Tokyo Marathon 2027 20th Anniversary Premium Edition Finisher Medal — 100mm diameter design featuring the number 20 and Tokyo course landmarks.

Tokyo Marathon 2027 Lottery Closed: Real Odds Explained and Finisher Medal Revealed

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Update — September 6, 2026
This post was published on August 16, 2026 when the general entry window had just opened. The lottery closed August 28 at 5:00 PM JST. The content below is preserved as an accurate record of what was announced that week — see the current status summary below for where things stand now.

🔒 General lottery: Closed. Results via My Entry on September 18 — payment window opens the same day at 11:00 AM JST and closes September 30 at 5:00 PM JST.

🚫 Charity entry: Closed and oversubscribed. No bibs available for 2027.

🎁 One route still open: The Interview Relay 2027 campaign runs September 15 – October 13, 2026. Submit a story about how the Tokyo Marathon moved your life forward — 10 winners receive a guaranteed 2027 race entry. Free to enter, open internationally.

Full entry status and race weekend guide: Tokyo Marathon 2027 complete guide.
Tokyo Marathon 2027 — News Roundup (August 2026)
🔒 Lottery window: August 14–28, 2026 — now closed
🎟️ Results: September 18, 2026 | Payment due: September 30
👥 ~300,000 applicants | ~30,000 places | ~10% headline acceptance rate
🏅 Finisher medal: 100mm Premium Edition revealed August 13
📍 Race date: Sunday, March 7, 2027 | 20th Anniversary Edition

Two significant announcements came out of the Tokyo Marathon Foundation on August 13 and 14 — the general entry lottery opened for the 2027 race, and organizers revealed the design of the finisher medal for the 20th anniversary edition. Here is what both meant for runners targeting Tokyo 2027.

The Lottery Has Closed — and the 10% Acceptance Rate Still Needs Context

The general lottery window ran August 14–28, 2026 and is now shut. Around 300,000 runners applied for roughly 30,000 places — which produces the headline acceptance figure of about 10%. Results are announced on September 18 via the My Entry portal, with payment due by September 30. That 10% figure, however, covers several separate draws that do not compete with each other.

How the Entry Pools Are Actually Split
The general pool is not a single ballot. A dedicated 4,000-place loyalty allocation runs separately for runners who have applied in consecutive previous years. A 1,000-place draw is reserved for Tokyo residents only. The remainder is the open public pool — and if you are an overseas runner applying for the first time, your real odds in that open pool are closer to 7%. Every consecutive year you apply and miss out, you build standing in the loyalty draw, which is meaningfully less competitive than the open ballot.
What Happens Next
Results land on September 18, 2026 via the My Entry portal — the payment window opens at 11:00 AM JST the same day, not the following morning. Selected runners have until September 30 at 5:00 PM JST to complete payment or the spot is forfeited. If you applied, check your My Entry page on September 18 and pay immediately.

Did not apply this cycle? The Interview Relay 2027 campaign opens September 15 and runs until October 13 — 10 winners receive a guaranteed bib. It is the only active entry route remaining for 2027.

The 20th Anniversary Finisher Medal Has Been Revealed

Tokyo Marathon 2027 20th Anniversary Premium Edition Finisher Medal design — 100mm diameter featuring the number 20 and Tokyo city landmarks
Tokyo Marathon 2027 — 20th Anniversary Premium Edition Finisher Medal (design draft). Image: Tokyo Marathon Foundation / marathon.tokyo

On August 13, the Tokyo Marathon Foundation released the design of the finisher medal for the 2027 race — and it is noticeably larger than anything the race has previously given out. At 100mm across, it is wider than the 65mm podium medals awarded to the top three finishers at each of the past two editions. Every runner who crosses the line on March 7 will receive one.

What the Medal Looks Like
The front features a graphic representation of the number “20” — the “2” represents the path traced by each individual runner, while the “0” is made up of the Tokyo Marathon logo pattern. The reverse shows city landmarks that sit along the course. The Foundation has described what was released as a final design draft, noting some details may still change before race day.

One detail worth noting for anyone chasing context on the “20th edition” label: the 2027 race falls in the 21st year since the first Tokyo Marathon on February 18, 2007. The 2021 edition was postponed twice during the pandemic and eventually held in March 2022, with no separate 2022 edition taking place — which is how the edition count lands at 20 for 2027.

Tokyo 2027 is the most competitive edition to enter in the race’s history — record field of 40,000, the highest WMM champion prize purse at $170,000, and a finisher medal larger than the one given to the podium. If you are waiting on lottery results, check My Entry on September 18. If you missed this cycle, the Interview Relay campaign is worth your time before October 13.

Full Tokyo Marathon 2027 Guide
For the complete course breakdown, all six entry paths explained, race weekend logistics, visa requirements for Indian runners and a full trip budget, read our Tokyo Marathon 2027 complete guide for international runners.

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