On April 7, 2026, Pickleball One Inc. (representative: Shusaku Kumakura), while carrying out fundraising, announced a partnership with five major Japanese companies: Asics Ventures, Sansan, TBS Innovation Partners, Dentsu Group, and Mitsui Fudosan. With an unusual structure where five companies from different industries—shoes, business SNS, media, marketing, and real estate—participate all at once, Japan's pickleball industry finally shifts from a “grassroots phase” to a “full-scale industrialization phase.”
The five partner companies and each one's role
What's noteworthy about this partnership is that, rather than mere investment, each company collaborates in a specific business domain.
1. Asics Ventures Inc.
It will advance the expansion of a footwear-rental business suited to pickleball and efforts to strengthen the competitive base. Asics itself already rolls out pickleball shoes overseas, and a pathway starting from rental is designed for the Japanese market too.
2. Sansan Inc.
It will promote new court operations in Ikebukuro and efforts to use pickleball as a means of business communication. Sansan has alreadyannounced the July opening of the “Sansan Pickleball Court Ikebukuro,”and this partnership will accelerate corporate use of pickleball.
3. TBS Innovation Partners LLC
It will handle holding events and international tournaments and developing sports content. Leveraging a TV station's content-production strength, there's a possibility of turning pickleball into video and programming.
4. Dentsu Group Inc.
Leveraging the know-how cultivated in the sports-marketing domain, it supports everything from spreading the sport to building a fan base. The entry of Dentsu, which has built a track record at large sports events including the Olympics, greatly advances pickleball's branding strategy.
5. Mitsui Fudosan Inc.
It runs the corporate league “Corporate Pickleball & BIZ CUP.” Mitsui Fudosan is known for developing commercial facilities and office districts, and it aims to propose a fusion of “places to work” and “places to exercise” through corporate competitions.
Pickleball One's existing business and future developments
Pickleball One was founded in July 2023, with its headquarters in Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo. Its business content is as follows.
- Operating and expanding urban-based courts
- Creating corporate events and communities
- Developing the competitive environment
- Raising awareness through media
- Strengthening pickleball product sales
Behind achieving a large partnership with five Japanese companies in just under three years since founding is the rapid expansion of Japan's pickleball market.The domestic number of players has reached over 45,000, 15 times that of 2023,and facility shortage has emerged as the next challenge.
Background of the U.S. market──why did five major companies move at once
The U.S. market data cited in the press release is striking. About 1 in 5 adults (about 50 million) played pickleball in the past year. It has been chosen as “the fastest-growing sport in America” for four consecutive years. Seeing this prior U.S. case, major Japanese companies became convinced that “the same thing will happen in Japan” and decided to enter all at once—that's the essence of this five-company alliance.
What's especially noteworthy is that the “division of turf” among the five entering companies is clear. Asics handles equipment, Sansan facilities, TBS media, Dentsu marketing, and Mitsui Fudosan the B2B league. Their domains don't overlap, forming a lineup that covers the entire value chain of Japan's pickleball industry. This is not a coincidence but is thought to be the result of Pickleball One designing an industry ecosystem.
Around the same time as the “Pickleball Japan” merger──two historic moves in the industry
This Pickleball One five-company partnership announcement was made at almost the same time asthe merger announcement of the JPA (Japan Pickleball Association) and PJF (Pickleball Japan Federation). In April 2026, in Japan's pickleball world, two historic moves—“unifying the governing body” and a “large alliance of industry players”—are progressing simultaneously.
The governing-body side is developing a competition organization with an eye on official-event status at the 2032 Brisbane Olympics; the industry side is expanding the pickleball market as a business. With both of these wheels starting to move at once, Japan's pickleball is shedding its skin from an “extension of a hobby” to a “full-scale sports industry.”
Impact on players and businesspeople
Impact on players
An increase in courts in urban areas can be expected.The Sansan court in IkebukuroFollowing it, there's a high possibility that permanent courts will be developed in Mitsui Fudosan-affiliated commercial facilities and office districts too. If Asics' shoe rental spreads, the entry barrier for beginners drops further.
Impact on businesspeople
The “Corporate Pickleball & BIZ CUP” has the potential to become a new business-socializing tool replacing golf. Compared with golf, pickleball has the traits of being short (30 minutes to 1 hour), low-cost, and enjoyable together even with members of differing ages. There are signs it will permeate corporate culture going forward as an option for client entertainment and in-house events.
Impact on investors and entrepreneurs
Momentum for investment in pickleball-related businesses is rising. The entry of five major companies becomes a signal to startups and VCs that “Japan's pickleball market is real.” Going forward, there's a possibility that pickleball-related startup fundraisings come one after another.
Points to watch going forward
The future milestones to watch from this five-company alliance are the following three.
1. The schedule of the Corporate Pickleball & BIZ CUP
If the timing, number of participating companies, and venue of the corporate league run by Mitsui Fudosan become clear, its permeation into Japan's businessperson base will rise all at once.
2. TBS's turning it into content
How TBS will turn pickleball into media. Introductions on variety programs, tournament broadcasts on sports programs, original program production—which form it takes will greatly change general awareness.
3. Asics' shoe rollout
Whether Asics itself will fully launch dedicated pickleball shoes in Japan.Trends in the paddle marketare active, but the shoe market has not yet gotten into full swing. Asics' move could become a trigger for market formation.
Summary: 2026 is the “first year of the industry” for Japan's pickleball
From a playing population of 3,000 in 2023 to over 45,000 in 2026, Japan's pickleball has achieved 15-fold growth in just three years. This five-company alliance announcement is a symbolic event of this market qualitatively transforming from a “boom by enthusiasts” to an “industry that major companies invest in seriously.”
April 2026 will likely be remembered in the history of Japanese pickleball as the “first year of the industry.” The unification of the governing body and the coming-together of industry players advancing at once──such dramatic industry reorganization is rarely seen in other sports. Over the six years leading to the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, Japan's pickleball will evolve at a speed incomparable to before.
FAQ
Q. How can I take part in the Corporate Pickleball & BIZ CUP?
Details have not yet been announced, but it's decided that Mitsui Fudosan and Pickleball One will run it. For information on recruiting participating companies, let's await the Pickleball One official site or Mitsui Fudosan's PR announcements.
Q. Where can I get Asics' pickleball-shoe rental?
Asics Ventures and Pickleball One plan to partner to expand the rental business. The court facilities run by Pickleball One and the Sansan Pickleball Court Ikebukuro may be the initial providers.
Q. Will this partnership make play fees cheaper?
A direct fee cut is not stated, but if the number of facilities increases with the entry of major companies, over the medium-to-long term, competition could advance the normalization of fees. Also, with corporate competitions and corporate services being enriched, opportunities for individual players to play without bearing the cost may also increase.
