Pickleball is one of the easiest racket sports to pick up. You can learn the core rules in about 10 minutes and start rallying on day one. Here is everything a beginner needs to know.
The court and equipment
A pickleball court is the same size as a badminton court (about 13.4m x 6.1m), much smaller than a tennis court. You play with a solid paddle (no strings) and a plastic ball with holes, over a net set to 86cm at the center.
Games are usually played as doubles, but the court size is the same for singles.
How do you serve in pickleball?
The serve has a few simple rules:
- It must be hit underhand (contact below the waist), not overhand like tennis.
- It is hit diagonally to the opposite service court.
- It must clear the net and land beyond the non-volley zone.
The serving side gets one serve attempt (no second serve like tennis), apart from a let.
The two-bounce rule (double bounce)
This is the rule beginners forget most. After the serve:
- The receiving team must let the ball bounce once before returning it.
- The serving team must also let that return bounce once before hitting it.
After those two bounces, either side may volley (hit it in the air) or play it off a bounce.
What is "the kitchen"?
The kitchen (officially the non-volley zone) is the 2.1m area on each side of the net. The rule: you cannot volley the ball while standing in the kitchen. You can step in to play a ball that has bounced, but you must not hit it out of the air from inside the zone. This single rule is what gives pickleball its strategy and keeps it fair for all ages.
How does scoring work?
There are two common systems:
- Traditional (side-out) scoring: only the serving side can score a point. Games go to 11, win by 2.
- Rally scoring: a point is scored on every rally regardless of who served. Increasingly common in casual and some tournament play.
If you're unsure which is being used, just ask before the game starts.
Common faults (how you lose a point)
- Hitting the ball out of bounds
- Hitting the ball into the net
- Volleying while standing in the kitchen
- Faulting on the serve (overhand contact, wrong service box)
- Not letting the ball bounce during the two-bounce sequence
How is pickleball different from tennis?
Smaller court, underhand serve only, a plastic ball that moves slower, and the kitchen rule. If you've played tennis or badminton you'll pick it up quickly. The kitchen and two-bounce rules are unique to pickleball, though, and that's where the strategy lives.
Frequently asked questions
Is pickleball easy to learn? Yes. Most people grasp the basics in 10 to 15 minutes and rally on day one.
Do I need my own paddle to start? No. Most courts and beginner sessions in Japan offer paddle rentals.
Can beginners and experienced players play together? Absolutely. The slower ball and small court make mixed-level games genuinely fun.
Ready to play in Japan?
Knowing the rules is step one. Step two is finding a court and a friendly game.
Pikuru (letspikuru.com) helps you find pickleball courts, events, and beginner sessions all across Japan, in one free app.
