Kagoshima Marathon

The Kagoshima Marathon is an annual marathon and fun run held in Kagoshima City on the southern tip of Kyushu, Japan, organized by the Kagoshima City Tourism and Exchange Bureau. The JAAF-certified 42.195 km marathon starts near the former Dolphin Port site on Kagoshima Bay, heads south along the coast to a turnaround point near Shigetomi in Aira City, and finishes in front of Kagoshima City Hall. A shorter 8.9 km Fun Run follows a loop through the city center. The course offers views of Sakurajima, the active volcano across the bay, and 14 aid stations serve local specialties such as satsuma-imo (sweet potato) treats and kurobuta pork dishes. The marathon caps at 10,000 runners with a 7-hour gun-time limit, and the Fun Run caps at 3,000 runners with a 90-minute limit. The 2026 edition ran on March 1, 2026; organizers confirmed in May 2026 that a 2027 edition will take place, though the exact date has not yet been announced. Entry fees for the 2026 edition were ¥14,000 for the marathon (with an early-bird rate of ¥13,000 and a discounted ¥12,000 rate for runners 25 and under), plus team and pair options for competitive entrants, and ¥5,000 for the Fun Run.