The Osaka Marathon runs through Osaka's tourist attractions such as Osaka Castle and Dotonbori, Japan's largest citizens' marathon. This year's competition is scheduled to take place on February 2024, 2, and applications for runners have started.
On the other hand, at the tournament held in February 25, which was held due to the Corona disaster, the number of participants was "short" for the first time, and the second round of recruitment was held. One of the challenges for this year's event is to secure general runners.

(Osaka Broadcasting Station Reporter Bartenstein Nagaokami / Osaka Broadcasting Station Reporter Haruka Tama )

Recruitment begins: The capacity of the full marathon is 3,2000

The Osaka Marathon is the largest citizens' marathon in Japan, and since 2022, which has been integrated with the Biwako Mainichi Marathon, it has been a competition in which Japan's top athletes participate.

The 2024 Games also serve as a selection race for the men's marathon team for the Paris Olympics in the same year.

Recruitment of runners begins September 9 and is open online until 26 p.m. on October 10.

The capacity of the full marathon is 15,5 people.

Last time, the capacity was not met for the first time, and the second recruitment was carried out.

At the last competition in February 2023, the general runner division, which had not been held due to the influence of the new coronavirus, was also held for the first time in four years. 2,4 people participated, which was almost at capacity.

In past competitions, the multiplier exceeded 2 times, but last time, the number of applicants was below the capacity for the first time, so we held a second round of recruitment.

"The reason for the decrease in applicants" Survey of runners and others

Groups such as Kansai University surveyed runners and volunteers who participated in the 2023 Games with multiple responses to determine the reasons for the decline in applicants.

As a result,
93.7% of respondents answered "because the participation fee has been raised from past tournaments," followed
by
"because there is a possibility that the tournament will be canceled as in the previous year due to the corona disaster" at 73.3%.
▼ 34.3% of respondents said that it was because there were no more slots for pairs or groups.

The Osaka Marathon was previously held in February 2022, and due to the spread of the new coronavirus, general runners were abruptly canceled from participating.

The research group pointed out that runners
may hesitate to participate because the event may be canceled even if they pay the fee, or
they may choose a race based on a comparison of the participation fee and whether the course is easy to record.

Will the increase in the entry fee affect you?

The
entry fee for general runners of the Osaka Marathon full marathon was 2019,1 yen in 800, but it has risen to 2023,1
yen in 7200.
▼ The 2024 tournament is 1,7000 yen.

Near Osaka Castle, when I asked a runner ...

General runner "I can't go out because the entry fee is expensive, although if it is 3000 yen, it will come out" Another general runner

"Another citizen marathon has a participation fee of about 7000 yen, so it may be a little expensive"

By the way,

marathons in various places are
▼ Tokyo Marathon is 1,6500 yen (2024), Kobe Marathon is 1,6200 yen (2023), and Kyoto Marathon is 1,8000 yen (2024),


and prices are on the rise.

Organizing Committee "Corona countermeasures and strengthening of security make it difficult to reduce prices"

The Osaka Marathon Organizing Committee says that it will be difficult to significantly reduce the participation fee.

Katsumi Nishiuchi, secretary general of the organizing committee, said, "In addition to corona countermeasures, personnel costs are rising due to the strengthening of security, such as cases where explosives were found at overseas competitions, so we will ask the participants to bear some burden."

Course review and ways to enhance the attractiveness of the tournament

The Organising Committee reviewed the course for the 2024 tournament in order to enhance the attractiveness of the tournament.

To make it easier to make good records, we reduced the number of points to turn around on a U-turn from five to three.

We also reduced the ups and downs of the Uemachi Plateau, which was around 5 kilometers.

In addition, to make it easier for the general public to participate, we have revived the short course of 7.2 km, and also made it possible to participate in pairs and groups.

There is also a water supply and school lunch corner where you can enjoy Osaka's food, and they devised a way to make it a competition that runners can choose.

Secretary General Nishiuchi of the Organizing Committee said, "There will be events that will be revived for the first time in five or six years, and I think you will be able to enjoy Osaka to the fullest while running, so please apply."