[August 2026] Japan Pickleball News Roundup | Rika Fujiwara Runner-Up in Shenzhen, Two Dedicated Court Facilities in Toyosu, Mizuno Paddles Go on Sale

In Japan, August's news was less about match results and more about getting ready for the fall. In Toyosu, opening dates were set for two dedicated court facilities, Mizuno's paddles went on sale, and in Sendai, the first APP international tournament in the Tohoku region was announced. Abroad, Rika Fujiwara, who won the Tokyo event in July, finished runner-up at a tournament in Shenzhen, China.

I'm Coach Yoshi. This time, I've rounded up the pickleball news from Japan for August 2026, together with the results of Japanese players competing abroad. Dates are as announced in August, and where I've added information that came to light in September or later, I say so.

1. Japanese Players | Rika Fujiwara Runner-Up in Shenzhen, Yoshitomi and Sawaki 3rd in Ho Chi Minh City

In August, PPA Tour Asia held one PPA Asia 500 tournament in Vietnam and one in China, each with total prize money of US$70,000, and Japanese players finished near the top at both.

Following her title in Tokyo, Rika Fujiwara also reached the final of a PPA Asia 500 event abroad. In Shenzhen, she advanced as the No. 4 seed and edged Sahra Dennehy 11-8, 9-11, 12-10 in the semifinals. In the final, she lost 4-11, 8-11 to top seed Chao Yi Wang, who had returned to the tour.

In women's doubles in Ho Chi Minh City, Kei Sawaki, who was runner-up with Fujiwara in Tokyo, teamed up with Aiko Yoshitomi this time and finished 3rd. In men's doubles, Kenta Miyoshi, runner-up in Singapore in July, reached the semifinals with partner Robert Stirling and finished 4th. In men's singles, Nasa Hatakeyama lost to Hien Truong in the quarterfinals, finishing in the last eight.

From August 27 to 29, a lower-tier PPA Asia 125 event (the 2026 Tomaz Cup) was also held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Seina Shima won women's singles, and Miyu Hazawa was runner-up in women's doubles (partner: Anna Clarice Patrimonio).

Sources: PPA Tour Asia (Ho Chi Minh City: tournament page, August 8, August 10 / Shenzhen: tournament page, August 22, August 23 / Kuala Lumpur: tournament page). Placings were confirmed against the podium records on the tournament pages

Yuta Funemizu Signs a Sponsorship Deal with DPC KOBE in Kobe

On August 30, DPC KOBE, a dedicated indoor pickleball facility in Kobe, announced a sponsorship agreement with Yuta Funemizu. The support began on August 1, and an announcement event was held at the facility on August 24. Funemizu will wear the DPC KOBE logo on his competition apparel and plans to use the facility as one of his training bases when he's in Japan.

Source: DPC KOBE (PR TIMES, August 30)

13 Players on Japan's National Team for the 2026 World Cup (August 30 to September 6, Vietnam)

On August 30, the Pickleball World Cup 2026 got underway in Da Nang, Vietnam (running through September 6). The official website of Pickleball Japan (PJ), the national pickleball federation, lists 13 members of Japan's national team, including Nasa Hatakeyama (men's captain), Rika Fujiwara and Kei Sawaki. I've rounded up the results in my September roundup.

Sources: PJ, Japan national team players, Tuoi Tre News (September 3)

2. New Courts | Two Dedicated Court Facilities in Toyosu, Plus Shibuya, Yatsugatake and Karuizawa

PICKLEBALL PARK TOYOSU (Opening September 9)

On August 20, TBS and Mitsui Fudosan announced that they would open PICKLEBALL PARK TOYOSU on September 9 as the sixth installment of a joint project to promote the sport that they've been running since 2024. It's the first permanent court in Tokyo for PICKLEBALL PARK, which until now had held pop-up events at shopping centers and public plazas.

