In preparation for the upcoming Tokyo Marathon 2025, scheduled to be run on Sunday, March 2, 2025, the Tokyo Marathon Foundation opened its annual Tokyo Marathon EXPO 2025, one of Japan’s largest running-oriented trade shows, at Tokyo Big Sight.
The opening ceremony was attended by the executive vice president of Tokyo Metro Corporation, Mr. Itaru Fukuda, who also represented the official partners; vice-president of the JAAF and director of the Tokyo Marathon Foundation, Ms. Yuko Arimori; Mr. Takanori Nishikawa, the singer of “ALL UNITED,” the official Tokyo Marathon image song; and chairman Tadaaki Hayano of the Tokyo Marathon Foundation. In his address on behalf of the organizers to all the participating runners and those involved in the event, Mr. Hayano noted that “The Tokyo Marathon is supported not only by the sponsors, but also by all the staff involved in the event and all the runners. I sincerely rely hope that everyone will be able to enjoy this year’s Tokyo Marathon EXPO, and that Race Day will be held in a safe and secure environment.”
Then, President Hayano, Executive Vice President Fukuda, Ms. Arimori, and Mr. Nishikawa dropped the curtain and officially opened the main gate of this year’s Tokyo Marathon EXPO 2025. When gates opened at 10:00 a.m., the huge number of runners who had been gathered there from early in the morning were greeted with applause by volunteers and staff members, who then checked in the runners for the main event. As in the previous year, this year’s Tokyo Marathon has a maximum capacity of 38,000 runners. Of these 38,000 participants, fully 18,000 runners from approximately 130 countries and regions around the world are expected to participate in this year’s race, a much larger number than last year. On the first day of the event, the EXPO site took on a distinct international flavor, with many international runners and their families visiting the venue.
Tokyo Marathon EXPO 2025 features a total of 83 booths in the ‘Official Partners’ area, including the Marathon’s premier partner, Tokyo Metro Corporation, major partners such as Starts Corporation, Mastercard, ASICS Japan, Otsuka Pharmaceutical, and many others, as well as the Tokyo Community and General Exhibitors areas. At the EXPO, visitors can enjoy a wide range of runner-oriented activities, including sales of the latest sports gear and apparel, numerous demonstrations, and even a stamp rally.
The Tokyo Metro booth, where uniformed station staff greet visitors, was crowded with people from the very first morning. It also features a replica of the actual Finish Gate and photo booth, where visitors could pose for commemorative photos with the official trophy. Another popular booth this year was the ASICS Japan booth. Many runners, especially from overseas, came in search of the latest Tokyo Marathon 2025 limited edition shoes and apparel.
At the Seiko Group booth, which has been in charge of the official timer since the very first Tokyo Marathon, a familiar photo spot was set up for participants to take commemorative photos with their personal target times displayed on the official running timer. The Otsuka Pharmaceutical booth features a recreation of the Race Day water stations, and offers a cup of Pocari Sweat sports drink to interested passers-by. Recycling awareness is further emphasized by the collection of the used paper cups.
Additionally, there are boards for writing short messages of support at various booths throughout the venue, and runners visiting the EXPO have exchanged messages in preparation for the big day.
When we spoke to one of the runners visiting the EXPO site with his running friends, he said that he’d been applying for the lottery every year since the first running of the Tokyo Marathon in 2007, and this time he was finally able to make his first appearance. As his first Tokyo Marathon run approaches in its 18th year, he said, “I usually keep my eyes focused ahead and concentrate on the running, but this time I really hope to enjoy the scenery. A friend who ran in the Tokyo Marathon a few years back told me, ‘The cheers you hear coming from along the course are simply amazing, and you can enjoy that sensation all the way to the end.’ So I'm hoping to discover for myself how much fun it will be!” He spoke about how he couldn't wait for Race Day to come.
The Tokyo Marathon is also listed as one of the Abbott World Marathon Majors (AWMM), the six most prestigious marathons in the world, together with the marathons held in Boston, London, Sydney, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City, Running in an AWMM race is not only a great honor for elite runners, but also for general runners from around the world. Runners who complete all six events within the preset time limit are referred to as Six Star Finishers*, and are awarded a commemorative Six Star medal. As in years past, this year’s runners have come from all over the world in hopes of becoming Six Star Finishers. They paid a special visit to the AWMM booth and deepened their interactions by vowing to do their best, finish well, and finish the race.
This year’s Tokyo Marathon EXPO 2025 has attended not only runners but also many volunteers from before the first day of the event. At the runner reception desk, these volunteers have greeted both domestic and international runners with smiles, and provided support by confirming entries, handing out athlete bibs, and answering the many questions and concerns that runners may have.
This year, the “VOLUNTAINER Meeting 2025 – Tokyo Marathon 2025: Sustainability Connecting Everyone” is being held during the same period as the EXPO, from February 27 (Thu) to March 3 (Sun), and features volunteer-oriented content, as well as exhibitions by charitable organizations, and the sustainability initiatives promoted by the event.
Famed singer Takanori Nishikawa also made a surprise guest appearance at the first day’s opening event, and exclaimed, “I don’t think the Tokyo Marathon could ever be successful without your cooperation, and I believe that each and every volunteer is a representative of Japan. In the days ahead, let’s work together to make the Tokyo Marathon an event that will lead to future races, and make people say that ‘the Tokyo Marathon was an amazing experience!’”
Tokyo Marathon EXPO 2025 is open to all, and can be enjoyed by a wide range of people, not just running enthusiasts, and is being held through Saturday, March 1. Gates will close on the last day of the EXPO at 17:30, so please come with plenty of time to spare!
* Runners who have completed all six Abbott World Marathon Majors races.
