Tokyo vs London Marathon — Which Major Should You Run?

Tokyo vs London Marathon compared: two lottery Majors. Tokyo's flat, cool March precision vs London's record-setting April carnival, plus Six Star order.

Quick Comparison

Feature 2027 Tokyo Marathon - Mar 7 2027 TCS London Marathon - Apr 25
Country/RegionJapanEngland
MonthMarchApril
Avg Temperature8-12°C8-14°C
Course TypeFlatMostly Flat
Elevation~40m~50m
Field Size38,00056,000
EntryLotteryBallot + Charity
World MajorYesYes
BQ CourseYesYes
Crowd SupportExcellentExceptional

Detailed Comparison

Two spectacle Majors with opposite personalities

Tokyo and London are the two most over-subscribed lottery Majors on the calendar, yet running them feels nothing alike. Tokyo is a study in precision: a single loop through the heart of the capital past the Imperial Palace, Ginza, and Asakusa's Senso-ji temple, finishing near Tokyo Station with aid stations so orderly they feel choreographed. Spectator support is enthusiastic but restrained — taiko drums and organised cheer squads rather than wall-to-wall noise. London is the opposite: a loud, beer-soaked carnival from the Greenwich start past the Cutty Sark, over Tower Bridge, along the Thames Embankment, and up The Mall to a finish in front of Buckingham Palace, with pubs spilling onto the course for 26.2 miles.

The plot twist for 2026: London now hosts the men's marathon world record — Sabastian Sawe ran 1:59:30 there in April 2026, the first legal sub-two. On paper Tokyo is the slightly flatter course (~40m of climb versus London's ~50m), but the spring elite fields chase fast times in London, not Tokyo, which is exactly why London's headline times are quicker. For a recreational runner, both are fast, honest courses where the weather decides far more than the elevation profile.

Entry: the world's hardest ballot vs a 10-to-1 lottery

Both races are won and lost in the application portal. London runs the largest mass-participation ballot on earth — a record 840,318 applicants chased roughly 17,000 ballot places for 2025, an acceptance rate near 2%. UK residents get a second door through Good For Age (London's own time standard), and championship and charity routes exist on top. Tokyo's international lottery sits around 10:1, brutal but better than London's general ballot. Tokyo also offers two routes most runners overlook: a semi-elite slot (the RUN as ONE overseas standard is a recent sub-2:28 marathon for men or sub-2:54 for women, which earns a faster start area and a separate, easier draw) and a real charity place. Whichever you target, treat the ballot as a multi-year project — most Six Star finishers apply for two or three cycles before they get in.

Weather and timing: cool March vs unpredictable April

Tokyo runs in early March at a reliably cool 8-12°C — genuinely one of the best temperature windows of any Major, which is why cold-sensitive runners love it. The trade-off is that early-spring Tokyo can deliver an icy headwind off the bay, and the narrow opening kilometres mean the first 5K is congested no matter your corral. London goes in late April, a touch warmer at 8-14°C, with classic variable British spring weather: it can swing from cool drizzle to a surprise warm spell that turns a PB attempt into a survival shuffle. Neither is a heat lottery on the scale of an autumn US Major, but pack for both ends of the forecast.

Travel, recovery and doubling up

These sit on opposite sides of the world, so you almost certainly fly long-haul to at least one. Tokyo is the easier trip for most: efficient transit, English signage at the expo, and a compact race footprint near Tokyo Station. London means navigating a sprawling city and a logistically heavy start out at Greenwich/Blackheath. The good news for collectors: March Tokyo and late-April London are seven-plus weeks apart, so doing both in one spring is realistic if your ballots line up — run Tokyo, recover, then race London on fresh legs. Use the Race Time Predictor to set honest splits for the second race, and the What to Wear tool to dress for two very different forecasts.

Who should pick which — and the Six Star order

The first-time international Major collector: start with Tokyo. The cool weather, flat course, and frictionless organisation make it the gentlest introduction to overseas Major racing, and a faster ballot than London's. The atmosphere chaser who wants the loudest day of their running life: London, every time — nothing in the sport matches Tower Bridge into a roaring Embankment. The PB hunter: it is close, but pick by weather risk — Tokyo's cool March usually beats London's unpredictable April, even though London's elite times are faster. For the Six Star journey, most runners slot these two early because both are fast, well-organised, and bucket-list iconic; if you can only get one ballot this cycle, take whichever says yes first and apply again for the other. Confirm your time goals against the Boston Qualifying standards if a BQ is part of the plan — both courses are BAA-recognised.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is faster, the Tokyo or London Marathon?

On the elevation profile Tokyo is marginally flatter (~40m of climb versus London's ~50m), but London produces the faster headline times because the spring elite fields target it — Sabastian Sawe set the men's world record of 1:59:30 in London in April 2026. For a recreational runner the difference is small; weather matters far more than elevation. Tokyo's cool March often gives the better personal-best conditions. Plan your splits with our Pace Calculator.

Is it harder to get into the Tokyo or London Marathon?

London's general ballot is statistically the harder draw — a record 840,318 people applied for the 2025 race chasing roughly 17,000 ballot spots, an acceptance rate near 2%. Tokyo's international lottery sits around 10:1, which is brutal but better odds than London's open ballot. Both also offer non-ballot routes: London has Good For Age and charity, while Tokyo has a semi-elite slot and charity places. Treat either as a multi-year application project.

What is the weather like at the Tokyo vs London Marathon?

Tokyo runs in early March at a reliably cool 8-12°C, one of the best temperature windows of any Major, though a bay headwind is possible. London goes in late April at 8-14°C with variable British spring weather that can swing from cool drizzle to an unexpected warm spell. Neither carries the heat risk of an autumn US Major, but you should pack for both ends of the forecast. Check conditions with our What to Wear tool.

Should I run Tokyo or London first for my Six Star?

Most collectors start with Tokyo: the cool weather, flat course, and famously smooth organisation make it the gentlest introduction to overseas Major racing, and its lottery is a touch easier than London's 2% ballot. Save London for the day you want the loudest atmosphere in the sport. Practically, though, ballots decide the order — if you can only secure one entry this cycle, run whichever says yes first and reapply for the other.

Can I run both the Tokyo and London Marathon in the same year?

Yes — early-March Tokyo and late-April London are more than seven weeks apart, which is enough recovery to race both well in one spring if your ballots align. Run Tokyo first, recover for a few weeks, then race London on fresh legs. The bigger obstacle is winning two notoriously hard ballots in the same cycle, not the physical spacing. Use our Race Time Predictor to set realistic goals for the second race.

Can I qualify for Boston at the Tokyo or London Marathon?

Yes, both are BAA-recognised courses suitable for a Boston qualifier, and both are flat enough to chase a fast time. Tokyo's cool March temperatures can give a slight edge to runners who struggle in warmth, while London's late-April weather is more of a gamble. Confirm your age-group standard — and remember Boston applies a registration cutoff buffer below the published time — with our Boston Qualifying Calculator.

How do the crowds compare at the Tokyo vs London Marathon?

They are opposite experiences. Tokyo's support is enthusiastic but orderly — taiko drums, organised cheer squads, and immaculate aid stations that reflect Japanese precision. London is a loud, carnival-like party with millions of spectators, pubs spilling onto the route, live bands, and the roar from Tower Bridge into the Embankment that runners describe as the loudest moment in the sport. Both are world-class; the energy styles could not be more different.

Prepare for Your Marathon

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