[May 2026] Japan Pickleball News Roundup | Yuta Funemizu Wins on the US PPA Tour, Tournament Rush Across Japan

"How popular is pickleball in Japan right now?" — This is a question I get asked very often, both in-store and on LINE. The short answer is: May 2026 was arguably the hottest month in pickleball history in Japan.

A Japanese player achieved historic feats in the sport's birthplace, America, while tournaments were held every weekend across the country, and the number of players exploded in a single year. I'm Coach Yoshi. I lived in LA for 15 years and launched a pickleball business in Japan, and here's my roundup of Japan's pickleball news from May 2026.

1. Yuta Funemizu Wins on the US PPA Tour and Finishes 4th at a Grand Slam

In May 2026, historic news reached the Japanese pickleball world one story after another. Professional pickleball player Yuta Funemizu competed on the US PPA Tour, the highest level of the sport, and achieved a tour event victory. On May 10 (local time), he won the men's doubles at the PPA 500 San Clemente (a separate event held at the same venue as the PPA Finals, contested by players not competing in the Finals) with partner Tama Shimabukuro. His management agency announced it as the first PPA Tour event win in history by a Japanese player. The week before, in men's doubles at the "Veolia Atlanta Pickleball Championships," a Grand Slam and the top tier of the tour, he had also achieved Japan's first 4th-place finish, making it two remarkable weeks in a row.

From top soft tennis player in Japan to solo journey in America

Funemizu was originally a top soft tennis player in Japan. He switched to pickleball in 2024 and took on the professional world by moving to America alone.

• March 2025: Drafted by the Miami Pickleball Club of MLP (Major League Pickleball), the US professional team league, as the first Japanese MLP player
• 2026: Re-signed with the same club and plays a key role, specializing in the right side in doubles
• Early May 2026: Achieved Japan's first 4th-place finish in men's doubles at the PPA Tour Grand Slam "Veolia Atlanta"
• May 10, 2026: Won the PPA 500 San Clemente men's doubles (partner: Tama Shimabukuro). According to his management agency, it is the first US PPA Tour title won by a Japanese player
• Shortly after, reached No. 1 in the Asian rankings for DUPR men's doubles, a first for a Japanese man
• Signed a paddle contract with Diadem

From the top of soft tennis, a racket sport, to taking on the world in pickleball—he truly embodies the point I always make: "Racket sport players flourish in pickleball."

2. PPA Tour's first "Tokyo" event set for July

Beyond Funemizu's success, the news that the PPA Tour will be held in Tokyo for the first time in July 2026 is not to be missed.

• Tournament Name: PPA Asia 500 Sansan Tokyo Open
• Dates: July 1-4, 2026
• Venue: Tokyo metropolitan area
• Highlights: Funemizu and other top international pros are expected to participate.

The professional tour, which originated in America, is finally being held in Asia, in Tokyo. This is an impact on Japanese pickleball on the scale of the "Arrival of the Black Ships." Funemizu's achievement in May was the perfect prelude to this July showdown in Tokyo.

For the latest developments in international professional tours, see "[May 2026] International Pickleball News Roundup."

3. Tournament Rush Across Japan | Major Tournaments in May 2026

Domestically, May 2026 saw tournaments being held somewhere every weekend. Let's summarize the main tournaments.

Highlight: The "Hamanako" Resort Tournament

Among them, a symbolic event was the JPA TOKYU RESORTS & STAYS TOP TOUR 2026 T7 HAMANAKO (May 8-10) held at the Tokyu Resort Town Hamanako. This was a full-fledged official tournament with singles, men's doubles, and mixed doubles, each competing in professional, open, 35+, and 50+ categories.

The combination of a resort facility and a pickleball tournament is exactly the American style of "combining tourism and competition." This culture of "traveling to play" is beginning to take root in Japan as well.

4. The Background: Explosive Growth in Player Numbers

Behind this surge in May is the rapid expansion of player numbers.

