Realbuzz, the provider of international charity running programmes, has announced a fundraising milestone from its inaugural year as the official international charity partner of the Tokyo Marathon 2026.
During this year’s event in Tokyo, a total of £3,048,741 was raised for charity partners across the globe.
Part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, the Tokyo Marathon takes place annually in March and attracts tens of thousands of participants from across the globe.
The result marks the launch of an international charity programme following a multi-year agreement signed in 2024 between Realbuzz and the Tokyo Marathon Foundation. The partnership marked the first time the Tokyo Marathon charity programme was expanded to international non-profit organisations.
Appointed to deliver the international charity programme, Realbuzz managed runner recruitment, charity partner onboarding, and the end-to-end fundraising journey. The initiative brought together a community of participants supporting over 100 international non-profit organisations.
Nick Hollowood, CEO at Realbuzz, said “Tokyo Marathon is one of the most coveted races in the world and what we’ve seen this year is that ambition to run translating directly into major fundraising impact.
“We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve built alongside the Tokyo Marathon Foundation – over 100 charities now have a foothold in one of the world’s great marathons and the real-world difference that £3 million makes to those causes is what drives everything we do. This is just the beginning.”
Tadaaki Hayano, Chairman and CEO at Tokyo Marathon Foundation, said “The Tokyo Marathon has always been a truly international event, drawing runners from every corner of the world. Welcoming more global participants to our start line is central to our vision for the future, and this partnership has helped us take a meaningful step in that direction.”
According to Realbuzz, the international charity programme demonstrates the strong demand for charity places in major endurance events and provides non-profit partners with access to new international audiences. With the multi-year partnership underway, both organisations plan to expand the programme in the coming years.
www.realbuzz.com
www.marathon.tokyo
