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Iwaki Sunshine Marathon race photo

Iwaki Sunshine Marathon

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

Iwaki Sunshine Marathon race photo
Iwaki Sunshine Marathon race photo
Iwaki Sunshine Marathon race photo
Iwaki Sunshine Marathon race photo
Iwaki
JP
DAJF · CC BY-SA 3.0Happy Come · CC BY 2.0ブルーノ・プラス · CC BY-SA 4.0Mizushimasea · CC BY-SA 4.0Altomarina · CC BY-SA 3.0
Race date in 106 days
Feb 28, 2027 Sun
City · Distance
Iwaki · 42.195km · 10km · 5km +1 more events
Entry fee
¥9,000Varies by event and entry period
Status
ClosedSee how to enter ↗
2027Date Feb 28, 2027 · Entry Sep 11, 2026 ~ Oct 15, 2026
2026
2026Date Feb 22, 2026
Official website ↗D-day as of Nov 14, 2026
Iwaki Sunshine Marathon race photo
DAJF · CC BY-SA 3.0
Iwaki Sunshine Marathon race photo
Happy Come · CC BY 2.0
Iwaki Sunshine Marathon race photo
ブルーノ・プラス · CC BY-SA 4.0
Iwaki Sunshine Marathon race photo
Mizushimasea · CC BY-SA 4.0
Iwaki Sunshine Marathon race photo
Altomarina · CC BY-SA 3.0
About the raceRunner storiesHow to enterCourseRace PrepTravel
Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

About Iwaki Sunshine Marathon — what makes it special

ABOUT THE RACE

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

This is a JAAF-certified full marathon along the seaside of Iwaki in Fukushima Prefecture.

It starts at Iwaki Athletics Stadium and finishes at Aquamarine Park in Onahama Port.

Runner reports rate it highly for the warm support through the fishing-village stretch and its manageable size.

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.

Iwaki Sunshine Marathon runner reviews and race reports

Stories from runners who've been there.

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

Race reports: 4
もーかーRan in 2026 · Finish time 5:36:57
“The support from the fishing fleet at Ena Port, with their big catch flags flying, is especially moving!!”

The field was a manageable size, so there was little stress from start-line delays. The report notes one drawback: the water ran out at around 9 km.

Quoted from the original · translated

Original quote

特に江名港の大漁旗の応援は感動する！！

Read the original on note
グランドスラマーシーRan in 2026 · Finish time 3:19:49
“The starting gun went off in warmth that didn't feel like Iwaki in February — it was more like heat.”

In warm weather with a high of 16°C, the runner held a nearly even pace from 10 km to 40 km. The report thanks the sea breeze and the roadside support.

Quoted from the original · translated

Original quote

2月のいわきとは思えない暖かさ（というより暑さ）の中での号砲。

Read the original on note
ズボランナーもぐRan in 2025
“I was so moved that I cried.”

The high-fives from the guest runners and the cheering with Enaha's tairyō-ki fishing flags left a deep impression. The runner recommends giving this race a try at least once.

Quoted from the original · translated

Original quote

感動して、涙が出ました。

Read the original on note
まっすぐRan in 2025 · Finish time 4:50:00
“It's race morning. It's -4°C.”

Starting at the very back in -4°C cold, the runner finished in 4 hours 50 minutes. Despite a health condition, the goal was to finish without falling.

Quoted from the original · translated

Original quote

大会の朝です。マイナス4度です。

Read the original on YAMAP

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.

第17回大会公式PV　いわきサンシャインマラソン2026

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 enter Iwaki Sunshine Marathon — registration routes

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.

First come, first served entry has closed

It ran Sep 11, 2026–Oct 15, 2026.
Check separately whether other entry routes are open and spots remain.

Registration history · The 2027 race opened entry on Fri, September 11, 2026

First come, first served

Entry cost TBD

Sign up for a free RUNNET membership, then enter first come, first served.

Entries close immediately once the cap is reached.

No cancellation or changes for personal reasons;

wheelchair participation is not allowed

Organizer's page

Charity

Entry cost TBD

Entries to the full marathon and 10 km are offered as hometown-tax return gifts from Iwaki city.

