Can I share my e-mail address with multiple people?

Each applicant must register his/her individual e-mail address. Thank you for your understanding in advance.

May I apply for multiple entries in different categories?

Each applicant is only entitled to apply for one entry and duplicate entries will not be accepted. If you are not chosen in a drawing, you may reapply as a charity runner entry after receiving notification of the result.
(However, the application must be completed within the eligible application period for charity runners.)

Can the application procedure be completed by someone outside the family for me? Also, when applying, is it okay to register the e-mail address of a substitute rather than my own?

A substitute (including someone outside the family) can apply on your behalf, using your information. In that case, the e-mail address need not be yours. However, since the notification of your result and other information will be sent to the registered e-mail address, please ensure you register an e-mail address you can check. In case you cannot check the result of the drawing by e-mail, the result will be notified on My Page. Please check our website.

This is my first marathon so I don’t have a certified time on the record certificate and am unsure what my predicted finish time will be.

OOnly those who have previous marathon experience should fill in their time certified on record certificate. (Otherwise, you can leave the “certified time” box blank.)
Please specify your predicted time based on your running ability.If you leave it blank, we will assume a default 6 hours 30 minutes, which is the time needed to qualify for participation.

What is the difference between marathon (registrants) and marathon (general)?

Marathon (registrants) applies to JAAF-registered athletes.
If you are not a JAAF member, please apply for the marathon (general) category.

What are JAAF-registered athletes?

Those people registered with the Athletic Association of each prefecture, which is also a member of the Japan Association of Athletics Federations (JAAF). Anyone can register but a registration fee is required. JAAF members will have their record time for the marathon event officially recognized. Those who wish to register should please complete the registration procedure at the Athletic Association of each prefecture prior to applying for the Osaka Marathon.
For further information, please visit the JAAF website.
JAAF website (for registration)：http://www.jaaf.or.jp/athlete/regist
Please note that as the finish time of the “Challenge Run” will not be officially recognized, if you apply for “Challenge Run”, registration is not needed.

Don’t you have a marathon category for participants with disabilities?

People in wheelchairs can participate in the wheelchair category but other than that, no distinction is made for disabled participants. Visually impaired entrants who cannot viably run alone may be accompanied by one co-runner.

For Pair and Group entries, can we change members after application?

【During the application period】
You can change members via MyPage. Go to the member registration screen, press the cancel button for the member for whom you wish to cancel and enter the new member’s name.【After the application period】
No further changes can be made. Thank you for your understanding in advance. Please note that you cannot change members after winning the draw, either. Ensure you register only people who will be available on the race day.

Can I switch an event after application?

【During the application period】
Please contact us at the Call Center. You will need to cancel the race information and then reapply for the marathon event.【After the application period】
No further changes can be made. Thank you for your understanding in advance.

I have not received a “Notification of the Provisional Registration for Osaka Marathon Entry”. What should I do?

We sent the “Notification of the Provisional Registration for Osaka Marathon Entry” to the e-mail address you entered. If you have not received this notification, this means your entry has not been completed. In this case, please confirm the following:

1. Did you enter all the information through to the entry completion page?
2. Did you enter your e-mail address correctly?
3. Have you checked your trash or spam mail folder?
※ Please note that if you use a free e-mail account, our e-mails may be forwarded to a spam mail folder.
4. Are there any restrictions on receiving e-mails due to the filtering function of e-mail software at your work or school?
5. How is your security software setting?
6. How is the spam mail setting on your provider end?
※Various configurations are possible influenced by your computer-mediated environment, e-mail settings or provider’s environment.
Please try another e-mail account if available, just in case.
In addition, please ensure you approve (whitelist) the following e-mail domain as legitimate e-mail which can be received:
“@osaka-marathon.com”
7. You may be unable to receive the e-mail due to your provider environment.
If so, please contact your provider directly and ask them to ensure the domain
“@osaka-marathon.com” can be receivable.
※If you try all the above and are still unable to receive the e-mail, please contact us at the Call Center.

We won first place in the Nanairo (Rainbow Color) Team Competition and obtained a berth in a drawing. What should I do?

You must apply for the marathon category during the application period. Please ensure that you undergo the application procedure via your registered MyPage. We will then send you the notification of your result so please complete the payment procedure.

※ Applications for the Challenge Run, Pair, Group, Civic athlete and Charity runner categories do not apply for this berth.
※ If you do not apply for the race, this berth will be invalid.
※ You are not allowed to transfer this berth to someone else.

I want to participate in the race as a civic athlete. What should I do?

Eligible people are those living in Japan
(application must be completed via the Japanese website)
and who can finish within the standard time (gross time recorded after April 1, 2014 running on a course certified by the Japan Association of Athletics Federations (JAAF) or by the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS)) set uniquely by the Osaka Marathon according to age bracket and gender.
Please apply via the Civic Athletes’ webpage.
※ The record certificate must be submitted at the time of application. If you cannot digitalize your record certificate, please send it by post or fax it to Call Center (+81-6-6445-0004) within one week from the day on which you applied for the race.
※Those who live outside Japan cannot apply for civic athletes. Applications via the English website are not acceptable.
For further information,please see here:

Do you need to be a citizen of Osaka to apply for the civic athlete category?

