Tokyo Marathon 2024 was a big event. 38000 elite and amateur runners met in Japan’s bustling capital to run it. I attended it as a press photographer. It was a thrilling day I’ll remember forever.
The event brought much excitement to the city. I saw this when I went to Ariake to pick up my press credentials. Tokyo Big Sight, the exhibition center, was swarmed with people. They were athletes who would run in the race and needed to receive their participation packs. There were so many of them. They were all smiling. The energy was palpable.
Tokyo International Marathon attracts top-tier talent from around the globe. It has a reputation for fast times and competitive fields. Spectators witness the world’s best athletes push the limits of human performance. What else would you expect with athletes like pre-race favorites Eliud Kipchoge and Sifan Hassan (who finished 10th and 4th, respectively) in the pack?
The marathon route winds its way through many of Tokyo’s iconic landmarks. It offers both participants and spectators a unique perspective. They will see the city’s rich cultural heritage and modern urban landscape.
The marathon is renowned for its atmosphere. Tokyoites love this event and will line the streets to watch it. They cheered and encouraged their heroes. I’m sure the event was an unforgettable experience for the athletes.
The Tokyo event ranks highly as one of the six World Marathon Majors. Elite athletes use it to showcase their talents. It also motivates aspiring runners to pursue their own athletic goals.
A marathon is 42.195 kilometers long. I can’t imagine what running that must be like. It must involve a certain amount of pain, I guess. Whether the athletes are elite or amateur, they push their physical limits. Yep, at some point, it hurts.
At the race’s end, an emotional release happens. For some, it comes from improving personal bests. Others are happy knowing they ran 42 km. Whatever the case, I enjoy photographing the athletes’ expressions at that moment.
I have to give thanks to the Tokyo Marathon Foundation. They issued me a press pass, for which I will be forever grateful. That allowed me into areas, and see things that the public couldn’t. It was vital for photographs.
The hardest part of the day was waking up at 5 a.m. That would give me enough time to be at the meeting point without rushing. But it was cold, maybe about 3 degrees, when I left home.
That was my only hurdle because the Foundation’s staff had looked after everything perfectly. They escorted us to our photography positions. Buses took us around the city to our locations. I just sat back and took photos.
Also, I must give a special thanks to one of the staff members for saving me from disaster. At one point, I needed to change batteries. But with the camera being so hot from taking so many photos, the case had swelled. I couldn’t get the thing out.
That’s happened before. The fix is easy. Stick some tape to the battery, then pull it out. But I didn’t have any! What could I do?
I did the only thing I could do. I asked around, but no one had any! I was looking at a photography disaster. No battery means no photos.
The last person I asked was a female staff member. She said she had none but asked what I needed it for. I told her, and she thought for a moment. She reached into her bag and brought out a manila folder. It had a small piece of double-sided tape attached to the flap.
She carefully tore it off and handed it to me. It worked perfectly. The disaster was averted! I thanked her profusely and went back to taking photos. That lady was a legend in my book.
Benson Kipruto – Kenya
Total time: 2:02:16
Timothy Kiplagat – Kenya
Total time: 2:02:55
Vincent Kipkemoi – Kenya
Total time: 2:04:18
Sutume Asefa Kebede – Ethiopia
Total time: 2:15:55
Rosemary Wanjiru – Kenya
Total time: 2:16:14
Amane Beriso Shankule – Ethiopia
Total time: 2:16:58
Tomoki Suzuki – Japan
Total time: 1:23:05
Daniel Romanchuk – United States
Total time: 1:28:33
Masaru Watanabe – Japan
Total time: 1:31:03
Manuela Schär – Switzerland
Total time: 1:40:10
Eden Rainbow-Cooper – United Kingdom
Total time: 1:40:28
Susannah Scaroni – United States
Total time: 1:41:35
Tokyo Marathon 2024 was an athletic spectacle I was privileged to witness from behind the lens. A world-class competition on an iconic course with an unforgettable atmosphere was exciting. It was a day of surprises, Benson Kipruto and Sutume Asefa Kebede delivered record-breaking performances. Pre-race favorites like Eliud Kipchoge faced the unpredictable nature of the marathon.
Thanks to the support of the Tokyo Marathon Foundation, I had a front-row seat to capture the moments of triumph and perseverance among the nearly 38,000 runners. Each finisher had their own story, and the raw emotion at the finish line was a powerful reminder of the human spirit. The Tokyo Marathon has once again solidified its place as a global sporting phenomenon. I’m already looking forward to what 2026 will bring!
Have you ever photographed a sports event? Share your experience in the comments below.
Rohan has photographed Tokyo since 2011. He shoots it with his Canon EOS R5. There are no plans to stop.
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I had a press pass and a front-row seat for my first-ever elite athletics shoot: the Tokyo Marathon 2024. Join me behind the lens as 38,000 runners chase victory, and see who took home the top prize.
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2 Responses
Nice work with the photos and the write-up! You did a great job of capturing the day. Each year, I also watch it on TV. During the Tokyo Olympics, I did something similar at the Men’s Mountain Bike Race, albeit without the press credentials. Hopefully, this encourages you to cover other international sports events as the year unfolds.
Thanks for the kind words David. Yes, it was a good event to photograph and I’d like to do more of this type of thing. I have a business card now and they seem to open more doors in Japan …