Apply through the city's hometown-tax page.

Organizer's page
Official race websiteEntry options
From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

Iwaki Sunshine Marathon course map and elevation

Your 42.195km

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

Runners start · local timeFrom 9:00
Time limit6 hours
Show more

Full marathon 6 hours (from the gun), 10 km 1 hour 30 minutes

EventStartTime limitEntry feeField size
フルマラソン42.195km09:006時間（号砲基準）¥9,0005,000
10km08:301時間30分（号砲基準）¥4,5001,100
5km08:30制限時間なし¥4,500500
2km08:30制限時間なし¥1,500400
START

Iwaki Athletics Stadium (full marathon) / Onahama Port Aquamarine Park

10 km and under

Start · Google Maps
FINISH

Onahama Port Aquamarine Park

Finish · Google Maps
Show more

Runners start · local time — The full marathon starts at 9:00 am; the 10 km, 5 km, and 2 km start in turn from 8:30 am.

The Iwaki Sunshine Marathon is the main city marathon of Iwaki, held every year in late February.

The full marathon starts at Iwaki Athletics Stadium and finishes at Aquamarine Park in Onahama Port, on a JAAF-certified course.

Events of 10 km and under start at Aquamarine Park and return to the same place.

It has run through the 17th edition in February 2026, and the 18th edition takes place on 28 February 2027.

The cap is 8,000 runners in total, including 5,000 in the full marathon, and runners report few start delays and little congestion stress.

Partway through, the course passes the fishing village of Ena, where fishing boats fly big-catch flags to cheer runners on;

one runner said it brought tears.

In the stretches where the seawall blocks the view of the sea, runners say you can feel the city's daily life since the earthquake.

There is an uphill toward Marine Tower near the end, so save some strength for the finish.

Fitting for a city known for hula, which is even part of the event's name, the atmosphere is bright, and guest runners are invited.

Entries are taken first-come, first-served on RUNNET every autumn and tend to close early;

the 2027 race is already full.

You can get there from Tokyo by limited express train, so a day trip is possible. (Described as of the 2026 edition.)

Field size
8,000 people (full marathon 5,000 people)
Typical race-season temperature: around 6°C (43°F)
Long sleeves + a throwaway layer for the start

Participant benefits

Timing chip

Medical support

Water stations

Aid stations

Bag drop

Start shuttle

Changing rooms

Where and when to collect your Iwaki Sunshine Marathon race bib

To the start line,
step by step.

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

From the 2026 edition

Bib pickup

The official site gives no information about an expo.

Stations & transport near the venue

  • Getting to the startFull marathon starts at Iwaki Athletics Stadium; shuttle buses run from stations and parking lots.

Source · checked Nov 8, 2026

More details

Getting to the start

Full marathon starts at Iwaki Athletics Stadium; shuttle buses run from stations and parking lots. Station names are on the official shuttle timetable PDF.

About 2 hours from Tokyo on the Joban Line limited express Hitachi. Cars cannot enter the venues on race day; pre-registered parking (500 yen for full marathon) plus shuttle buses.

Getting to the finish

Finish at Onahama Port Aquamarine Park. Shuttle buses connect stations, parking lots, the stadium and the park.

Source · checked Nov 8, 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 full marathon starts at 9:00 am, and the events of 10 km and under go off in turn from 8:30 am.

The full marathon time limit is 6 hours from the gun, so be sure to check the intermediate cut-off point information once it is published.

Your bib card and timing chip arrive by mail about 3 weeks before the race, and there is no race-day registration.

If they have not arrived 2 weeks before, contact the race office (0246-22-7607);

if you lose them, you can get a replacement on site for 1,500 yen.

The organizers transport baggage from the start to the finish, but they are not responsible for loss or damage, so do not leave valuables.

There are changing areas at both the start and the finish.

Water is planned at 13 locations on the course (including the start and finish) and food at 9;

a 2026 report says water ran out around 9 km for runners at the back.

