Two of the fastest marathon courses on earth, two very different races. Here's every stat, side by side, to help you pick.
Indicative — based on GPX data. Both courses normalised to start at 0m.
✓ marks the better number on that stat.
Japan's two biggest marathons share a country but not a course profile. Tokyo is a World Marathon Major with a deep net descent (250m) and a 2:02:16 course record; Osaka is a non-Major with its own respectable 2:05:20 mark and a hillier net profile (145m of gain against Tokyo's 195m, but less dramatic net drop).
Osaka is markedly easier to get into — still ballot-entry, but without the global demand that makes Tokyo's lottery so competitive. If Majors status and the fastest course matter most, Tokyo wins; if you want a genuine Japanese marathon experience with better entry odds, Osaka is a strong second capital-city option.