Also useful for when you’re
watching sports at home

Look at the map and cheer on the athletes!

Paralympic Marathon
Highlights Map

Paralympic Marathon Course
Course elevation view

September 5, 2021 (Sun.)
Olympic Stadium Start(Japan National Stadium)

FinishWheelchair Class T54 (Men)Start Time: 6:30
Wheelchair Class T54 (Women)
Start Time: 6:40
Visual Impairment Class T12 (Men/Women)
Start Time: 6:50

@Tokyo 2020

Upper Limb Amputation/Upper Limb Deficiency
Class T46 (Men)Start Time: 6:50

D

@Tokyo 2020

C
A
Olympic Stadium (Japan National Stadium)
Copyright: JAPAN SPORTS COUNCIL

Information about the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic
Marathon is available on the following
websites.
Be sure to check it out!

Kokuritsu-kyogijo Station

Tokyo Metropolitan
Estimated time runners will passby Station
Shinanomachi
Gymnasium

A

Information about watching the race along the roadside
Please see here for the latest information.
(Official website of the Tokyo Organising
Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games)
https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/en/paralympics/

Official website of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government
Paralympic Marathon PR leaflet (Japanese)
https://www.2020games.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/taikaijyunbi/
kanren/para_marathon_pr/index.html

B
Tokyo Metropolitan
Gymnasium

A

Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic GamesCOVID-19 Countermeasures (Japanese)
https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/ja/paralympics/
news/road-to-t2020

Kokuritsu-kyogijo Station
Shinanomachi Station

Olympic Stadium(Japan National Stadium)B

5km

about 6:40-6:55

about 7:05-7:15

10km

about 6:50-7:10

Jingu Stadium
about 7:25-7:40

15km

about 7:00-7:20

about 7:40-8:05

20km

about 7:10-7:35

about 8:00-8:25

25km

about 7:20-7:50

about 8:15-8:50
Minato City Office

30km

about 7:30-8:05

about 8:30-9:15

about 7:40-8:20
35km Temple
Zojojiabout 8:45-9:40

about 7:50-8:30

about 9:05-10:00

A At the Start / Finish

Masuda-san and
Hanaoka-san
introduce their pick ofrace highlights!

BTokyoAroundShiba Park
Metropolitan
Gymnasium

Comments by Nobukazu Hanaoka:
In the wheelchair marathon, crashes can occur if
the athletes group together, but the greatest danger
occurs at the start of the race, followed by just before
the finish. When the race starts/finishes in a stadium,
you can see exciting scenes of the athletes jostlingfor position at the entrance/exit of the marathon gate
and the athletes flowing into the stadium at the finish.

A
Olympic Stadium (Japan National Stadium)
Copyright: JAPAN SPORTS COUNCIL

Editor/Publisher: Coordination Section, Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games Division,
Bureau of Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 Preparation
2-8-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 163-8001 Japan
TEL: 03-5388-2496

Tokyo Metropolitan
Gymnasium

A
Akemi MASUDA

Nobukazu HANAOKA

Sports Journalist /President, Japan Para Athletics

Paralympian /Tokyo Paralympic Support Ambassador

Kokuritsu-kyogijo Station
Shinanomachi Station

Kokuritsu-kyogijo Station
Shinanomachi Station

Olympic Stadium(Japan National Stadium)

B

Jingu Stadium

B

Comments by Akemi Masuda:
Look at the course elevation view at the top
left-hand side of the map! Except for the downhill
Olympic Stadiumslope early on and the uphill slope in the later stages,(JapanNational
Stadium)the course is continuously flat. After runningpast
thefamous sights of Zojoji Temple, Shiba Toshogu
Shrine, and Tokyo Tower, the athletes reach the 25
km turnaround point. With the change in wind
Jingu Stadium
direction, this is the point where race action begins to
Shiba Park/courtesy of Minato City
heat up. For here on, you cannot look away!

