The Tokyo Marathon is one of the six World Major Marathons. It is a prestigious sporting event that attracted 38000 participants. Photographers documented them running the gruelling 42-kilometer course. I joined them for the first time in 2023. My camera got a workout that day!
First, the marathon course began at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. Participants ran their way past some of the city’s most iconic landmarks. They visited the Imperial Palace, Tokyo Tower, and the Ginza district. Their goal was Gyoko-Dori near Tokyo Station.
The race had a seven-hour time limit. That meant participants had to maintain a pace of at least 14 minutes and 10 seconds per mile. Elite athletes didn’t have a problem with that. But many amateurs surely struggled.
I planned to shoot the start in Shinjuku and near Iidabashi Station. Two spots would be enough for photos for this article.
Upon arriving in Nishi-Shinjuku, I was met with organized chaos. The area was already packed with a huge police presence, marathon staff directing the flow, and runners anxiously searching for their gates as news helicopters hovered overhead.
My first plan was to situate myself in front of the Washington Hotel to see the start line. But there were too many people. My plan B was the second corner. I found stairs at the KDDI building to get some elevation. They put me above the ground level. I could shoot the first line of runners while being able to see to the back.
The first athletes to start were the wheelchairs. They were so fast! They burst around the corner, reaching the second turn in a flash. I barely had time to fire off a few shots before they vanished down the street.
Five minutes later, the runners came. It was a sea of athletes. There were thousands and thousands of people. They had come from all over the world to run. I stood in my spot for ten minutes, and they had no end.
Then it was time to go. I ran to Shinjuku Station to get a train to my next spot, Iidabashi Station, about 5 kilometers away. The leaders had already passed it by the time I got there. That didn’t matter. The river of runners behind them continued to flow. They were endless. It was sports photography at its best.
Iidabashi was a letdown in one regard. Photography from the pedestrian bridges over the road wasn’t allowed. That destroyed my plans! It would have been perfect for photos. Forced to adapt, I found a spot on the roadside that still offered some great, albeit different, photo opportunities. With that, I called it a day.
While I missed the elite finishers, what truly stuck with me wasn’t just the speed, but the incredible spirit of the participants. The sheer number of people wearing costumes or funny hats was a perfect example of this. You could see Minions sprinkled throughout the participants. Spiderman and Captain America ran side-by-side. A bride looked like she took a very fun detour on the way to her wedding! It was a powerful reminder that for many, this race was about pure enjoyment.
Photographing the Tokyo Marathon was an unforgettable experience that taught me as much about planning and adaptability as it did about photography. If you’re considering shooting this or any other major marathon, my biggest piece of advice is to scout your locations, but always have a backup plan. The energy of the crowd and the determination of the runners are incredible subjects to capture.
Have you photographed the Tokyo Marathon? Share your own experiences and tips in the comments below!
Rohan has photographed Tokyo since 2011. He shoots it with his Canon EOS R5. The project will take more than one lifetime to complete.
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