Pickleball Japan opens nation's largest 20-court venue in Shizuoka

Pickleball Japan opened a 20-court complex at Izu Resort Villa in Higashiizu, Shizuoka Prefecture, on July 20, giving the country its largest domestic pickleball venue under PJ sanction. The federation billed the project as "Japan's Largest 20-Court Pickleball Facility" and set a grand opening ceremony for the same day.

The scale matters because 20 courts changes what Japan can stage and train. A venue that size can absorb larger draws, run simultaneous matches and drills, and give PJ a home base for tournament weeks instead of relying on smaller, scattered courts. Its location inside Izu Resort Villa also gives the project a second identity: not just a local club site, but a resort destination that can pull in players traveling for weekend play, camps and events in Shizuoka.

The opening also fits a broader buildout that PJ has been pushing for more than a year. On July 4, 2025, the organization officially opened the Tokyo Tower Pickleball Court, one of the most visible pickleball sites in the country. PJ has since continued to promote marquee competition, including the 2026 PJL BURGER KING® CUP and UTR Pickleball Japan Tour 2026 events, signaling that the federation is trying to connect showcase venues with a stronger tournament pipeline.

That matters in an Asian market where the biggest facilities are becoming status symbols as much as playing sites. Japan's new 20-court center now gives it a venue on the scale of the headline complexes emerging in places such as Haikou, Shanghai and Singapore, where pickleball operators are using large footprints to attract major events and traveling players. For Japan, the difference is not just court count. It is the ability to present itself as a place where serious competition, training depth and sports tourism can all live in the same address.

The Shizuoka opening is the clearest sign yet that PJ wants more than scattered growth. With Tokyo Tower already on the map and Izu now set as the country's largest sanctioned venue, Japan has started to build the infrastructure of a regional pickleball hub.