PICKLR Tokyo Toyosu Opens Seven-Court Japan Venue

PICKLR TOKYO TOYOSU opened on 25 September with seven indoor courts, the US club brand’s first permanent Japanese site, run by Nippon Pickleball Holdings.

The short answer: PICKLR TOKYO TOYOSU opened on 25 September with seven dedicated indoor hard courts, with general access from 1 October. Operated by Nippon Pickleball Holdings, the roughly 20,000-square-foot venue is the US club brand’s first permanent location in Japan, with locker rooms, a lounge, a pro shop and event space, built to PICKLR and PPA Tour standards.

Japan’s pickleball infrastructure took another significant step on September 25 as PICKLR TOKYO TOYOSU opened its seven-court indoor facility in Tokyo, giving the US-based club brand its first permanent foothold in Japan and adding another purpose-built home for a sport still largely accustomed to shared spaces.

By Fabrizio Lavezzari, Japan Correspondent

Japan’s rapidly developing pickleball scene added another major venue on September 25 with the opening of PICKLR TOKYO TOYOSU, a seven-court indoor facility in Tokyo.

The opening follows several new pickleball facilities that have appeared across Japan this year and is another sign of the sport’s gradual transition from public gymnasiums and shared spaces towards a more established infrastructure of dedicated venues.

For PICKLR, Toyosu represents its first permanent foothold in Japan. Operated by Nippon Pickleball Holdings, the approximately 20,000-square-foot facility features seven indoor hard courts built to PICKLR and PPA Tour standards, together with locker rooms, a lounge, pro shop and event space.

I first interviewed Kenton Stehr, President and CEO of Nippon Pickleball Holdings, almost exactly a year ago at his Tokyo office. At the time, the project was still taking shape, although Stehr told me that he was close to finalising the location for the first club.

Attending the opening ceremony a year later therefore provided an interesting opportunity to see how that vision had translated into reality.

A playing environment built for pickleball

What stands out at Toyosu is not simply the number of courts, but the attention paid to the playing environment. Space is at a premium in Japan, and pickleball players here are accustomed to playing in multipurpose gymnasiums, often with relatively little room around the courts.

At Toyosu, there is generous separation between courts, while the black walls provide a clean visual background for tracking the ball. Good lighting and ample areas for players and spectators to sit and socialise add to the sense that this is a facility designed specifically around pickleball rather than one adapted to accommodate it.

For players who have become accustomed to fitting pickleball into spaces originally intended for other sports, that difference is immediately noticeable.

The availability of appropriate playing space has become an important theme in Japan. Former Japanese Davis Cup player Tetsuya Sato recently told WPM about the effect that playing predominantly in gymnasiums can have on the way Japanese players learn the sport, while the development of dedicated facilities has become an increasingly important part of Tokyo’s emerging pickleball ecosystem.

Japan’s infrastructure begins to change

That distinction is becoming increasingly relevant as the Japanese pickleball community grows. Public facilities, local clubs and volunteers have played an essential role in developing the sport, and will continue to do so, but the emergence of dedicated venues adds another dimension to the landscape.

Facilities capable of accommodating regular play, coaching, leagues, tournaments and the social side of the sport can help create communities that extend beyond individual playing sessions. They also provide a permanent home for the sport, something that has often been difficult to achieve when pickleball has had to share space and court time with other activities.

The development does not stand alone. WPM has been following the emergence of a broader Japanese pickleball ecosystem, including Shusaku Kumakura’s attempts to build pickleball in central Tokyo and the increasingly important role Japanese companies are playing in developing facilities, competitions and player pathways.

Japan’s competitive profile is changing at the same time. In December, Tokyo will host its first PPA Asia 125 as part of the PJ Pickleball Championships at Ariake Tennis Forest Park, with Ben Johns and Anna Bright among the international players heading to Japan.

PICKLR TOKYO TOYOSU is one of the latest additions to that changing landscape, but its seven dedicated courts, central Tokyo location and U.S.-style playing environment could make it an important hub for the growing pickleball community.

When I spoke with Kenton Stehr a year ago, the first Japanese venue was still a plan approaching a critical stage. Twelve months later, the doors are open and the dream has become reality.

Frequently asked questions

Further reading

• The Man Building Pickleball in the Heart of Tokyo
• Japan Is Building Pickleball Through Companies, Not Just Courts
• Japan’s Pickleball Moment as Stars Head to Tokyo for Landmark Ariake Championships
• Tetsuya Sato: From Power to Precision

Fabrizio Lavezzari

Founder and Editor-in-Chief

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Fabrizio Lavezzari is a contributor to World Pickleball Magazine.

View All Articles →