Hokkaido Marathon

The Hokkaido Marathon is Japan's premier summer marathon, held annually in late August through the streets of Sapporo, the capital of the northern island of Hokkaido. Both start and finish sit at Odori Nishi 4-chome on Sapporo Ekimae-dori Avenue, and the single-loop course winds through the Susukino entertainment district and past landmarks including Hokkaido University and the historic Former Hokkaido Government Office (the Red Brick Office) before returning to Odori Park. Because it runs in peak Japanese summer heat and humidity, the race is a designated qualifier race in the Marathon Grand Championship (MGC) Series and is known for strict heat-safety protocols, including a possible course shortening or cancellation if the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) reaches 28°C or higher on race day. With a field capped at 20,000 runners, general entry consistently sells out within the registration window, making it one of the more competitive Japanese marathon entries outside the Tokyo Marathon lottery.