Tokyo Tower
Minato City Office

Zojoji Temple

Zojojimae

Shiba ParkTokyo Tower
Minato City Office

CTokyo Tower
C Around Nijubashi Bridge

40km

Shiba Park

Minato City OfficeC

Zojoji
TempleComments by Akemi
Masuda:Zojojimae
With the early morning start, most of the course
will berun in the shade, but at this location, there are nobuildings to block the sun’s rays. (If the weather is sunny)
the athletes will have to battle not only their mounting
exhaustion but also the direct sunlight. Which of theathletes will be able to catapult into an advantageousParkposition during the uphill climb Shibafrom the 37
km mark—the
final challenge awaiting them? Strategic maneuvering
Nijubashi Bridge/courtesy of Chiyoda City
among athletes is sure to set off fireworks.
Kokyo Gaien
National Garden
Nijubashi Bridge

Zojojimae@Tokyo 2020

Jingu Stadium

Information about traffic regulations due toParalympic marathon
https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/en/paralympics/
notices/tra-paralympic-marathon(Men/Women)

Olympic StadiumUpper Limb Amputation/Upper
Deficiency Class T46 (Men)(Japan NationalLimb
Stadium)(Men/Women)

Tokyo Tower

Official website of the Tokyo Organising Committeeof the Olympic and Paralympic Games
Introduction of events (Athletics/Marathon)
https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/en/paralympics/sports/
athletics/

The kumi-ichimatsumon harmonized checkered emblem of theTokyo 2020 Paralympic Games shown on the front covercombines three differently shaped types of rectangles andrepresents differences among countries, cultures, and ways ofthinking. Recognizing and overcoming differences to createconnections, this design embodies the message of diversity andharmony.

Visual Impairment Class T12
Wheelchair Class T54

Kokyo Gaien
National
Garden
D An upward
slope from the 37 km markNijubashimae Station

Nijubashi Bridge

Comments by Nobukazu Hanaoka:
Having raced the first half of the marathon at
Nijubashimae
speeds exceeding 40 km per hour, the Wheelchair
Sakuradamon
Class athletes
end their long battle only to have to
face a long, gentle slope on the return trip, followed
by a 150 m steep upward slope at the 40 km mark ina true face-off. Their physical and mental strength
depleted, it will surely be the athlete who canHibiya
controlStationand surmount this ultimate challenge who will claim
the gold medal!

Iidabashi Station
Nijubashimae Station
Nijubashimae

Sakuradamon

Hibiya Station

Tokyo Station

Kagurazaka-Hill

D
Sotobori ParkTokyo Station

What kind of event is the Paralympic Marathon?

For the Paralympic Marathon, athletes are divided into classes according to the factors oftype and level of impairment and motor function. For the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Marathon,
five races will be held with athletes divided into three classes. All five races will follow thesame course.
On September 5 (Sun.), the final day of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, the athletes will set
off from the Olympic Stadium (Japan National Stadium) on the 42.195 km marathon course
and along the route pass by some of Tokyo’s most appealing and famous landmarks
symbolizing Japanese culture and history.

Wheelchair Class T54 (Men/Women)This marathon race became an oﬃcial
Paralympic event at the 1984 Summer
Paralympics held in New York (USA) / Stoke
Mandeville (UK). Using competition
wheelchairs called racing wheelchairs,
athletes with lower limb impairments will raceat powerful speeds averaging 30 km per hour
but reaching as fast as 50 km per hour going
down slopes. Watch out for the athletes’
various strategies, including tactics ofrunning in groups from the start and carefully
timing their spurts.

Introducing Athletes to Watch For▶Tomoki SUZUKI

Wheelchair Class

Born in 1994 in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, Tomoki Suzuki sustained
spinal cord injuries in a traﬃc accident at eight months of age. He
competes in both track and marathon events. Taking advantage of
his characteristic sprinting strength, he placed third in thewheelchair division at the 2019 World Para Athletics
Championships, becoming the first athlete selected to represent
Japan at the Tokyo 2020
Paralympic Games inathletics. He won the Tokyo
Marathon 2020 in a time of
1:21:52, which was a newmeet record. His favorite
motto is “Create your own
future.”Photograph courtesy of Japan Para Athletics▶Tsubasa KINA
©Photo Kishimoto

Visual Impairment Class T12 (Men/Women)This marathon race became an oﬃcial
Paralympic event at the 1988 Summer
Paralympics held in Seoul, ROK. Totally
visually impaired runners pair up with guiderunners to run the race together, while
profoundly visually impaired runners choose
to run either independently or with a guiderunner. As they are racing, each athlete andtheir guide runner hold onto the ends of arope called a tether (commonly known as
kizuna in Japanese) that keeps them together.
A highlight of this race is seeing the teamwork
between the athletes and their guide runners.

