The Honolulu Marathon race began in 1973. During period from 1973-1978, the Honolulu Marathon doubled in size every year. In 1995, the Honolulu Marathon enjoyed the distinction of being the world's largest marathon when it drew 34,434 entrants and had 27,022 finishers.
That growth, like the growth of long-distance running itself, came about not from an interest in competition, but from a quest for personal longevity and an enhanced quality of life. At the forefront of the growth of the Honolulu Marathon was cardiologist Jack Scaff, one of the first physicians to prescribe running as therapy for heart disease.
In recent years, the majority of entrants have been visitors from Japan. Japan Air Lines has been the title sponsor of the race since 1985, and four of the five supporting or contributing sponsors are Japanese companies (the only American sponsor is Nike, and the Saturn Corporation has been the official car supplier since 2007). In 2006, 17,905 of the total 28,637 entries were from Japan, which made up nearly 62.5 percent of the field.