Ballot closed for the 2027 race
As read 10 October 2026.
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Entry details on the organiser’s site →
The organiser, a third party. We take no entries and have no part in the race.
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Kumamoto Castle Marathon
At a glance
- Race day
- The 2027 race
- Start
- 09:009:00 AM
- Distance
- 42.2 km26.2 mi
- Marathon · Kids' race
- Entry
- Ballot closed
- JP¥13,750. JP¥20,000 from abroad, for the 2027 race
- Time limit
- 7 hours
The course
The marathon finishes on Ninomaru Square (二の丸広場), inside the grounds of Kumamoto Castle, a nationally designated special historic site.
- The finish is inside the castle groundsYou finish on Ninomaru Square, inside the castle's historic grounds.
- Seven hours from the gun, with gates on the courseSeven hours from the gun; slow runners can be stopped at the gates.
Course notes 2 short reads on the course
Whole courseFinishThe finish is inside the castle groundsYou finish on Ninomaru Square, inside the castle's historic grounds.
The organiser’s course page says the marathon and the fun run both finish on Ninomaru Square inside the castle’s special historic site. The castle was built from 1607 around Chausuyama and was damaged badly in the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake. The organiser notes that the restoration of the whole main keep is complete, and that the refreshed exhibition and the view from the top floor have been open since 26 April 2021.
Sourced
Whole courseConditionsSeven hours from the gun, with gates on the courseSeven hours from the gun; slow runners can be stopped at the gates.
The 2027 race starts at 09:00 on Sunday 21 February and goes ahead in the rain (雨天決行). The organiser counts the seven-hour limit from the starting gun, not from crossing the line, and says the marathon has gate-closing times on the course. Anyone who falls far behind, or who holds up the reopening of the roads, can also be stopped by the organiser. The entry conditions ask for a finish inside 6 hours 40 minutes.
Sourced
Race weekend
Bib pickup at 花畑広場 (Hanabatake Square, in the Kumamoto city centre)Friday 19 February Bib pickup
-
12:0012:00 PM–20:008:00 PM
Bib collection, day one 花畑広場 (Hanabatake Square, in the Kumamoto city centre). Collect your own bib: the organiser uses face recognition to check identity and does not allow anyone to collect for you.
Saturday 20 February Last bib day
-
10:0010:00 AM–20:008:00 PM
Bib collection, day two 花畑広場 (Hanabatake Square, in the Kumamoto city centre). There is no collection on race day itself, and none outside these two windows.
Bib in hand?A number belt holds it without pins through your race top. Clip it on tonight.
Number belt on AmazonAmazon partner link
Sunday 21 February Race day
-
09:009:00 AM
Marathon start The race goes ahead in the rain (雨天決行). -
Time not published
Overall time limit Seven hours, counted from the starting gun. The organiser also closes gates on the course and may stop a runner who is far behind. 7:00 limit: 9:57/km for 42.195 km7:00 limit: 16:01/mi for 26.2 mi -
Time not published
Marathon finish 二の丸広場 (Ninomaru Square, inside the Kumamoto Castle grounds). The finish is inside the castle's special historic site, as the organiser's course page states.
Times as published by the organiser, in Kumamoto Prefecture time, checked . Confirm on their site before you travel.
The forecast for Sunday
Race morning, on the record
Add to calendar .ics file, times in Kumamoto Prefecture time
Entry
Race fuel
Energy gel
5 gels for Kumamoto Prefecture, plus 1 spare
Finish
One every 40 minutes, by the clock:
Under about 75 minutes most runners need no gel: water at the aid stations does it.
- km 7mile 4.4
- km 14.1mile 8.7
- km 21.1mile 13.1
- km 28.1mile 17.5
- km 35.2mile 21.8
For your long training runs:
Our pick: SiS BETA Fuel gel, box of 6, strawberry and lime. 40 g of carbohydrate a gel, about twice a usual gel, from two kinds of sugar your body takes up side by side. Enough for race day and two test long runs.
Easy to forget on race morning: pack them with your bib the night before.
Get it on Amazon
We earn a small fee if you buy through these links. The price is the same.
In Canada the button opens GU Energy Gel, Salted Caramel, 24-pack, the best seller there.
Outside the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the UK and Ireland, Spain and Portugal, Italy, the rest of the EU and Canada the button opens GU Energy Gel, Chocolate Outrage, 24-pack on Amazon.com, the best seller there.
Anti-chafe
Compeed anti-blister stick, 8 ml
An invisible layer before the start keeps seams, straps and shoes from rubbing skin raw.
Put it on before you leave for the start: heels and toes, inner thighs, under a bra or heart-rate strap.
Try it on a long run first, like everything you use on race day.
Get it on Amazon
We earn a small fee if you buy through these links. The price is the same.
Number belt
Compressport Race Belt
Holds your bib without safety pins through your top, with loops for up to 8 gels.
Clip the bib on the night before, so it goes on with your shorts in the morning.
Keep the number on the front, where officials and photographers can see it.
Get it on Amazon
We earn a small fee if you buy through these links. The price is the same.
Electrolytes
SiS Hydro electrolyte tablets, tube of 20
One tablet in a bottle puts back some of the salt you sweat out.
One tablet in 500 ml of water in the hour before the start.
Only if you have used them in training: nothing new on race day.
Get it on Amazon
We earn a small fee if you buy through these links. The price is the same.
Blister plasters
Compeed blister plasters, medium, 6
One in a pocket cushions a blister if one starts.
Put it on clean, dry skin and leave it until it comes off by itself.
Give a couple to whoever comes to cheer, so they are there at the km you need them.
Get it on Amazon
We earn a small fee if you buy through these links. The price is the same.
Questions about the Kumamoto Castle Marathon
- When is the Kumamoto Castle Marathon 2027?
- Sunday 21 February 2027. The start is at 09:00.
- How do I enter the Kumamoto Castle Marathon?
- The 2027 ballot has closed. It opened on 28 July 2026 and closed on 24 September. Entry fee: JP¥13,750 (JP¥20,000 from abroad, for the 2027 race). Entry details on the organiser’s site
- What is the time limit at the Kumamoto Castle Marathon?
- Runners have 7 hours to finish.
- Where does the Kumamoto Castle Marathon finish?
- Finish: 二の丸広場 (Ninomaru Square, inside the Kumamoto Castle grounds).
Keep exploring
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