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PACERTRIP CITY EDITIONJP / RACE GUIDE

National Treasure Matsue Castle Marathon 2026

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

Matsue
JP

Firas Kraïem, CC BY 3.0Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0

Race date in 51 days: Dec 6, 2026 Sun
City · Distance: Matsue · 4.4km
Entry fee: マラソン13,500円Varies by event and entry period
Status: ClosedMon, June 1, 2026 ~ Wed, August 26, 2026See how to enter ↗

Official website ↗

Instagram

D-day as of Oct 16, 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.

After the start, National Treasure Matsue Castle comes into view ahead on the right, and after 2km,

runners cross the Shinjiko Ohashi Bridge with views of Lake Shinji and Yomega Island on the right.

The course is flat up to the 9km mark, followed by about 5km of rolling terrain,

and after the second tunnel, Lake Nakaumi and the distant Daisen mountain range in Tottori come into view.

After crossing the Omisaki Bridge, the roughly 10km stretch running along the left edge of Eshima Island offers a pleasant run with scenic views.

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 runners who've been there.

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

Race reports: 3

たつみ所長Ran in 2025 · Finish time 5:47:59

“There were surprisingly few spectators cheering, even through the city sections.”

The runner started the Matsue full marathon from the back and ran while taking in the lake and island scenery. The runner faced strong winds and food running out at several aid stations, and finished in 5 hours 47 minutes 59 seconds while checking the cutoff time.

Quoted from the original · translated

Original quote

市街地なのですが、応援の人が少ないです。

Read the original on たつみマラソン研究所

トモゾーRan in 2025 · Finish time 2:47:21

“It was 2 hours 47 minutes 21 seconds!!”

Although the runner had knee pain 10 days before the race, they recorded 2 hours 47 minutes 21 seconds at the National Treasure Matsue Castle Marathon. The runner wrote that this was their 38th finish among the 47 prefectures and also shared news of their teammates' finishes.

Quoted from the original · translated

Original quote

２時間４７分２１秒でした！！

Read the original on フルマラソンサブ3 47都道府県制覇の旅路

鈍足メタボランナーRan in 2025

“It takes me about 2 minutes to cross the start line.”

The runner arrived at the venue on a rainy race day, with the site crowded because of gymnasium construction. The runner started in Block C, and it took about 2 minutes to pass the starting line. Passing around Matsue Castle and over the bridge across Lake Shinji, the runner recorded the pace for each section and the heavy legs experienced while running.

Quoted from the original · translated

Original quote

だいたい２分のロスでスタートを通過する。

Read the original on 鈍足メタボランナーの日記

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.

今年自己ベスト更新なるか⁉️有名インフルエンサーも❗️国宝松江城マラソン【出雲市糖尿病・骨粗鬆症・甲状腺・内科クリニック】

かなざわ内科の院長室:メディカルYouTube

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.

Registration history

The 2026 race opened entry on Mon, June 1, 2026

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

Your 4.4km

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

Runners start · local timeFrom 08:30

Time limit6 hours

6 hours, cut-off point available / 50 minutes

Marathon¥13,500 (including marathon insurance) Fun Run¥4,000 (including marathon insurance)

START

In front of Matsue City General Gymnasium

1-21-1 Gakuen Minami, Matsue City

Start · Google Maps

FINISH

Matsue City General Gymnasium, Matsue

Finish · Google Maps

Runners start · local time — (full marathon) / 08:40 (Fun Run)

There is one event: full marathon.

Start line is located in front of Matsue City General Gymnasium (1-21-1 Gakuenminami, Matsue), with the start at 8:30 a.m. local time.

Course is a loop course that returns to the starting point.

The finish is at the same location.

Field size: 4,900 general entries + 100 furusato nozei (hometown tax donation) entries
Typical race-season temperature: around 8°C (46°F): Long sleeves + a throwaway layer for the start

Participant benefits

Finisher medal

Event T-shirt

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

12/5 (Sat) 09:00-19:00, 12/6 (Sun) 06:00-07:30, Matsue City General Gymnasium

Stations & transport near the venue

Getting to the startJR Matsue Station (松江駅)

Source · checked Aug 22, 2026

More details

Getting to the start

JR Matsue Station (松江駅)

From JR Matsue Station, take the North Loop Line bus toward Kunibiki Messe, get off at Kita-koen, then walk about 3 minutes to the venue. Alternatively, Ichibata Dentetsu's Matsue Shinjiko Onsen Station is about a 7-minute (500m) walk from JR Matsue Station.

Official site confirms Dec 6, 2026. Note: the general sports ground's 1st/2nd parking lots are unavailable on race day due to another event there.

Map

Getting to the finish

Same as start (venue area).

Same as start.

Map

Start shuttle

Free shuttle buses run from designated parking lots to the venue, departing around 9:40, 10:30, 12:00, and 12:40, with the last return trip around 16:00.

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.

Registration is online only through RUNNET and closes when capacity is reached.

The entry limit for full marathon is 5,000 in total: 4,900 general entries plus 100 special hometown-tax entries.

Fun Run is limited to 300 participants.

For Entry fee, full marathon costs ¥13,500 including insurance, while Fun Run costs ¥4,000.

On race day, December 6, full marathon starts at 8:30 a.m. and Fun Run at 8:40 a.m. in front of Matsue City General Gymnasium.

Time limit has a time limit of 6 hours for full marathon and 50 minutes for Fun Run.

Bib and race materials will be distributed at the same gymnasium from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Saturday,

December 5, and from 6:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, December 6.

Matsue’s normal December climate is chilly but not severely cold, with an average temperature of 7.0°C (high 10.9°C, low 3.6°C;

1991–2020 normals) and 154.5mm of precipitation.

However, the somewhat strong wind from the left in the previously mentioned Nakaumi and Eshima sections can be a factor, so prepare suitable wind protection.

Times are local to Matsue. 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.

Onyado Nono Matsue Natural Hot Spring

Hotel · 1.1km

8.8/10(1845)

View on Booking.com

Shimane Bar Hopping Tour in Matsue

₩174,244

View on GetYourGuide

Wagashi-making Experience with an Experienced Confectioner in Matsue

₩84,280

National Treasure Matsue Castle Marathon 2026

About National Treasure Matsue Castle Marathon 2026 — 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