2027 Beppu-Oita Marathon

2027 Beppu-Oita Marathon Countdown

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Race Information

Race2027 Beppu-Oita Marathon
CityOita
Date2027-02-07 at 12:05
Field Size~4,000 runners
TimezoneAsia/Tokyo
Official SiteKyushu Athletics Association / Mainichi Newspapers
Fee trend 2023 ¥15,0002024 ¥15,0002025 ¥15,0002026 ¥15,0002027 ¥18,000(4-yr +20.0%)· above industry avg (+7.7% vs +4.9%/yr)

Race Day Weather

Average Temperature7.4°C / 45°F
Humidity75%
Wind19.3 km/h
Rain Chance31%
Typical ConditionsCold, dry early-February afternoon on the Kyushu coast, typically 6-10C with bright sun and a brisk sea breeze off Beppu Bay.

What to Prepare: Race the traditional midday start in light layers you can shed; arm sleeves and gloves handle the cold air while the sun and the coastal wind on the turnaround section warm the back half.

Based on historical averages for race week. Use our Weather Score Calculator and What to Wear Guide for personalized advice.

Wind Impact on Race Day

Wind at 19.3 km/h can affect your marathon pace by 5-15 seconds per kilometer. Headwinds slow you down exponentially — a 20 km/h wind costs more than twice a 10 km/h wind.

Calculate your wind-adjusted pace →

Race-Week Climate

Based on 20 years of race-week weather (2005-2024), MERRA-2 reanalysis

Cooler Typical Warmer
Temperature 3.9°C 7.1°C 11.8°C
Dew point -1.1°C 2.5°C 9.1°C
Wet-day chance: 31% Runnability: 72/100

Data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis), NASA Langley Research Center

Course Profile

Course TypeOut-and-back
Elevation Gain30m
TerrainRoad
ProfileFast and flat
Boston QualifierYes — Check your BQ time

Course Analysis

The 3:30 Time Limit That Does Not Exist

On August 3, 2026 the organiser set the 75th Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon for Sunday, February 7, 2027. Betsudai is a World Athletics Elite Label race on a JAAF-certified course, and nobody simply signs up: every entrant holds a sub-3:30 marathon.

Which is where the internet gets it wrong. Runner blogs and search engines' generated answers state that Betsudai has a 3-hour-30-minute limit. The organiser publishes no overall finishing limit. The 3:30 is the entry standard, and the organiser's own results refute it: at the 74th, 142 runners (119 men, 23 women) finished at or after 3:30:00, the slowest man in 3:38:05, the slowest woman in 3:38:37. What ends your day is a seven-gate system whose last gate, 40km at 3:20, is why the field's tail lands near 3:37-3:38. Check where you stand with the race time predictor.

North to Kamegawa, Where 20km Is the Start Line

The gun goes at Takasakiyama and Umitamago on the southwest shore of Beppu Bay, and the first half runs north on Route 10, the Betsudai Kokudo, to the first turnaround at Kamegawa fishing port. Halfway falls at Tanoura Beach. The 20km marker is the start line itself, so you return to where you began with 22km still to run. The course is flat and at sea level; it is commonly noted that the bay wind, not the gradient, keeps times honest.

The squeeze arrives just after 10km, not at it. The opening gate is the softest of the seven: 52 minutes to 10km, or 5:12/km. Then it bites. 15km at 1:16 and 20km at 1:40 are two 5km blocks of 24 minutes, or 4:48/km, the tightest 10km of the race. Treat the opening as a warm-up and you cannot repay it. Turn the seven closing times into a split sheet with the splits calculator.

Locked to 5:00/km, and the Vehicle That Disqualifies You

Past the start line the course turns southeast through Nishi-Oita and Oita station, to the second turnaround at Misa — Betsudai has two turnarounds, not one. The arithmetic then settles: 25km at 2:05, 30km at 2:30, 35km at 2:55 and 40km at 3:20 are four straight 25-minute blocks, exactly 5:00/km. Easier than the 4:48/km squeeze behind you, but it never relents.

