I dont have too much business in Yokohama. But when i do get down there I've always wanted to get the race there done dusted with. 

Barely made it through the rather choppy swim on my second race season, second year of learning how to swim. DEFINITELY not for Triathlon debut or begineers swimmers. Bike ride is pretty technical with many turns and only one bridge climb so i think its great of sprinters. Run was fun with one surprise in the course.

Strongly recommended if you stayed around Tokyo. This probably the best race course for spectators with many chances to catch all the actions. If they get bored, there's great expo, beers, zwift stations or even in season rose gardens.  

I have done a number of age group World Championships but this was the first time I had done an age group race attached to the ITU circuit.  It was an excellent experience.  Yokohama is a very well organized race.  The course is interesting with much of the bike course being done on a working pier and very compact with lots of turns to ensure that there is minimal impact on the surrounding roads.  My cornering skills improved as the race progressed.  The course is 6 laps so you definately need a bike computer or some other way to keep track of laps.  It looked complicated on the map but once out there you can't go wrong (unless you miscount).  There were only 2 -3 times that I felt it was congested and was held up due to athletes around me.  The swim is in a sheltered area but somewhat choppy due to it being a windy day.  It is not pristine ocean swimming but rarely are races in big cities.  It was well marked and there was lots of support on the swim.  The run again was interesting as the course takes racer up a pedestrian pathway and through the water front park with a short out and back onto the pier.  4 out of 5 for registration as you need to get on this very early to secure a spot and even though it is online and in English there are some parts of the process that I recall being uncertiain if I had actually completed things correctly.  The English version of the athlete's guide disappeared from the website (it linked to the elite guide) and it did have some errors (stating 9 laps on the bike and 4 laps of 2.5km on the run).  There were two race briefings in English and the package collection was very quick for out of town athletes.  The athletes guide was e-mailed to those of us who wanted to see it after the race briefing.  Most participants are Japanese so the efforts to accomodate non-Japanese athletes are very much appreciated.  English signs are on the course.

Organizers are quite concerned about safety and implemented a 100m swim check before you went on to the pontoon.  It was nice as it allowed you to adjust to the water, which was a very comforatble temperature.  I took a point off for safety due to all of the corners on the bike course.  It was dry the day we raced but in wet conditions there would have been accidents.  But on a dry day it was just good fun flying around corners.  

If you place in the top 3 the awards are great.  I got a portable charger as a second place athlete which ironically was what I had wanted (but did not get) for my birthday 3 weeks earlier.  

I would highly recommend this race.  Part of the fun is the chance to watch the elites race. 

Living in Tokyo, the Yokohama triathlon is a very easy way to start the new season. 

I appreciated the English web site and athlete guide which oddly disappeared about a week before the event. 

The weather was wet for the briefing and bike check in on Saturday and it made the water in the bay dirty for the race on Sunday. Many people joke about the water quality but as a novice I was just focused on getting the 1.5km done and didn't notice the water other than the fact that it was pretty choppy on the day. The cut off times on the swim are a little tight so this is not an event for a complete novice. There were quite a number of swimmers that were not allowed to go on to the bike and run. 

From the course map I was expecting a slow ride with lots of corners but it was faster than I expected with only two real hair pin turns. The ride is a bit barren, with nothing around the warehouse area and only a limited stretch of great support in front of Yamashita park.

The run was two laps around Yamashita park and great for spectators but the ramp up the foot bridge in the middle is bizarre, but the run down the blue finish straight to the line more than made up for it.

The staggered start times give the event a very relaxed feeling. 

Good location, good crowd, very well organized. 

This race is in the unique location of downtown Yokohama. With that brings postiives and negatives.

The scenery is unique as you get to run, bike and swim in a unique location. The crowds are large and loud. However the swim is difficult and the water is dark and dirty. The bike loop is small so must be completed 6x; some parts are great on main roads with large crowds, while other parts are in the back alleys of the shipping district. The run is nice and mostly consists of loops around Yamashita park.

Overall a great race which I hope to keep coming back to. 

This triathlon enables to discover the beautifull city of Yokohama, a port city offering many green areas. The water may be not deep blue but the run in Parc Yamashita is wonderfull mixing historical place of Akarenga with the green of the parc. Many supportive people for this Triathlon Matsuri, lasting all the week-end.

I love it because Yokohama is my home town. I cannot imagine racing in the centeral of Yokohama City. This is very exciting. 

However as a race, it might not be great for everyone. Course is very different from the Pros' one. It is also flat but many very technical curves that not great if you love speed. Water is muddy and not clean. Organizer are doing pretty well but seems to have difficulty to control massive participants. 

Great location for those living in Tokyo as very easy to get to.

Great crowd support and atmosphere in the centre of Yokohama.

Swim is a not great, bike is a bit tricky with a few hairpins, run is along the water front and park.

Chinese lunch after is a must.

Unless you can communicate in Japanese, read the athlete guide with a fine tooth comb.  It will be tough to ask someone where registration is or what time can you retrieve your bike, etc. 

Swim was more challenging than expected.  Exciting 6 loop bike course.  Important to keep track of loops or use a watch/computer.  Not alot of time in the aerobars due to many turns.  The run course was confusing.  I missed the turn in on the 3rd lap because it wasn't clearly marked (in english, at least). 

Overall, a convenient race to do from Tokyo.