the park

The 10 km, 5 km, full marathon, and half marathon events are held together.

The start line is set up near the large playground equipment at Ako Kaihin Park (赤穂海浜公園) (42.195 km · half marathon) and in front of the management office (10 km and 5 km),

with a local start time of 10:00 AM.

The finish area is in front of the Ako Kaihin Park Management Office.

Field size: 300 people each for full marathon・half marathon, 200 people each for 10km・5km
Typical race-season temperature: around 10°C (50°F): Short sleeves or light long sleeves + arm warmers

Participant benefits

Finisher certificate

To the start line,
step by step.

Pick up your bib, check your wave.
So on race morning, you can just run.

From the 2025 edition

Pick up your bib at the expo

Details on registration and athlete bibs could not be confirmed in the publicly available information.
Since advance mailing or same-day collection is common for races in Japan, check the event guide (participant notification).

Stations & transport near the venue

Getting to the start

JR播州赤穂駅 (JR Banshu-Ako Station)

No public transit runs directly to venue (Hyogo Prefectural Ako Kaihin Park).

From Himeji or Aioi take JR Sanyo Shinkansen/line to JR Banshu-Ako Station, then West Shinki bus toward 赤穂公園 (approx. 10 min).

Ako city, Hyogo.

Info per prior editions, pattern consistent year to year.

Getting to the finish

Same as start (loop course at Ako Kaihin Park)

Return via same bus route/JR Banshu-Ako Station.

More details

Organizer-linked local bus (West Shinki bus co.) from station, not a dedicated marathon shuttle.

Source · checked Aug 22, 2026

READY TO RUN

From race morning to after the finish.

Your start time, fuel and bag drop.
Know them ahead and the run feels easier.

The Ako City Marathon is held on a course consisting of one 5 km loop inside Hyogo Prefectural Ako Kaihin Park.

Full marathon runners complete approximately eight and a half laps of this loop.

The time limit is generously set as “until sunset,” but detailed rules state that the race ends at 4:20 PM for anyone who has not entered their final lap by then.

Runners aiming to finish should use this time as their key cutoff.

Field limits are 300 each for the full marathon and half marathon, and 200 each for the 10 km and 5 km.

Entry fee fees are ¥6,500 for the full marathon, ¥5,000 for the half marathon, ¥4,000 for the 10 km, and ¥3,200 for the 5 km.

Entries are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis and close no later than November 8.

From JR Banshu-Ako Station, the venue is about 10 minutes by Nishishinki Bus, but services are relatively infrequent, so allow plenty of time.

If arriving by car, runners can use the East Parking Lot (800 spaces) or North Parking Lot (300 spaces);

parking costs ¥550 per day.

Times are local to Ako. Check the latest official information before the race.

A trip built around the race

STAY A LITTLE

MAKE IT A RUNTRIP

The race is one day,
the trip can be longer.

From a hotel that makes race morning easy,
to the meals and views you'll enjoy with the medal on.

Hotels that make race morning easy

6 places

Distances are straight-line from the start/finish area.
Check real travel times and booking terms with each hotel.

The start and finish are in the same place
We picked stays around that one spot.

Toyoko Inn Banshu Ako Ekimae

Hotel · 2.6km

7.8/10(479)

View on Booking.com

Hotel Yamachou

Hotel · 2.0km

6.9/10(106)

View on Booking.com

Hotel Casa Vico

Hotel · 1.1km

9.8/10(4)

View on Booking.com

Dot Glamping 赤穂

Accommodation · 991m

9.0/10(133)

View on Booking.com

Kamenoi Hotel Ako

Ryokan · 1.4km

8.5/10(343)

View on Booking.com

Ako Onsen Shiosaikirara Shokichi

Accommodation · 983m

8.2/10(7)

View on Booking.com

Swipe sideways to see more hotels.

View on map →

Time for you, before and after the finish

55 experiences

Rest a little, wander a little.
Pick what suits you and whoever you're with.

RECOVERY & SPA6SIT-DOWN TOURS7CARB LOADING7LOCAL TRANSIT7FAMILY PASS7TRAIL & OUTDOOR7CITY TOURS7EASY WALKING7

Kobe Minotani Green Sports Hotel Ginga Onsen Experience

₩9,540

35th Ako Gishi Marathon

About 35th Ako Gishi Marathon — what makes it special

A day you'll remember,long past the finish line.

The road to your own record

When the city cheers

The trip that follows the run