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PACERTRIP CITY EDITIONJP / RACE GUIDE

Otawara Marathon 2026 (36th Otawara Marathon)

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

Ōtawara-shi
JP

KimonBerlin · CC BY-SA 2.0FukuroWaraw · CC BY-SA 4.0

Race date in 40 days: Nov 23, 2026 Mon
City · Distance: Ōtawara-shi · 42.195km · 10km
Entry fee: 【42.195km】10,000円Varies by event and entry period
Status: ClosedSat, June 6, 2026 ~ Mon, August 17, 2026See how to enter ↗

Official website ↗

Instagram

D-day as of Oct 14, 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 race with a 4-hour time limit.

It draws runners chasing personal records, and it's run on the principle of letting participants focus purely on running.

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

葱坊主Ran in 2025 · Finish time 02:57:06

“My result was 2:57:06, 53 seconds faster than my time in January this year — my second-best time ever.”

The runner clocked 2:57:06 in the full marathon in 2025. They held a sub-2:50 pace through around 30K, but both legs cramped in the back half and they struggled badly on the climbs. Even so, they fought to the finish with encouragement from volunteers and by finding their rhythm again.

Quoted from the original · translated

Original quote

結果は2:57:06と今年1月の勝田全国マラソンの記録2:57:59を53秒短縮したセカンドPB更新に成功！

Read the original on アラフォーランナー葱坊主のランニング日記

吉野（走れ嵐山）Ran in 2024 · Finish time 03:27:58

“My time was 3 hours 27 minutes 58 seconds (net time: 3 hours 27 minutes 53 seconds).”

The runner took part in a race with a 4-hour cut-off for the first time and finished in 3 hours 27 minutes 58 seconds. The first half was downhill with a tailwind, but after 25 km, the climbs and headwind were so difficult that their legs nearly stopped. Despite severe pain, the runner kept running to the finish and finished within the time limit.

Quoted from the original · translated

Original quote

タイム：3時間27分58秒（ネットタイム3時間27分53秒）

Read the original on 走れ嵐山！山とマラソン日記

MランナーRan in 2024

“Otawara isn't a race with that kind of course or weather.”

A runner posted a race report after finishing full marathon. They recalled that strong winds off Nasu and climbs after 25K were a defining feature, and that using too much energy early made the second half difficult. They also wrote about trying special drinks and gels at the aid stations.

Quoted from the original · translated

Original quote

大田原はそういうコース（と天気）ではない。

Read the original on Mランナーのブログ

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.

大田原マラソン大会【公式PV】

大田原マラソン　OHTAWARA MARATHON

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 Sat, June 6, 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 42.195km

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

Runners start · local timeFrom 10:00

Time limit4 hours

4 hours, cut-off point available

Event	Start	Time limit
Marathon42.195km	10:00	4h
10K10km	10:40	1h

[42.195km] 10,000 yen (3,000 yen for high school students) [10km] 5,500 yen (3,000 yen for high school students)

START · FINISH

DI STADIUM

Mihara Park Athletics Stadium

Start · Google Maps

Cutoff
Full marathon cut-off point 15.6km 11:30 · 20.1km 11:55 · 26.3km 12:29 · 35.7km 1:22pm · 40.5km 1:50pm, 10k058km

Runners start · local time — (42.195km) / 10:40(10km)

The events are the full marathon and 10km.

The start is at DI STADIUM (美原公園陸上競技場) at 10:00 AM local time.

The finish time limit is 4 hours, with cut-off point.

Field size: [42.195km] 3,000 runners (including 200 furusato nozei hometown-tax donor slots), [10km] 1,000 runners
Organizer: Otawara City
Typical race-season temperature: around 6°C (43°F): Long sleeves + a throwaway layer for the start

Participant benefits

Finisher medal

Event T-shirt

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

The athlete bibs (bib) are mailed in advance, so you must bring them on race day.
See the participant information on the official website for details.

Stations & transport near the venue

Getting to the startNishi-Nasuno Station (西那須野駅, JR Tohoku Main Line) or Nasushiobara Station…
Getting to the finishSame venue (DI Stadium · Mihara Park)

Source · checked Aug 22, 2026

More details

Getting to the start

Nishi-Nasuno Station (西那須野駅, JR Tohoku Main Line) or Nasushiobara Station (那須塩原駅, JR Tohoku Main Line/Shinkansen)

Venue is DI Stadium (Mihara Park Athletics Stadium) in Ohtawara City. Free organizer shuttle buses run from both stations to the venue on race morning (approx.

7:00-9:00 AM outbound). City confirmed as Ohtawara-shi, Tochigi.

Nasushiobara Station is a Tohoku Shinkansen stop, making this reasonably accessible via bullet train from Tokyo.

Map

Getting to the finish

Same venue (DI Stadium / Mihara Park)

Return shuttle buses run from the venue back to both stations approx. 12:00-15:00 PM.

Map

Start shuttle

Free organizer shuttle buses connect both Nishi-Nasuno and Nasushiobara (Shinkansen-served) stations to the venue, round trip.

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 full marathon capacity is 3,000 participants, and general registration opens at 8:00 PM on Saturday, June 6, 2026.

Inquiries about the race can be directed to the organizing office (phone 0287-22-8017).

Times are local to Ōtawara-shi. 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.

Minpaku 123 - Vacation STAY 15837

Accommodation · 4.0km

9.9/10(32)

View on Booking.com

Tokyo Dry Head Spa Specialist King's Nap Kitasenju West Exit Branch

₩69,785

Otawara Marathon 2026 (36th Otawara Marathon)

About Otawara Marathon 2026 (36th Otawara 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