International programme unites runners from across the globe with over 100 charity partners
realbuzz, the world’s leading provider of charity running programmes, has announced a major fundraising milestone from its inaugural year as the official international charity partner of the Tokyo Marathon 2026, with a total of £3,048,741 raised for charity partners worldwide.
Part of the prestigious Abbott World Marathon Majors, the Tokyo Marathon is one of the world’s most in-demand mass participation events, taking place annually in March and attracting tens of thousands of runners from across the globe.
The result marks a highly successful launch for the international charity programme, following a multi-year partnership agreement signed in 2024 between realbuzz and the Tokyo Marathon Foundation to take the event’s charity programme to international charities for the first time.
Appointed to deliver the international charity programme, realbuzz was responsible for recruiting runners, onboarding charity partners and managing the end-to-end fundraising experience.
The programme brought together a global community of runners supporting over 100 international charities, connecting participants from multiple markets and creating a truly international fundraising platform around the Tokyo Marathon.
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, 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.”
The £3M+ raised highlights the growing importance of international charity programmes within major mass participation events. The programme demonstrated the strong global demand for charity places in world-class races, the effectiveness of structured and fully supported fundraising journeys and the opportunity to scale charity participation beyond domestic markets.
For charities, the programme provided access to new global audiences and high-value fundraising opportunities. For the Tokyo Marathon, it enhanced international reach while deepening purpose-driven engagement aligned with its global positioning.
The success of the programme positions the Tokyo Marathon as an increasingly important platform within the global charity running landscape and reinforces realbuzz’s role as a leading partner in delivering international fundraising growth. With a multi-year partnership now well underway, both organisations are well positioned to expand the programme further in the years ahead.
