Japan's Pickleball Japan Federation Hosts MAT Open in Takasaki, March 2026

The Pickleball Japan Federation will stage the MAT Pickleball Open TAKASAKI 2026 on Sunday at MAT Takasaki Tennis Club, putting eight indoor hard courts to work across a full day of competition stretching from 9:00 a.m. to approximately 6:00 p.m. in Gunma Prefecture.

Backed by Globeride Inc. through its DIADEM brand, the tournament carries a dual mandate: accelerate grassroots player development and cement the MAT event series as a fixture on Japan's domestic pickleball calendar. Takasaki, framed by organisers as a regional hub for sport and cultural exchange, provides the indoor facility at 890-67 Shimano-machi that eliminates any weather disruption and offers spectator-friendly staging across all eight courts.

The competition structure runs round-robin preliminary matches into a knockout draw, with every contest decided first to 11 points under a no-deuce rule. The official match ball is the DIADEM Pickleball in its outdoor 40-hole specification, a notable choice given the indoor venue. The PJF has flagged that format details may shift depending on final entry numbers and match progression on the day.

Entry is open to pickleball enthusiasts of all ages and genders, with skill-level categories calibrated to serve competitors from beginner through intermediate. The entry fee sits at 8,000 JPY per team, tax included, with payment required at the time of registration through the Pickleball Bear platform. The registration deadline passed on March 22.

DIADEM is supplying original awards alongside prizes from other sponsoring companies, with champion, runner-up, and third-place honors available in each class. The draws carry formal PJF recognition, positioning results within structures compatible with national ranking standards.

For the federation, the event represents more than a single weekend of competition. The MAT Open sits immediately after a cluster of regional qualifiers and tour announcements, giving coaches and athletes a calibration point before higher-rated domestic competitions later in the 2026 season. That placement within the calendar is deliberate: the PJF is knitting together local clubs, corporate sponsors, and national oversight into a tournament ecosystem designed to professionalise the sport's infrastructure at every level.

Updates remain available through PJF's Instagram, Facebook, and X channels, with Pickleball Bear serving as the official registration and event information portal.