• Location: Inside THE DOG PARK TOYOSU, an urban dog park (a 3-minute walk from Shin-Toyosu Station on the Yurikamome line)
• Courts: 4 outdoor hard courts with lighting, open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. (as of the August announcement; according to the facility's official website, the opening time was changed to 7 a.m. in September)
• Reservations: Through the facility's official website, opening on August 20 (planned and operated by Pickleball One)

To coincide with the opening, the 1st All Japan Student Pickleball Championships (organized by the All Japan Student Pickleball Federation) were scheduled to be held on these courts on September 9–10. In the same announcement, the two companies also revealed that the July Tokyo event, which TBS organized, drew a total of more than 15,000 visitors over its four days.

Sources: Mitsui Fudosan (PR TIMES, August 20), Pickleball One (PR TIMES, August 20)

PICKLR TOKYO TOYOSU (Opening September 25)

On August 27, the opening date was also announced for the facility I've been following since my June roundup: PICKLR TOKYO TOYOSU. Members can start playing on September 25, and from October 1, non-member visitors can use it, too (court reservations also open on October 1). It's an all-weather indoor facility of about 560 tsubo (roughly 1,850 m²) with 7 hard courts.

Source: Japan Pickleball Holdings (PR TIMES, August 27)

Other New Courts and Clubs

• NEON PICKLEBALL CLUB (Shibuya City, Tokyo; 2nd basement floor of the Shibuya Tobu Hotel): 2 courts where the lights are dimmed and the lines glow under neon and black lights. Soft opening on August 1 and grand opening on August 8. Scheduled to operate until the end of February 2027
• Grand Mercure Yatsugatake Resort & Spa (Hokuto, Yamanashi Prefecture): 6 outdoor courts converted from the property's tennis courts. Scheduled to open on August 10, for hotel guests
• Karuizawa Prince Hotel Ski Resort (Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture): Opening in stages from August 1 in an indoor activity hall (scheduled through November 23; outdoor courts from mid-September)
• TOKYO PICKLES by GREATBEARS: A pickleball club whose launch was announced on August 20 by the Tokyo Great Bears of the SV.League volleyball league. It plans to hold tournaments and run a school, mainly in Shibuya City

Sources: MIC FIELD (August 4), Accor (August 5), Seibu Prince Hotels Worldwide (July 31), Great Bears (August 20)

3. Corporate Moves | Mizuno's Paddles Go on Sale, and Xebio Partners with the Federation

Mizuno | Paddles and Shoes Went on Sale on August 26

Mizuno, whose market entry announcement I covered in my July roundup, has started selling in Japan. The product pages on Mizuno's official online store give August 26 as the release date for two paddle models aimed at intermediate and advanced players, as well as pickleball shoes and a bag (checked on October 18). Of the 3 paddle models in the July announcement, the model for beginner to intermediate players goes on sale on October 8.

Xebio | Partners with PJ and Expands Its Sales Floors (August 27)

On August 27, the Xebio Group announced that it had signed a Super Diamond Partner agreement with PJ (for fiscal 2026). It will expand its range of pickleball gear at Super Sports Xebio and Victoria stores nationwide and set up PJ-supervised sections at Super Sports Xebio Ochanomizu and Victoria Koshigaya AEON Lake Town. The Ochanomizu store will also hold free trial sessions. The company's store name is also part of the name of the APP international tournament being held in Sendai in September.

Sources: Mizuno (PR TIMES, July 10), Mizuno official online store product pages (release dates), Xebio Group (PR TIMES, August 27)

4. Tournament Announcements | An APP International Tournament in Sendai in September and a Federation Tournament in Ariake in December

Sendai | The First APP International Tournament in Tohoku (September 18–20)

The tournament's name is THE SUPER SPORTS XEBIO APP ASIA Qualifier Series SENDAI 2026. The venue is Motoyama Seisakusho Aoba Arena in Sendai, and PJ describes it as the first APP international tournament ever held in the Tohoku region. The event categories were published on August 10 and the tournament guidelines on the 14th, and entries opened on the 17th.

