The Shinagawa Prince Hotel in Minato Ward, Tokyo, converted a banquet hall on the 10th floor of its Main Tower into a pickleball court in late March 2026 and began operation. The Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported it in April. One court is laid out in a section of the banquet hall (about 5 m wide \u00d7 about 13 m long). The installation of pickleball courts using idle space in the main business \u2014 hotels, commercial facilities, tennis schools, and the like \u2014 is accelerating nationwide, and a path to solving Japanese players' biggest challenge of \"can't find a court\" has come into view.<\/p>\n
The Shinagawa Prince Hotel is the flagship of the Prince Hotels chain under the Seibu Group. It is known for its convenient location, a two-minute walk from the Takanawa exit of Shinagawa Station. The new pickleball court makes use of banquet-hall space on the 10th floor of the Main Tower. By assigning pickleball to off-peak times such as weekday daytime when banquet demand is low, the hotel aims to raise the facility's utilization rate.<\/p>\n
At about 5m, the court is narrower than the official pickleball specification (6.10m x 13.41m), but it is considered spacious enough for a good playing experience. The ceiling height is also suited to pickleball.<\/p>\n
| Item<\/th>\n | Shinagawa Prince Hotel<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n |
|---|---|
| Location<\/td>\n | Inside the 10th-floor banquet hall of the Main Tower<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Number of courts<\/td>\n | 1 court<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Size<\/td>\n | About 5m wide x about 13m long<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Start date<\/td>\n | Late March 2026<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Access<\/td>\n | 2-minute walk from the Takanawa exit of JR Shinagawa Station<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Features<\/td>\n | Uses open time slots in the banquet hall<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nWhy hotels and commercial facilities are turning to pickleball<\/h2>\nAn article in the Nikkei points out that installing pickleball courts is spreading as a move to create synergy with a facility's core business.<\/p>\n |