Wheelchair Class

Born in 1990 in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, Tsubasa Kina became
wheelchair-bound after sustaining injuries in an accident duringbasketball training when she was 19 years of age. She took up thewheelchair marathon in 2013, competing in her first full marathon in2016 and setting a women’s national record at the 2019 Oita
International Wheelchair Marathon (1:35:50). As of June 2021, she isranked fourth in the world.

As of July 26, 2021

▶Wakako TSUCHIDA

Wheelchair Class

Born in 1974 in Tokyo, Japan, Wakako Tsuchida became
wheelchair-bound after sustaining injuries in a traﬃc accident when she
was a second-year high school student.
She took up sports as part of physical therapy and competed in the ice
sledge race at the 1994 Paralympic Winter Games in Lillehammer,
Norway. At the 1998 Paralympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan, she
won four medals. In 1999, she switched to athletics, winning a gold medalin the 5,000 meters and a silver
medal in the marathon at the2004 Summer Paralympics inAthens, Greece. She is Japan’s
first gold medalist at both theSummer and Winter Paralympic
Games. The Tokyo 2020
Paralympic Marathon will mark
Wakako’s eighth Paralympics
competition, counting both
Summer and Winter Games. She
is a “Mama Athlete” whomasterfully balances competingin sports and child-raising.
Photograph courtesy of Japan Para Athletics▶Yutaka KUMAGAI

Visual Impairment Class

Born in 1987 in Akita Prefecture, Japan, Yutaka Kumagai hascongenital aniridia, a condition that impairs the eyes’ ability toadjust to light and causes reduced vision.
He began athletics in junior high school and competed in ekiden
road relays while at university. He quit competing for a while but
returned after changing jobs in 2017. With ample amounts oftraining, he won numerous
championships and set a new
Asian record time (2:25:11) at
the Fukuoka International
Open Marathon
Championship 2019.
Sometimes running around
1,300 km in a month, he is anathlete with physical strengthand endurance.

Photograph courtesy of Japan Para Athletics©Photo Kishimoto▶Tadashi HORIKOSHI Visual Impairment Class▶Mihoko NISHIJIMA

Visual Impairment Class▶Misato MICHISHITA Visual Impairment Class

Tadashi Horikoshi was born in 1988 in Nagano Prefecture, Japan.
Congenital retinoblastoma resulted in the removal of his right eye ininfancy (ocular prosthesis inserted) and low vision in his left eye(round 0.03). He competed in middle and long distance events atthe 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, China, and the 2012
Summer Paralympics in London, UK. Subsequently, he switched tomarathon running, placing
fourth at the 2016 Summer
Paralympics in Rio deJaneiro, Brazil. He won the2020 Hofu Yomiuri Marathon
in a time of 2:22:28, which
established a new Asian
record. He also competes inchampionships for sighted
runners as a runner on acompany sports team. His
nickname is Hoorii.

Born in 1955 in Fukui Prefecture, Japan, Mihoko Nishijima has low
vision with visual acuity of 0.02 in both eyes. Influenced by herhusband, she began running marathons at the age of 44 years andtook on her first full marathon at the age of 46. At the age of 48, she
set a personal best (3:11:33) in the Osaka Women’s Marathon. As avision impaired female marathon runner, she is also a pioneer who
has opened the way for those
who have followed. After notfinishing at the 2016 Summer
Paralympics in Rio deJaneiro, Brazil, she vowed tomake a comeback.
Her favorite motto is “Nevergive up!”