• Pro division: 3 events: men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles (no singles)
• Amateur division: 19+ (ages 19 and up) has DUPR caps: 4.2 or below per player for men's doubles, and 4.0 or below for women's doubles and mixed doubles. No caps for 35+ and 50+

The pro division was originally going to select entrants based on the combined DUPR of each pair. On August 22, the application period was extended to August 31 and selection switched to first come, first served, and on August 26, the spots that had been held for overseas players and nominated players were also opened to general entries.

Ariake | The 3rd PJ Pickleball Championships (December 7–11)

On August 20, PJ issued a notice about the 3rd PJ Pickleball Championships, to be held at Ariake Tennis Forest Park in December. The tournament's dedicated website lists 60 courts, indoor and outdoor combined, and room for 2,000 participants.

250 Apply in the PX LEAGUE Open Call for Players

PX LEAGUE, the league of corporate teams that Sansan announced in July, held an open call for players from August 10 to 23. According to the company's September 18 announcement, 250 people applied, and the 36 players on the 6 teams were decided at the draft on September 17.

Other News

• TV Aichi: Announced on August 3 that it would hold a public recording of the special program Machikado Player Hakkutsu! Minna de Pickleball (roughly, Discovering Players on the Street! Pickleball for Everyone) and a free trial session with pro players at LaLaport Aichi Togo (Togo, Aichi Prefecture) on August 22. The program was scheduled to air in September
• PJ: Published the Pickleball Japan Ranking for August 2026 on August 25

Sources: PJ (Sendai: August 10, August 14, August 22, August 26, tournament page / dedicated website for the Ariake tournament / August rankings), Sansan (PR TIMES, September 18), TV Aichi (PR TIMES, August 3)

Summary | Japan Pickleball News for August 2026

• Japanese players: Rika Fujiwara was runner-up in Shenzhen, and Aiko Yoshitomi and Kei Sawaki placed 3rd in Ho Chi Minh City. Yuta Funemizu signed a sponsorship deal with DPC KOBE
• Courts: Opening dates were set for 4 outdoor courts (9/9) and 7 indoor courts (9/25) in Toyosu. New courts in Shibuya, Yatsugatake and Karuizawa, too
• Companies: Mizuno's paddles went on sale. Xebio signed a partnership agreement with PJ and is expanding its sales floors
• Tournaments: An APP international tournament in Sendai in September and a PJ tournament in Ariake in December. 250 people applied in the PX LEAGUE open call

The two sets of courts in Toyosu, the new sections in sporting goods stores, the DUPR caps at the Sendai tournament: much of August's news was less about top players and more about things close to home for people who head to the courts on weekends or are just getting started.

If you're not sure which ball to get for outdoor courts versus indoor courts, ask me (Coach Yoshi) on LINE. I'm also happy to help you choose a paddle. You can add us as a friend through Pickleball Lab's official LINE account.

Related articles

• [September 2026] Japan Pickleball News Roundup — The following month's roundup (Japan's national team at the World Cup and Funemizu's runner-up finish)
• [July 2026] Japan Pickleball News Roundup — The previous month's roundup (the titles in Tokyo and Mizuno's market entry announcement)
• [August 2026] World Pickleball News Roundup — The world edition for the same month (including the MLP finals)
• [June 2026] Japan Pickleball News Roundup — PICKLR Toyosu opens membership recruitment
• MLP and the PPA Tour: How Professional Pickleball Works Abroad in 5 Minutes
• Pickleball Doubles Formations and Positioning
• The Complete Guide to Pickleball Balls | The Difference Between Outdoor and Indoor Balls
• The Complete Pickleball Paddle Buyer's Guide
• How to Choose Grip Size and Wrap an Overgrip
• What Is DUPR?
• Using DUPR in Japan
• How to Enter Your First Pickleball Tournament

