Kyoto Marathon
Kyoto, Japan · Sunday 16 February 2025
The Kyoto Marathon 2025 takes place in February on a trail course that stays mostly flat with gentle rolling sections, making it a solid choice if you're looking to avoid serious elevation work. The website content here is actually for the 2026 race, so you'll need to dig into the 2025 archive for specific details about start times, corrals, aid station locations, and course logistics. Registration appears to happen through their main site and they offer accommodation packages alongside entry, which is worth considering given that you'll be traveling to Japan. The race emphasizes community involvement across runners, volunteers, and spectators, so expect support along the route. Get the official race materials and course map directly from their 2025 race page before you commit to entering, since the current live site is already focused on next year's event.
Difficulty Calculator
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Adjusted Time
4:36:36
Time difference: +36.6 minutes compared to a flat, road, temperate course.
Course Details
Elevation Gain166m
Elevation High95m
Elevation Low25m
Kyoto Marathon 2025 Course Analysis
Kyoto Marathon is a full marathon held in Kyoto, Japan, scheduled for Sunday 16 February 2025. The course is run on trail surface with 166m of total elevation gain, reaching a maximum altitude of 95m above sea level. For registration and full race details, visit the official Kyoto Marathon website.
Elevation Profile
With 166m of elevation gain, this is a moderately undulating course. The route ranges from 25m to 95m above sea level (70m total range). While not completely flat, the elevation changes are manageable for most runners and shouldn't significantly impact pacing strategy.
Surface Type: Trail
Kyoto Marathon is a trail race, meaning the course includes unpaved surfaces such as dirt, gravel, or forest paths. Trail surfaces are inherently slower than road courses due to uneven footing, technical sections, and often steeper gradients. Trail-specific shoes with good grip are recommended, and runners should expect a finish time 10-20% slower than their equivalent road marathon time.
How Difficult Is Kyoto Marathon?
Our difficulty rating for Kyoto Marathon is calculated using a model that combines elevation gain, temperature impact, and surface type. Use the difficulty calculator above to enter your target finish time and see exactly how many minutes this course would add or subtract compared to a perfectly flat, cool, road-based marathon. Faster runners and slower runners are affected differently by the same course conditions, so the difficulty is personalised to your pace.
Looking for an easier marathon or a tougher challenge? You can also compare Kyoto Marathon against other marathons to find the right race for your goals.