I know many people who are looking for their six-star medal and for many, they are missing one or two elusive bibs; Boston and Tokyo.
To run the Boston Marathon, you have several options: run a timed qualifier, run for charity (usually $10,000+), run with a travel agency (I recommend Sports Tours International or the 2.09 events), or participate in the six-star rating.
For those wanting a Tokyo bib, the “easiest” way to participate in the Tokyo Marathon is to run for charity.
Run the Tokyo Marathon for charity
Now, it’s not as simple as applying to a bunch of charities like the London Marathon, nor do they simply set minimum fundraising requirements of $10,000 like most Boston Marathon charity bibs.
Here’s what you need to know to participate in the Tokyo Marathon for Charity:
- There are 5,000 charity bibs for the Tokyo marathon
- Minimum donation is 100,000 yen/£500+/$650+
- The process is essentially a silent auction system. You enter the amount you want to donate, essentially bidding for your bib. The money comes directly from your account (if successful, you can pay by credit card, bank transfer or PayPal). If/how you raise money is up to you
- They are all Japanese charities
- Registrations are open from June 26 to July 13, 2024
- You will be notified of your successful application between July 13 and 19 (before the ballot results!)
- You can only apply to one charity with one offer.
- In addition to your charitable “donation,” you will also need to pay your race entry fee (last year it was $160).
When the names of the charities are released at the end of May, the Running with Heart page will have information about each charity, including the number of bibs available (ranging from 30 to 750), minimum donation, priority of applications (some are in progress). earliest donation, some on what you write about the charity in your application and some on running with them in other races).
Here is the list of charities for 2024, the number of bibs per association and the average bib donation in yen.
(from a Facebook group)
How much to donate to request a charity bib for the Tokyo marathon
Good question… as people have become aware of this route to the Tokyo Marathon, donations have increased as it is still significantly cheaper than going the tour operators route.
I know of friends who have donated between £750 and £1,000, but this year I would probably say £1,000 should be the minimum you should expect to donate and have a successful entry. I’ve seen some people suggest that smaller charities are more likely to accept a smaller offer – for example 150,000 yen (£750/$1,000).
It’s also worth trying to choose a charity that interests you, as you will need to write a brief paragraph explaining why you want to run the Tokyo Marathon for your charity of choice. Write a thoughtful application
What do charity runners get?
Obviously the bib is the main draw, but my friend Cortney told me she also received a Tokyo Marathon charity t-shirt and a goody bag at the expo as well as an invitation to the festivities. ‘after the race.
How else to run the Tokyo marathon
- Ballot – mid-August, no date set yet
- Group of tourists – register your interest now. Try Sports Tours International, Marathon Tours, 2.09 Events and Destination Marathons.
- Time qualifier – for women under 3.19 and men under 2.32 over the previous 2 years
- With a brand – you will have seen influencers, etc. running with brands that receive a small number of bibs. I was very lucky to receive my bib in 2018 from Asics which allowed me to obtain my Six Star Medal. Read my review here.