On September 30, 2025, the Kyoto Marathon Executive Committee announced the results of the runner recruitment for the Kyoto Marathon 2026, to be held on February 15, 2026. The lottery ratio was 2.7 times, an increase from the previous event. Applications from both Japan and abroad poured in after Nintendo (Minami Ward, Kyoto City) announced its sponsorship on September 12.
The Kyoto Marathon has been held since 2012, and the lottery ratio reached a record high of 4.5 times in 2019. However, due to an increase in entry fees and a decrease in the number of runners, the ratio fell to 1.6 times in 2023. In 2024, the ratio was 1.8 times, and at the previous event in 2025, it was 2.1 times.
This year's event had a capacity of 12,798 runners, but 34,987 people applied. After Nintendo's sponsorship was announced and the name of the race was announced to be "SUPER MARIO BROS. 40TH Kyoto Marathon 2026," the number of daily applicants soared to about 850 people (approximately five times the previous number). A total of 2,386 applications were accepted for overseas runners, who are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis up to a maximum of 4,000 people, and after Nintendo's sponsorship was announced, the number of daily applicants jumped to about 16 times the previous number (approximately 110 people).
The Kyoto City Civic Sports Promotion Office, which serves as the event's secretariat, stated, "The response from overseas was particularly strong, and it once again brought home to us just how well-known Mario is."
There were 1,628 applications for the "Pair Ekiden" race (capacity 460 people), a 42.195-kilometer race between two people, with a 3.5-to-1 ratio, exceeding the previous race's 2.8-to-1 ratio.
The results of the lottery will be notified to all applicants on October 24th.