According to the 'Japan Pickleball Market Survey 2026' released by Pickleball One Co., Ltd. on April 21, 2026—

• Active Players: Approximately 330,000 (a rapid increase of about 7 times from the previous year)
• Potential Players: Approximately 11.89 million (growth potential of about 36 times the active players)
• Awareness Rate: 13.1%
• Interest among Tennis Players: 72.5%

"Not yet widely known, but very high interest among those who do know" — in other words, the numbers clearly show that pickleball is not a "small market" but a "growing market." In particular, the finding that over 70% of tennis players are interested matches exactly what we see among the customers at our store.

Towards "All Japan" System through Organizational Integration

Furthermore, on April 14, 2026, the Japan Pickleball Association (JPA) and the Pickleball Japan Federation (PJF) merged to form a new organization, "Pickleball Japan (PJ)." As disparate domestic organizations begin to unify, tournament operations, rules, and promotional activities are starting to align — this also forms the foundation supporting the tournament rush in May.

For more details on court availability and finding facilities after the organizational restructuring, please see "Converted Tennis Courts vs. Dedicated Courts."

5. Media Exposure is Also Expanding

Beyond competition, media exposure is steadily increasing. Since January 2026, TV Asahi (Kanto local) has been broadcasting "Tsunagaru Pickle," a pickleball program hosted by comedian Miyazon, contributing to the growing recognition of pickleball as a "sport to watch on TV."

The global success of professional players (Funemizu), the rush of tournaments nationwide, and increased media exposure—these three factors converging in 2026 suggest it might be the "tipping point" for pickleball in Japan, where its popularity rapidly expands.

Summary | Where Japanese Pickleball Stood in May 2026

• Yuta Funemizu won the PPA 500 San Clemente men's doubles, his first title on the US PPA Tour (his management agency announced it as a first for a Japanese player), after achieving Japan's first 4th-place finish at the Grand Slam "Veolia Atlanta" the previous week. He also reached No. 1 in the Asian rankings for DUPR men's doubles. His world challenge, stemming from his background as a top soft tennis player in Japan, has borne fruit.
• The PPA Tour will be held for the first time in Tokyo in July. Funemizu's achievement in May served as the ultimate prelude.
• A tournament rush across Japan—with events every weekend in places like Hamanako, Takasaki, Kagoshima, and the Kanto qualifiers.
• Player population is approximately 330,000 (about 7 times more than the previous year), with 11.89 million potential players. 72.5% of tennis players are interested.
• The foundations for popularization are being laid through organizational integration (establishment of Pickleball Japan) and media exposure.

Pickleball in Japan is truly a sport "on the rise." Those who start now are experiencing the most exciting time, where they can say "I've been playing since back then" a few years from now.

If you're interested in "starting in your area" or "leveraging your tennis experience," feel free to message us on LINE. I (Coach Yoshi) will provide direct advice after hearing about your playing history and goals.

Related Articles

• [May 2026] International Pickleball News Roundup — The latest trends in the world's top scene where Funemizu competes
• Converted Tennis Courts vs. Dedicated Courts | Court Situation in Japan — How to find places to play in Japan
• The Day I Encountered Pickleball in LA | Origin Story — My transition story from tennis
• Pickleball for the 50s and Up — Tournament situation in Japan with a rich variety of age categories

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References

1. AAS Management (Press Release: Yuta Funemizu, Japan's first 4th place in PPA Tour)
2. Pickleball One Co., Ltd. 'Japan Pickleball Market Survey 2026'
3. Japan Pickleball Association (JPA) Tournament List
4. Pickleball Japan Federation (PJF) Event List
5. AAS Management (Press Release: Yuta Funemizu Wins a US Pro Tour Event, May 11, 2026)
6. Pickleball.com — Toys “R” Us PPA Finals wraps up 2025-26 PPA year (May 12, 2026)