Born in 1977 in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, Misato Michishita
developed corneal dystrophy in grade 4 of elementary school, losing
the sight in her right eye in year two of middle school andsubsequently sustaining diminished vision in her left eye as well.
After initially competing in middle distance races in Japan, sheswitched to marathon running in her 30s. Just 144 cm tall, she useda pitch running method thattakes advantage of her petite
physique to win a silver medal
at the 2016 Summer
Paralympics in Rio deJaneiro, Brazil. In 2020, she
broke her own world record
twice, achieving theremarkable time of 2:54:13.
Her nickname is Micchan.

©Shota OUCHI/Photo Kishimoto

Photograph courtesy of The Fukui Shimbun Company©Photo Kishimoto▶Shinya WADA

Visual Impairment Class

Born in 1977 in Osaka Prefecture, Japan, Shinya Wada wasdiagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa when he was in high school,losing his vision completely while at university. He continued his
studies using Braille and went on to graduate school, after which heworked full time at a Braille library. During this time, he beganparticipating in training sessions with a running team, leading him totake up competing in earnest
at the age of 28 years. He is
Japan’s top vision impaired
runner in the T11 Class (severe
visual impairment). Utilizing his
dual abilities in track and the
marathon, he also competed in
the 2016 Summer Paralympics
in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In thesame year, he set a personal
best of 2:32:11 at the Fukuoka
International Open Marathon
Championship. His favorite
motto is “Onwards.”©Photo Kishimoto▶Yumiko FUJII

Visual Impairment Class

Born in 1964 in Shiga Prefecture, Japan, Yumiko FUJII took up
running when she joined her junior high school’s athletics club.
Beginning with middle-distance running, she gradually increased
her running distance to eventually take up the marathon. She
started out as a citizen runner, initially wanting simply to enjoy
running, but in her late 40s, she competed in an international meetfor the first time.
Subsequently, she steadily
improved her running time,breaking her personal best by
more than 4 minutes when
she placed second at the2020 Hofu Yomiuri Marathon
in a time of 3:09:48. Whilesavoring the joy of running,
she will turn all the gratitude
she feels for everyone’s
support into energy as she
takes on the marathon race.
©Photo Kishimoto▶Tsutomu NAGATA
Upper Limb Amputation/Upper Limb Deficiency Class
Born in 1984 in Niigata Prefecture, Japan, Tsutomu Nagata
sustained serious damage to his right arm in a work accident when
he was 26 years old.
In 2020, he underwent the necessary disability classification forcompeting in the Tokyo
Paralympics, and in 2021, hefinished the 76th Lake Biwa
Mainichi Marathon in a new
Asian record time of 2:25:23.
He describes himself as the“Most Persistent Man inJapan.”

Photograph courtesy of Japan Para Athletics©Photo Kishimoto

Upper Limb Amputation/Upper Limb Deficiency Class T46 (Men)Column on the Seven Cities
along the Marathon Route

Since becoming an oﬃcial Paralympic
event at the 1996 Paralympic Games inAtlanta, USA, this marathon race has been
held at every Paralympic Games, except forthe 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens,
Greece. This is a race for athletes with an
upper limb amputation or upper limb
functional impairment. Each runner uses
ingenious techniques to maintain balanceand grab water bottles and sponges as theyrace by.

In Shinjuku City, the marathon course passes through Kagurazaka, ahistory-rich area dating back to the Edo period (1603–1868). In the middle of
Kagurazaka-dori Street, which intersects with Sotobori-dori Avenue, stands
Zenkoku-ji Temple, which is dedicated to the god Bishamonten. One of
Kagurazaka’s most representative spots, the temple is believed to bestow
wealth, good fortune, and good luck in competition. Moreover, the stonepaving and elegant buildings give you a taste of gorgeous world of thee highlights
We learned th
the race.
for each leg ofgeisha. Kagurazaka-odori, in which geisha entertainers present their daily
training to the public, was the first Community Cultural Property to be
designated by Shinjuku City.

©Photo KishimotoT o p ic s
Racing Wheelchairs

Guide Runners

This competition wheelchair was developed
for high-speed racing. R&D is being carriedout to produce racers that are highly durable
yet lightweight and fast using new materials,
such as carbon and magnesium. Athletes
customize their racing wheelchairs throughrepeated trial-and-error during daily training
so that the two become one, doing battle incompetition as partners.

