Shocking news has arrived in the pickleball scene. Sansan, Inc. announced it will open"Sansan Pickleball Court Ikebukuro," one of Tokyo's largest dedicated pickleball facilities, in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, in July 2026. It's scheduled to open at the same time as the PPA ASIA 500 Sansan Tokyo Open (July 1–4), and Tokyo's pickleball environment is about to change all at once.
Facility overview (information known at this time)
For this facility, billed as "one of Tokyo's largest," the following information has been made public at this time:
- Location: Toshima Ward, Tokyo (the Ikebukuro area)
- Scale: one of Tokyo's largest dedicated pickleball facilities
- Scheduled opening: July 2026 (around the same time as the PPA Tokyo tournament)
- Operator: Sansan, Inc. (a major provider of business card management services)
Details such as the number of courts, hours, and fee structure await an official announcement, but given the scale of the pickleball-spreading activities Sansan has run so far, an international-tournament-level court environment is expected to be developed.
Why is Sansan into pickleball?
Sansan entered the sports business centered on pickleball in earnest in February 2024. In a project in collaboration with TBS and Mitsui Fudosan, it goes beyond mere corporate PR, stepping all the way into "infrastructure development" for pickleball in Japan.
It's a concept of nurturing pickleball — rapidly expanding worldwide as a networking sport for business people — in Japan too as an "intersection of business and sport." In fact, Sansan's events have many business-oriented participants, leading to the creation of a new pickleball population.
Tokyo's pickleball court situation is changing
Currently, pickleball courts in Tokyo are surging, but dedicated facilities are still few and renting tennis courts and gymnasiums is the norm. If Sansan Court Ikebukuro opens as one of Tokyo's largest dedicated facilities, the following benefits are anticipated:
- Stable court access: as long as you can get a reservation, you can play in a dedicated environment
- Development of lesson and school environments: dedicated coaches and regular lessons are anticipated
- Regular tournaments: the possibility of becoming the home of international tournaments such as the PPA series
- A lower entry barrier for beginners: an enhancement of equipment rentals and trial programs is expected
What you can do as a player right now
While looking forward to the July opening, let's make the following preparations now:
- Secure a PPA Tokyo tournament entry or spectator ticket (accepted from April 8)
- Get a rating at the UTR Japan Tour Vol.3 (April 18, Yokohama)
- Gain match experience at tournaments such as the Ehime Open 2026 (April 18–19)
The latest facility informationSansan official press releasecheck it. On pickle-times.com'sthe court information pageandtop pagewe'll keep updating information as it comes.
