Japanese pickleball is about to hit a milestone. The 2026 season of MLP Asia, Asia's professional team league, opens in Japan on Friday, November 13. Then in December, a PPA Tour Asia event comes to Ariake in Tokyo.
Here is what pro pickleball you can see in Tokyo this season.
MLP Asia 2026: meet THE DOTS TOKYO
MLP Asia is a professional pickleball team league for Asia. Six teams compete in 2026, from November 13 to December 12.
Japan's team is THE DOTS TOKYO, founded jointly by TBS and the dentsu group.
THE DOTS TOKYO roster
- Yuta Funemizu (captain)
- Nasa Hatakeyama
- Rika Fujiwara
- Aiko Yoshitomi
- Daniel Moore
- Mihae Kwon
Schedule
Friday, November 13: Japan Round (opening night)
Venue: Sansan Pickleball Court Ikebukuro (Higashi-Ikebukuro, Toshima, Tokyo). Doors open 17:00.
- 18:00: THE DOTS TOKYO vs Manila Helios (Philippines)
- 19:30: THE DOTS TOKYO vs Malayan Stripes (Malaysia)
The second match may start later depending on how the first one goes. You need a ticket to watch.
THE DOTS TOKYO's other group matches:
- Saturday, November 21, Vietnam Round: vs Viet Panthers
- Friday, November 27, China Round: vs Dragon Warriors
- Friday, December 11: semifinals. Saturday, December 12: final (the top four teams advance)
The visiting players in Tokyo
Two teams travel to Tokyo for opening night:
- Manila Helios: Kim Saraza (captain), Jacob Diago, Macy Ybanez, Seina Shima, Muhammad Aiman, Mayu Ito
- Malayan Stripes: Jimmy Liong (captain), Syed Uzair, Athilla Miasara, Eunggwon Kim, Xiao Yi Wang-Beckvall, Lacy Schneeman
Elsewhere in the league, look out for Tama Shimabukuro (Viet Panthers) and Kei Sawaki (Hong Kong Cannons).
Tickets are on the official TBS ticket page. For the latest news, check the official MLP Asia site and the event page on Pikuru.
PPA Tour Asia: the PJ Tokyo Challenger at Ariake in December
PPA Tour Asia held its first-ever Tokyo tournament, the Sansan Tokyo Open, in Tachikawa in July 2026.
In December, it comes back to Tokyo:
- Event: PJ Tokyo Challenger 2026 (PPA Asia 125)
- Dates: December 7 to 9, 2026
- Venue: Ariake Tennis Park (Koto, Tokyo)
- Entry: open now via the PPA Tour Asia site
It runs during the Pickleball Japan federation's 3rd PJ Pickleball Championships in Japan (December 7 to 11, Ariake Tennis Forest), which the federation announced as the first PPA Asia 125 event held in Japan. It is a chance to watch pros up close.
After you watch, play
Watching the pros makes almost everyone want to pick up a paddle. Pikuru helps you find a court near you, beginner-friendly events, and people to play with.
- Find a court in Tokyo: open the court finder at app.letspikuru.com and select Tokyo
- Follow the pro events: Pikuru's event list includes pro tour tournaments in Japan and abroad
The app is on the App Store and Google Play, and the web app is at the Pikuru court finder.
Let's Pikuru!
