2027 Ishigaki Island Marathon

2027 Ishigaki Island Marathon Countdown

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Race date not yet officially announced — projected from previous editions. Confirm on the official site before planning.

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Race Information

Race2027 Ishigaki Island Marathon
CityIshigaki
Date2027-01-17 at 08:00 (projected)
Time Limit7 hours
Cutoff pace9:57/km
TimezoneAsia/Tokyo
Official SiteIshigaki Island Marathon Organizing Committee (石垣島マラソン実行委員会)
RegistrationRegister · 8000 JPY

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Race Day Weather

Average Temperature20.1°C / 68°F
Humidity78%
Wind35.6 km/h
Rain Chance48%
Typical ConditionsSubtropical mid-January warmth on Ishigaki Island, often around 18C at the 8:00 AM start, humid with a steady sea breeze and a small chance of passing showers.

What to Prepare: This is mid-winter running you can do in shorts and a singlet. Dress for warmth and humidity, not cold, start hydration early, and use sunscreen plus a cap against the subtropical sun even in January.

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 35.6 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 17.2°C 20.2°C 22.8°C
Dew point 12.4°C 15.8°C 19.6°C
Wet-day chance: 48% Runnability: 59/100

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

Course Profile

Course TypeOne-way point-to-point road marathon
Elevation Gain78m
TerrainRoad
ProfileA one-way coastal course starting and finishing at Ishigaki City Central Athletic Park, hugging the sea for long stretches with views of coral-reef water and Mt. Omoto. The first 15 km are gentle, then rolling hills appear, with the toughest undulations past 25 km building to roughly 78 m of climbing.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Ishigaki Island Marathon 2027 and has the date been confirmed?

The next edition is expected in mid-January 2027. The official 2027 date had not yet been published at the time of writing; the organizer typically announces it after the previous edition wraps. Recent editions have fallen on the third Sunday of January (the prior edition was held in mid-January with an 8:00 AM start), so plan around that window and confirm on the official site before booking flights to this remote island.

How do I enter, and is there a lottery?

There is no lottery. Entry for the full marathon is first-come, first-served (先着順) with no published cap on full-marathon places, so you are not gambling on a draw the way you would at Tokyo. Registration usually opens in late August and closes around the end of October through the official site, RUNNET and other Japanese entry platforms. The standard full-marathon fee is 8,000 yen.

What is the time limit and is this a good first marathon?

The cutoff is a generous 7 hours, recently extended to make the race friendlier to first-timers and walkers. Intermediate checkpoints are at the halfway point (3 hours 15 minutes) and 35 km (5 hours 30 minutes). Combined with the festive island atmosphere, the relaxed limit makes Ishigaki a popular choice for a first marathon or a warm-weather comeback race.

What is the course like?

It is a one-way course with no out-and-back turnaround, starting and finishing at Ishigaki City Central Athletic Park. You run long stretches beside the sea past sugarcane and pineapple fields, with views of clear coral-reef water and Mt. Omoto, Okinawa's highest peak. The first 15 km are easy, but rolling hills build from there and the climbs past 25 km, totaling roughly 78 m, are where the race is won or lost.

How warm is it, and how does the weather compare to mainland Japan races?

Unlike snowy or chilly mainland winter races, Ishigaki sits in the subtropics, so mid-January mornings are typically around 18C and humid with a sea breeze. It is genuinely warm for a marathon: hydrate early, manage your pace in the heat and humidity rather than going out hard, and protect yourself from the sun. The trade-off is escaping mainland winter for palm trees and turquoise water.

How do overseas runners get to Ishigaki, and do they need a visa?

Ishigaki is one of Japan's southern Yaeyama islands, reached by air via New Ishigaki Airport with direct flights from Tokyo, Osaka and Naha. Many nationalities can enter Japan visa-free for short tourist stays and Japan does not currently require an ESTA or eTA, but confirm your own nationality's rule before booking. Build in extra travel time since the island is far from Honshu, and pair the race with a few days of diving or beach time.

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