The Osaka Marathon is an annual marathon conducted on the road for non-elite men and women and elite women.
The marathon usually covers a total of 42.195km. It’s held in February 2025 in Osaka, Japan.
The race course used for the marathon has always been the same, but in 2019 it changed.
Now the race starts and finishes at Osaka Castle Park. Runners can also participate in a challenge run that covers a distance of 8.8km.
The Osaka Marathon is hosted by Yomiuri Shimbun, a national newspaper and the Japan Association of Athletics Federations.
The first-ever race took place in October 2011, whereby 27161 runners participated. Since then, it has happened yearly apart from the 2020 edition, which was cancelled due to Covid-19. Together with the Tokyo marathon, it’s one of the biggest running events in Japan.
When : 24 Feburary 2025
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What are the Best Hotels near Osaka Marathon?
1. Hotel New Otani Osaka ★★★★★
Location: right in front of Osaka Castle
15-20 minutes walk from both Start & Finish
2. Imperial Hotel Osaka ★★★★★
Location: along the Okawa River
25 minutes walk from Start, Top Hotel
3. LUXCARE HOTEL ★★★
Location: Chuo Ward district of Osaka
Affordable Hotel, 4 minutes from Start line
4. The Lively Osaka Honmachi ★★★★
Location: Chuo Ward
Start: 13 min. by public transport, 20 minutes walk
Where to Stay for Osaka Marathon?
Osaka is one of Japan’s most dynamic and culturally distinctive cities, from its cuisine to its history. This port city has served as the centre of Japanese retail for more than a thousand years. In the city’s distinctive boutique and designer hotels and its small, traditional ryokans, you can experience the warmth and charm of the local culture.
Moreover, it is the nation’s culinary centre, so you can be sure to experience the absolute best Japanese life while here.
A good place to stay is near Osaka Castle Park, which is close to both the start and finish line. Hotels are within walking distance of the marathon.
Another perfect area in central Osaka is Honmachi (Chuo Ward), located between the major hubs of Kita and Minami.
Kita (to the north) and Minami may be reached on foot from Honmachi, conveniently situated on the Midosuji metro line (to the south). Although it’s not the most fascinating area of the city, it is teeming with mid-range hotels that are affordably priced. Additionally, there are many excellent restaurants and even several bars here. Osaka Castle can easily be reached within 20 to 30 minutes.
Want to interact with residents of Osaka while enjoying a more adventurous time? Try these locations:
Iwama Futsu no Shokudo
Futsu no Shokudo Iwama in Namba is the place to go for affordable, lively homestyle Japanese cuisine. It is absurdly inexpensive and quite local.
Park Utsubo-koen
Utsubo-koen Park is a blessing in a city with few outdoor areas. The park, which is only a short stroll from Honmachi subway station, features a good playground, a fountain, and some intriguing statues. You can have a picnic there or go in the spring to see the cherry blossoms and other attractions.
Namba Yasaka Shrine
If you have to visit just one shrine in the Namba district, make it Namba Yasaka Shrine (Namba Yasaka-jinja). Its enormous lion-head-shaped building and cherry blossom trees dotted around the shrine grounds make it one of Osaka’s most distinctive places of worship.
What are the Best Hotels for the Marathon?
1. Hotel New Otani Osaka ★★★★★
With a stay at this accommodation, which provides complimentary WiFi in all rooms, be sure to enjoy your stay. This facility brings you close to attractions and intriguing dining alternatives because of its convenient location in Osaka Castle & Kyobashi neighbourhood. While here, don’t leave without visiting the well-known Dotonbori. This superior hotel, which has a 5-star rating, offers on-site massage, dining, and fitness facilities to its visitors. The good news is that it’s one of Osaka’s best hotels and isn’t too far from the race course.