Carrying a little of your own fuel gives peace of mind.

Morning temperature was -4°C in the 2025 edition and rose to 16°C by midday in 2026.

Before the start, use throwaway clothes or a rain poncho against the cold, and plan your outfit for a daytime that may turn warm.

Cars cannot enter the venue on race day;

parking is by advance application, first come, first served, at 500 yen for the full marathon.

Shuttle buses run between the parking lots, the stations, Aquamarine Park, and the athletics stadium, and using them is the easiest option.

It takes about 2 hours from Tokyo by limited express train, so staying in Iwaki city the night before is the safe choice.

After the finish, you can also rest around Aquamarine Park until the shuttle bus queues thin out. (Information as of the 2026 edition.)

Times are local to Iwaki. 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.

Ibaraki | 2 Days 1 Night Rooftop Terrace KanKan Seafood BBQ Experience

¥7,367

View on Klook

Hotels near the Iwaki Sunshine Marathon start line in Iwaki

Hotels that make race morning easyHotels to rest in right after the finish

View all →

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

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

The start and finish are 10.0km apart.

Marin Base ONAHAMA-小名浜港3分の海辺リゾート貸切ヴィラ-プロジェクター付き8名ステイ

Accommodation · 876m · 13-minute walk

8.8/10(14)
View on Booking.com

iwaki souha no yado -蒼波の宿- 海徒歩3分のオーシャンビュー

Accommodation · 2.7km

8.8/10(11)
View on Booking.com

Swipe sideways to see more hotels.

Trip.comClosest to the start lineView on Trip.com

Tours and activities around the Iwaki Sunshine Marathon in Iwaki

Time for you, before and after the finish

View all →

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

Ibaraki | 2 Days 1 Night Rooftop Terrace KanKan Seafood BBQ Experience

¥7,367

View on Klook

Hitachi Seaside Park Mentai Park Full-Day Experience

¥8,059

View on Klook

What to see in Iwaki after the race

Seeing Iwaki with the medal on

View all →

The city you ran — this time, a little slower.

Eating well is part of the tripA meal before the race, a dinner to celebrate the finish.View on map

Hotel distances are straight-line from the start. Experiences, food and sights are travel products in Iwaki.

Flights, hotels, airport transfers and budget for Iwaki Sunshine Marathon

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

ChecklistLocal eSIM · Trip.comFlight delay or cancellation compensation · AirHelpPace calculator

Once saved, you can open this page without an internet connection

Runner stories and questions about Iwaki Sunshine Marathon

RUN TOGETHER

With runners who dream of
the same start line.

Be the first runner
Leave this room's first post

Ask the runners preparing for this raceWrite a post
CourseBib & expoGetting aroundStay
Iwaki runners' room
MORE RACES.

Frequently asked questions about Iwaki Sunshine Marathon

FAQ
When does Iwaki Sunshine Marathon 2027 take place?

It takes place on Sun, February 28, 2027 in Iwaki, Japan.

How do I register for Iwaki Sunshine Marathon 2027?

Entry routes: First come, first served · Charity.

Registration is handled on the official website.

How much is the Iwaki Sunshine Marathon 2027 entry fee?

The main event costs ¥9,000.

What is the time limit for Iwaki Sunshine Marathon 2027?

Full marathon 6 hours (from the gun), 10 km 1 hour 30 minutes.

What distances does Iwaki Sunshine Marathon 2027 offer?

10K · 2k · 5K · Marathon.

Where does Iwaki Sunshine Marathon 2027 start?

Iwaki Athletics Stadium (full marathon) / Onahama Port Aquamarine Park.

What is the Iwaki Sunshine Marathon 2027 course like?

The Iwaki Sunshine Marathon is the main city marathon of Iwaki, held every year in late February.

The full marathon starts at Iwaki Athletics Stadium and finishes at Aquamarine Park in Onahama Port, on a JAAF-certified course.

Events of 10 km and under start at Aquamarine Park and return to the same place.

Where does Iwaki Sunshine Marathon 2027 finish?

Onahama Port Aquamarine Park.

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