FAQ's

The Yamathon is a community impact fund raising challenge organized by International Volunteer Group (IVG) - Japan, where teams of two to four people walk around the 30 stations of Tokyo’s JR Yamanote line, in less than 12 hours, and take pictures of their team at each one of the stations. The Yamanote line is Japan’s busiest and most important commuter rail line which circles the capital.

Full Yamathon: Start and finish: Tokyo Building TOKIA (Marunouchi) Half Yamathon: Start: Tokyo TOKIA Building (Marunouchi) Finish: JR Mejiro Station Half-a-half Yamathon: Start: Tokyo Building TOKIA (Marunouchi) Finish: JR Osaki Station (New West Exit)

The Yamathon is not a running event, therefore, we do not encourage running. If you do jog, please follow the traffic rules whenever necessary. Obey all traffic laws and traffic signals. Obey any instructions given by police. There will be no road closures and teams will use the everyday pavements (sidewalks) of Tokyo alongside other road users. You must follow our safety guidelines and all team members must finish together as a team.

FULL YAMATHON: At a gentle walking pace it takes about 12 hours, depending on how well your team plan the route and other factors, i.e., breaks, weather. HALF YAMATHON: It is approximately 21kms to JR Mejiro Station. It should take 5 to 6 hours at a gentle walking pace. HALF-A-HALF YAMATHON: This route is approximately 12km and finishes at JR Ōsaki Station (New West Exit). It usually takes about 2.5 to 3.5 hours to complete at a gentle pace. Ideal for families, beginners, or those looking for a lighter challenge—this is a fun, achievable way to be part of the Yamathon experience!

Smartphone users will be sent an online Google map before the event. However, the suggested route is really just a guide to help you plan a course. You are allowed to make as many shortcuts as long as you visit all 30 stations. Part of the challenge is navigating for yourself!

Full Yamathon Approx. 38–44km, starting and finishing at Tokyo Building TOKIA. Route length depends on the path you choose—shortcuts are encouraged as long as you take a photo at all 30 stations! Half Yamathon Approx. 22km from Tokyo Building TOKIA to JR Mejiro Station. Visit and photograph 15 designated stations. Half-a-Half Yamathon Approx. 12km from Tokyo Building TOKIA to JR Osaki Station (New West Exit), with photos at 7 key stations. Great for families and first-timers!

The 12-hour goal is just a guideline. As long as you finish before the final cut-off time for your course (21:30 for Full, 16:30 for Half, 14:00 for Half-a-Half), you’re absolutely fine. Even if you don’t reach the goal in time, you’re still part of the Yamathon experience—no one gets disqualified. It’s about the journey, not the stopwatch!

For Tokyo Yamathon entry, we use WebScorer to manage all event registrations. WebScorer is a widely-used platform for race and endurance event sign-ups, offering participants an easy way to register, handle payments, and access event details. Please note: WebScorer is not an IVG Japan service. Like many other events around the world, we use WebScorer to streamline registration, but we do not own or manage the platform and do not have access to your personal registration data. By logging into WebScorer, you can make changes to your team—this includes adding or removing members as needed. If you need additional support, please submit your request through your WebScorer registration page. Since we do not have access to their internal systems, we cannot guarantee a timely or satisfactory response—this is entirely up to the WebScorer team. WebScorer also manages all payment processing. If you encounter any issues with payments or need a receipt, please contact WebScorer’s support team directly at support@webscorer.com. They offer free email and phone support. You’ve already paid a fee to use WebScorer’s registration and timing system—so make the most of it and take advantage of the tools and support available to you!

For safety reasons (overcrowding on footpaths, etc.) , the team size is limited to a maximum of 4 people. We realize that it may be a problem for some people to get a team of 4 people together, so to make it easier to join our event you can even apply with 2 members! The Yamathon is a team event, therefore we do not accept individual entries for the event. We have implemented this since the beginning of the Yamathon and we have this requirement in place to ensure participant safety.

The event entry fee per team is 14,000 yen. The entire amount of this donation will be distributed to 4 vetted NPOs for their community impact projects. We carefully review and select projects to support with the annual Yamathon event produced by IVG-Japan.

Entries must be received by 19:00, Wednesday, 10 September, 2025.

Founded in 2007, we are a group of English-speaking volunteers. Yes we are international – from Japan, UK, Canada, India, US, Australia, and a host of other countries. Yes, we are volunteers – we work hard to come up with fantastic ideas to raise funds for people and projects that need them.

Our vision at International Volunteer Group - Japan is to cultivate a brighter tomorrow through our events and fundraising projects, both locally and globally. With a focus on three core pillars - Environment, Health and Well-being, and Social Development - we aim to inspire positive change and empowerment for future generations. Through our initiatives, we envision a world where sustainability, wellness, and social cohesion thrive, ensuring a prosperous and inclusive future for all.

The International Volunteer Group of Japan (IVG) is dedicated to leveraging resources and mobilizing support for projects that champion the well-being and prosperity offuture generations both within Japan and across the globe. With a steadfast commitment to three core pillars – Environment Preservation, Health and Well-being, and Social Development – we strive to cultivate positive change and empower communities.