The Tokyo Marathon 2016, now a fixture that colors the capital’s spring, will be held this Sunday, February 28. Many runners should race past Palaceside Building in good form.
This year entries are a little up, at 37,000 athletes. They will take on the full marathon, the 10-kilometer race and the wheelchair marathon.
The full marathon, as usual, starts in front of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in Shinjuku, runs around the Imperial Palace, through office districts, Asakusa, Tsukiji and the waterfront, and finishes at Tokyo Big Sight. Takebashi is 7–8 kilometers from the start, so 10-kilometer run-
ners pass too. Athletes should appear at Takebashi from about 9:30, with a peak around 10:00–10:30. The photo above looks down on Takebashi Crossing from the roof of the west elevator tower (about 50 meters high) in 2014. The photo at right is runners in 2014, shot from the Japan Meteorological Agency toward Palaceside Building.
On the west side of Palaceside Building on the course, from Kijibashi-dori facing the parking exit to Uchibori-dori to the south, vehicles will be barred from about 8:45 a.m. to about 11:30 a.m. (planned hours for other stretches are in the table below). The west parking exit will be closed from 8:00 a.m. to noon. The east entrance will be used for alternating in and out.
To enter the garage, turn right from the north side of Hakusan-dori. To leave the building, go up the east entrance ramp on the second basement and turn left onto Hakusan-dori.
Staff will be posted to guide and keep traffic safe. Please take care when you use it.