Gates are absolute because the roads reopen behind them: once one closes you move onto the pavement and board the bus. Clearing a gate is not enough either: the organiser states that if a toilet stop drops you behind the moving 終了通告車, the race-end vehicle, you are disqualified anyway. The finish: into Oita City Athletic Stadium (ジェイリーススタジアム since April 2022) through Gate 1, then one lap of the track. Pin 5:00/km to your wrist with the pace band generator.

Qualify First, Then Race the Gates

For the 75th the standard is a sub-3:30:00 marathon on a JAAF- or AIMS-certified course run on or after January 1, 2025, net times accepted, and Categories 1 to 3 are limited to 2026 JAAF-registered athletes. Entry opens late August to early September 2026 for Categories 2, 3 and 4, Category 1 until early December, with a first-come second round for runners who qualify between late August and early November. Still chasing the standard? Build the block with the training pace calculator.

Then plan around the aid you may actually use. At the 74th, water tables sat at 9, 13.5, 18.5, 23.5, 28.5, 33.5 and 38.5km, sports drink at 6, 11.1, 16.1, 21.4, 26.1, 31, 36 and 41km, and toilets at every table except 13.5km and 26km — the special tables are reserved for invited athletes and Category 1 (sub-2:30). For scale: 3,505 men and 254 women finished the 74th.

Prepare for 2027 Beppu-Oita Marathon

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I qualify to enter the Beppu-Oita Marathon?

You must already hold a qualifying time. Entry is by performance standard, not open registration: Category 1 needs a sub-2:30 marathon, Category 2 sub-2:55, Category 3 sub-2:59:59, and Category 4 the famous sub-3:30 amateur standard. Categories 1-3 (registered athletes) apply on the time alone, though the organiser warns that Categories 2 and 3 can also go to a ballot if applications run higher than expected; Category 4 goes to a lottery if it oversubscribes. Use our race time predictor to see whether your current fitness lines up with the bracket you need.

What is the time limit for the Beppu-Oita Marathon?

The organiser publishes no overall finishing limit. What ends your day is a chain of seven gates, the last at 40km closing at 3 hours 20 minutes — clear it and only 2.195km remain, which is why the tail of the field comes home after 3:30. At the 74th edition 142 runners (119 men, 23 women) finished at or after 3:30:00, the slowest in 3:38:05 (men) and 3:38:37 (women). The 3:30 everyone repeats is the entry standard, not a cutoff. Plan against the gates with our pace calculator.

What is the Beppu-Oita Marathon course like?

It is a fast, flat, JAAF-certified out-and-back road course that runs along the shore of Beppu Bay between Oita and Beppu, with Mt Tsurumi rising behind the coastal cities. The lack of climbs and the closed coastal highway make it one of Japan's premier courses for chasing a personal best or a Boston-qualifying time, though the open seafront can bring a stiff headwind on one leg.

Is a Beppu-Oita Marathon time valid for Boston qualifying?

Yes. It is run on a JAAF and World Athletics certified course, so a finish is eligible for Boston qualifying. Given the strict entry standards, most finishers already run near or under their Boston time. Check your target with our Boston qualifying calculator.

When is the 2027 Beppu-Oita Marathon and what time does it start?

The 75th edition is confirmed for Sunday, February 7, 2027 — the organisers announced the date on August 3, 2026. The gun time is 12:05 JST, set out in the 75th edition race outline (要項) published in August 2026 — five minutes past the traditional noon start the 74th used.

Do international runners need a visa to run Beppu-Oita?

Many nationalities (US, UK, EU, Australia) can enter Japan visa-free for short tourist stays; confirm your own nationality's requirement before booking. Japan does NOT currently require an ESTA or eTA. Note that this is an elite-standard race, so an overseas runner must still meet the qualifying time for their category to be accepted.

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