Tokyo Yamathon

The Yamathon is a fundraising challenge where teams of two to four people compete to walk or run through Tokyo, visiting all 30 stations of the famous JR Yamanote Line. Teams can also choose to do a half-Yamathon, finishing at Mejiro Station.

Registration

Registration for 2026 has closed — the event’s 1,100-team cap filled ahead of the September 14 deadline. The registration fee was ¥16,000 per team. Check the official site for 2027 registration announcements.

The route

Everyone will start at the Tokia Building (full marathoners will also finish here), only a few minutes from Tokyo Station.

To avoid overcrowding, people will set off in 15-minute intervals.

Important information

• This is a fundraising event, with 100% of your registration fee going to NPO Yokohama Children’s Hospice Project.
• The Yamathon is a unique endeavour in that there is no set course. Basic directions are provided to all participants — part of the navigational challenge is to be creative and take shortcuts provided you visit all 30 Yamanote Line Stations.
• Teams must take a photo at every station to prove that they have completed the Yamathon circle.

The Tokyo Yamathon Board Members are a part of the IVG (International Volunteer Group), a group of volunteers who work together to support charities throughout Japan. IVG is an entirely volunteer-founded group of people from across the globe with a desire to make a real difference.

If you want to get involved, you can sign up to volunteer here.