Start & finish: 15 to 20 minutes walk
2. Imperial Hotel Osaka ★★★★★
The Imperial Hotel, Osaka, is the only magnificent hotel in one of the Far East’s most vibrant and alluring cities. It welcomes visitors into a patrician world of allure, grace, elegance, and care. Stunning cityscapes or the meandering Okawa River below, which is alive with cherry blossoms in the spring and with fireworks and festivities in the summer, are visible from the five-star hotel. You can choose from various delicious Japanese and Western cuisines, beautiful French, stylish Chinese, and mouth-watering open grill teppanyaki.
Distance to marathon: 20-30 minutes (public transport and walking distance)
3. LUXCARE HOTEL ★★★
The LUXCARE HOTEL is conveniently situated in Osaka’s Chuo Ward region, 1.4 km from Naniwanomiyaato Park, 1.5 km from Nakanoshima Park, and 1.7 km from Tamatsukuri Catholic Church. This 3-star hotel has a ton of on-site amenities to make your stay more enjoyable and high-quality. Every morning, the property offers an Asian breakfast. Mitama Shrine, Asahi Seimei Hall, and Osaka Castle are popular attractions close to the lodging. Itami Airport, located 18 kilometres from the accommodation, is the closest airport.
Distance to marathon: 4 minutes walk to start line, 5-10 minutes on foot to finish
4. KKR Hotel Osaka ★★★★
The KKR Hotel Osaka is close to a train station in the Osaka suburb of Chuo. The Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan and Universal Studios Japan are some of the area’s most well-liked attractions. Tennoji Zoo and the Osaka Science Museum are both worthwhile excursions. The 0.8-mile Osakamachi Jujihosho and 0.8-mile Tsurigane Mansion Remains make the KKR Hotel Osaka a fantastic accommodation choice when visiting Chuo. The property is conveniently situated close to Add Painduce, Hamac de Paradis, and Taverna Il Mercato Angelo if you enjoy Greek cuisine. If time permits, nearby popular sites include Osaka Castle Park, Osaka Museum of History, and Osakajyo Nishinomaru Garden.
Start & Finish Line: within walking distance (9 – 15 minutes)
5. Hotel the Lutheran ★★★
Tanimachi Yonchome Station Exit 1B is a 1-minute walk from Hotel the Lutheran. The Osaka Castle is 10 minutes walk away, and Dotonbori, a popular retail district, is 1.9 miles from Lutheran Hotel. It provides Western accommodations, a restaurant, and a massage service. Free WiFi is available in the restaurant, the lobby, and the rooms. The hotel features a front desk open around the clock and is designed to be barrier-free for elderly and disabled visitors. Facilities include coin-operated laundry machines and luggage storage.
Start & Finish: 7 to 10 minutes walk
6. The Lively Osaka Honmachi ★★★★
The Lively Osaka Honmachi is an accommodation with views of the city and a bar and is located 1.1 kilometres from Nanba Betsuin Temple in Osaka. This property’s amenities include: restaurant, a front desk is open around-the-clock, room service, free WiFi all around the place. The hotel offers both continental and à la carte breakfast each morning. There is a terrace at the vivacious Osaka Honmachi. The Lively Osaka Honmachi is close to popular attractions like Nakanoshima Park, Hongan-Ji Temple Tsumura Betsuin, and Namba Shrine.
Start & Finish: approx. 13-15 minutes by public transport, 20-25 minutes walk
Where is the Start and Finish?
The Osaka Marathon course’s start and finish lines are located at Osaka Castle Park. The race begins in front of the Osaka Prefectural Government Office. It proceeds through the city, past the Osaka City Central Public Hall before turning onto Midosuji Street and through the heart of Osaka (Shinsaibashisuji).
The first half of the race will be hilly and undulating, with some sections flat. There will be significant ascents and descents in the second half and the last ascent to the finish line in Osaka Castle Park. The runners will go through other places: The National Bunraku Theatre, the Shitennoji Temple, the oldest official temple in Japan, and Osaka Castle Park, near Gokurakubashi-Bridge.
Osaka Castle