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References

1. PPA Tour Asia — MB Ho Chi Minh City Open 2026 tournament page (dates, prize money and podium)
2. PPA Tour Asia — RUN IT BACK: TRUONG AND HARVEY REMATCH HEADLINES SEMIFINALS IN VIETNAM (August 8, 2026; Ho Chi Minh City quarterfinals)
3. PPA Tour Asia — NINETY MINUTES OF MAYHEM: TRUONG AND DO STRIKE GOLD (August 10, 2026; Ho Chi Minh City finals)
4. PPA Tour Asia — Skechers Shenzhen Open 2026 tournament page (dates, prize money and podium)
5. PPA Tour Asia — DROUGHTS BREAK IN SHENZHEN (August 22, 2026; Shenzhen semifinals)
6. PPA Tour Asia — Goldin Completes Golden Comeback (August 23, 2026; Shenzhen finals)
7. PPA Tour Asia — 2026 Tomaz Cup (PPA Asia 125, Kuala Lumpur, August 27–29) tournament page (podium)
8. PR TIMES (ITC: DPC KOBE Signs Sponsorship Agreement with Yuta Funemizu, August 30, 2026) (Japanese)
9. Pickleball Japan (PJ) — Japan National Team Players for the Pickleball World Cup 2026 (Japanese)
10. Tuoi Tre News — Pickleball World Cup opens in Da Nang (September 3, 2026; held August 30 to September 6)
11. PR TIMES (Japan Pickleball Holdings: PICKLR TOKYO TOYOSU Grand Opening on September 25, August 27, 2026) (Japanese)
12. PR TIMES (Mitsui Fudosan: PICKLEBALL PARK TOYOSU Opens September 9, August 20, 2026) (Japanese)
13. PR TIMES (Pickleball One: Reservations Open for PICKLEBALL PARK TOYOSU, August 20, 2026) (Japanese)
14. PR TIMES (MIC FIELD: NEON PICKLEBALL CLUB, August 4, 2026) (Japanese)
15. PR TIMES (Accor: 6 Dedicated Outdoor Courts at Grand Mercure Yatsugatake Resort & Spa, August 5, 2026) (Japanese)
16. PR TIMES (Seibu Prince Hotels Worldwide: Pickleball Comes to Karuizawa Prince Hotel Ski Resort, July 31, 2026) (Japanese)
17. PR TIMES (Great Bears: TOKYO PICKLES by GREATBEARS Launches, August 20, 2026) (Japanese)
18. PR TIMES (Mizuno: Entering the Pickleball Market, July 10, 2026) (Japanese)
19. PR TIMES (Xebio Group: Including Tie-Up Sections Supervised and Endorsed by Pickleball Japan, August 27, 2026) (Japanese)
20. Pickleball Japan (PJ) — APP ASIA Qualifier Series SENDAI 2026: Event Categories Published (August 10, 2026) (Japanese)
21. Pickleball Japan (PJ) — Same Tournament: Guidelines Published and Entries Open (August 14, 2026) (Japanese)
22. Pickleball Japan (PJ) — Same Tournament: Pro Category Application Period Extended (August 22, 2026) (Japanese)
23. Pickleball Japan (PJ) — Same Tournament: More Spots in the Pro Category (August 26, 2026) (Japanese)
24. Pickleball Japan Unified Event Site — THE SUPER SPORTS XEBIO APP ASIA Qualifier Series SENDAI 2026 (Japanese)
25. Pickleball Japan Unified Event Site — 3rd PJ Pickleball Championships 2026 in Japan (where PJ's August 20 notice links to) (Japanese)
26. PR TIMES (Sansan: All PX LEAGUE Players Decided, September 18, 2026) (Japanese)
27. PR TIMES (TV Aichi: Minna de Pickleball Public Recording and Free Trial Session, August 3, 2026) (Japanese)
28. Pickleball Japan (PJ) — Pickleball Japan Ranking for August 2026 Published (August 25, 2026) (Japanese)