Those who are not citizens of Osaka are also eligible to apply for the category.

What are charity runners?

Charity runners are runners who will participate in the full marathon with the aim of helping people develop a deeper understanding of charitable activities and widening the circle of support.

What should I do to participate as a charity runner?

Please register as a charity runner and you can participate in the race by collecting more than JPY70,000 in donations by widely encouraging people, including your friends and family members, as well as your own donations. For further information, please see here.

What happens if I was unable to collect the minimum amount of donations (JPY 70,000) as a charity runner?

If you are unable to collect the minimum amount of donations (JPY 70,000), you must donate the shortfall yourself. The shortfall to make up your minimum amount of donations (JPY 70,000) would be automatically withdrawn from your credit card registered at the time of application.
(If this takes your credit card over your credit limit and the shortfall cannot be withdrawn, you will be unable to participate in the race. Please check your credit card limit.
※Even if you bow out of the competition for your own reasons, we cannot issue any refund for your donation.

What is the special priority quota for consecutively unsuccessful applicants?

We have a special quota for 3,000 runners, meaning that those who individually applied for the Osaka Marathon 2016 and who also applied for the Osaka Marathons in 2013, 2014 and 2015 but were not selected for all three years consecutively will have the chance to be selected as a priority. If you are not selected for this drawing, you will automatically be included in the eligible applicants for the regular drawing.

Can I apply via postal transfer?

From the 2015 race onward, applications via postal transfer are not acceptable. Please apply online via a smartphone or PC.

I participated in the race last year. I want to apply via MyPage but can’t remember my password.

Please reset your password via the password setting screen.

I want to delete my personal information (MyPage) registered on your website.

You cannot delete information registered on your own.
Please contact us at the Call Center.
(Since it involves your personal information, please ensure you contact us in person.)

I have not received my race details.

The race details will not be sent by post and you must download them by yourself instead. We will send you detailed information via e-mail at the end of September.

I will be unable to go to the registration. Can I have someone do it for me?

No, we cannot accept registration from a substitute who is not an entrant runner. Please note the entrant runner him/herself must come to the registration in person. Moreover, please note that we don’t accept any registrations (issuing number cards) on the race day itself.

If participating in the race for the Pair or Group category, do all members need to go to the registration collectively as a group?

Each group member can perform the registration individually.
Even if the representative person goes to the registration, he or she cannot register for the whole group. Please ensure all members go to the registration in person.

I am visually impaired and will be running with an escort runner.
Do we need to register together?

Yes, please ensure you and your escort runner register together.
Please note that registrations via substitute are not acceptable for either entrant or escort runners.

May I send a substitute to receive my prize for participating in the race?

No, we don’t give them to substitutes.
Please call us at the Call Center after the race.

Will the race be held rain or shine?

Yes, in principle, but if severe weather makes it very difficult to organize the race, we may cancel the event.

How can I confirm whether or not the race will be held?
If it is canceled, will you notify us?

You can confirm whether or not the race will be held as follows:
Please visit our official website on the morning (5:00 a.m. (scheduled)) of the race day.
Announcement method: It will be notified via our official website athttp://www.osaka-marathon.com/

How do you determine the line-up at the start?

To ensure a safe and smooth starting operation, waiting blocks will be set up at the start time, regardless of whether you are a JAAF member or not, according to the certified time on the record certificate submitted when applying for entry.

【Priority order】
① Invited and guest runners
② Time on the record certificate (The time must be recorded at a confirmable race held within the past two years. If it was found to be false report, the entry would be canceled.)
③ Estimated finish time
④ Those who reported neither certified time on the record certificate nor estimated finish time

How do you determine the line-up at the start for Pair and Group categories?

For Pair and Group category runners, all members in the same group start from the same block. Changing the block is not acceptable.
※The line-up position is determined according to the submitted time of the latest runners among the group.

Is any form of support provided for deaf people at the Osaka Marathon, such as a sign language service?

We will station volunteers capable of communicating in sign language at the Information Center during the runners’ registration and start area (within Osaka Castle Park), the Challenge Run finish area (in front of the Osaka City Hall) and the finish area Information Center (INTEX Osaka) on race day. Other staff can also assist by writing messages to communicate.

If I cannot make it to participate on race day, may I send a substitute to run in my place? Or can you refund the entry fee and charity donations?

You cannot transfer your berth to someone else.
If we find out that a substitute is participating in the race, that person will be disqualified and in that case, the event organizer will not issue any compensation. Even if you notify us about being unable to participate in the race, we cannot refund after your application simply for convenience. Thank you for your understanding in advance.

Can you issue a receipt?

No receipt will be issued. Please use the following documents as receipts:【If you pay via credit card】
Please use your credit card statement or the bill issued by your credit card company as your receipt. 【If you pay at a convenience store】
Please use your copy of payment made as your receipt.