These runners race alongside vision impaired
athletes to convey information to them, such as
the course conditions and direction in which
they are running. Matching their breathing, armand leg motion, and feelings to those of theathlete they are accompanying, guide runners
are an essential presence, becoming theathlete’s perfect partner and guiding them to thefinish line. Up to two guide runners may beregistered per athlete (alternating part-way
through the race), but at the Paralympics, if
there is only one guide runner registered and theathlete wins a medal, the guide runner also
receives a medal.

Chiyoda CityOf the entire marathon course, 9.46 km passes through Chiyoda City. In
particular, the Jinbocho Intersection is a spot through which the race passes
three times—in the early, middle, and late stages—and where you can fully
experience the thrill of the marathon event, with the runners changing orderand making tactical moves. Furthermore, the route passes by numerous sitesthat can be said to be Tokyo landmarks, such as Jinbocho’s streets packed
with second-hand bookstores, Kokyo Gaien National Garden, and Nijubashi
Bridge, so why not experience the white-hot emotion and excitement of therace as well as the appeal of Chiyoda City?!

(Men)(Women)Visual Impairment Class T12(Men)(Women)Photograph courtesy of Shinjuku City

Upper Limb Amputation/Upper Limb Deficiency Class T46(Men)

The huge, highly visible white dome near Suidobashi Station is used as avenue for baseball games and other sporting events, as well as concerts andother cultural activities. Together with the Bunkyo Civic Center, the dome
generates festivity as a city landmark. The surrounding area has many
commercial and recreation facilities that can be enjoyed by people of all
ages.

Record the name of the athlete you are cheering for!
Photograph courtesy of Chiyoda City

Chuo City

Photograph courtesy of Tokyo Dome Corporation

Name of Athlete

Class

Predicted Time

Recorded Time

Taito City

Near Nihonbashi Bridge, which even today serves as the point from which
all distances from Tokyo to the outer-lying cities are measured, the athletes
will pass through the Nihonbashi Intersections a total of three times, at the 10km, 20 km, and 28 km marks. Here you can cheer on the runners while
enjoying the history-rich scenery. In addition, the central street passing
through the internationally renowned Ginza shopping district—home tonumerous department stores, as well as high-end domestic and foreign
boutiques—provides clear views, and the sight of the athletes running
through this streetscape is sure to leave a lasting impression.

In Taito City, the marathon route will pass through the Asakusabashi,
Kuramae, and Asakusa districts. The highlight will be seeing the runners passthrough Asakusa, a sightseeing spot that is popular both throughout Japanand overseas. The sight of the runners racing past the huge red lantern at the
impressive Asakusa Kaminarimon Gate will be a moment that could rarely bewitnessed ordinarily.

MemoMinato City

©Photo Kishimoto

Wheelchair Class T54

Bunkyo City

Photograph courtesy of Taito City

Photograph courtesy of Chuo City

©Photo Kishimoto

Record the winning time!

Shinjuku City

Shibuya City

With the aim of fostering an atmosphere supportive of the Tokyo 2020
Olympics and Paralympics, as well as realize a community inclusive society
through sports in which many people, from children to the elderly, canparticipate regardless of nationality or presence/absence of impairment,
Minato City established the Minato City Half Marathon in December 2018.
This event starts from Shiba Park and finishes at Tokyo Tower, following ahighly appealing route in-between. For details, please see the Minato City
website.

Tokyo is the first city in history to host the Summer Paralympics twice. But
did you know that Shibuya City is the only place to actually be hosting theParalympics for the second time? The Tokyo 1964 Paralympic games were
held at seven venues. All sporting venues, the venues for the opening andclosing ceremonies, and even the athletes’ village were located in Shibuya
City. At the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, Shibuya City will be the stage for not
only Table Tennis and Athletics—which were also held in Shibuya City in
1964—but also Wheelchair Rugby, Badminton, and the Marathon.
Photograph courtesy of Minato City

© JPSA