The Yokohama Marathon, which has a history of 33 years, will transform into a much-awaited full marathon race on March 15, 2015."Yokohama Marathon 2015," which expects to have about 25,000 runners, will be the third-largest marathon event in Japan in which members of the general public can take part, after the Tokyo Marathon and the Osaka Marathon.

The upcoming Yokohama Marathon will use a course that passes many tourist spots, with the latter half of the course also including part of an expressway. Thus participants can fully enjoy the views of places like Yokohama Bay Bridge, the Port of Yokohama and high-rise buildings in central Yokohama. Entry applications are currently being accepted, and there are 500 first-come, first-served slots for non-Japanese participants from overseas.

Yokohama, located roughly 30 kilometers south of Tokyo, is a tourist city that has developed around the Port of Yokohama, and is abundant in water and greenery. The port city is also characterized by an exotic mood of foreign influence, as seen by Yokohama Chinatown and historical Western-style residences in the Yamate area.

Yokohama is also known for sports activities, hosting professional baseball, soccer and basketball teams. It was also the venue for a World Triathlon Series event five times, and has hosted an international women's marathon every year. In 2002, the final match of the FIFA World Cup soccer tournament was held in Yokohama.

A growing number of people have recently been seen enjoying jogging or marathon runs amid the beautiful scenery of Yokohama. Some of the people who come to Yokohama to participate in international conferences at Pacifico Yokohama, a large-scale convention center, also take the opportunity to do some jogging in the morning while taking in the sea breeze. Both foreigners and Japanese alike appear to find it attractive to jog in Yokohama, which has few slopes, while enjoying its scenery marked by abundant water and greenery around the port area.

Yokohama Marathon Organizing Committee Administrative Office:http://www.yokohamamarathon.jp/2015/en/

Yokohama Tourism Information Website

(English):http://www.yokohamajapan.com/

(Chinese):http://www.welcomeyokohama.com/tc/

Source: Yokohama Convention & Visitors Bureau