TOCO brings hands-on paddle trials to PJF Pickleball Japan Open

TOCO is betting that the fastest way to sell pickleball gear in Japan is still the simplest one: put a paddle in a player’s hand and let the feel do the work. At the PJF Pickleball Japan Open in Yamaguchi, the Japanese brand will set up a booth where visitors can test its products in person, a direct answer to a market where many players still do not get enough chances to hold a paddle, judge the grip and size up the build before buying.

That matters because the Yamaguchi Open is being positioned as one of the country’s biggest international tournament moments. PJF has scheduled the event for June 5-7, 2026 at Ishin Daiko Arena in Yamaguchi City, where 16 indoor courts will be in use. The draw will include age-based and skill-level doubles divisions, plus an OPEN category, and official JOOLA balls will be used. PJF also plans a reception party on Saturday, June 6 at Yuda Onsen Konkon Park, adding a social layer to a weekend built around competition.

TOCO’s presence will extend beyond the tournament floor. The brand will also exhibit at the co-hosted Fuku no Kuni Yamaguchi New Sports and Gourmet Festa, where it plans to show its paddle, apparel and accessory lineup and roll out a local campaign whose details have not yet been announced. For TOCO, that makes the Yamaguchi stop less about generic brand visibility and more about proving that Japanese pickleball companies can earn loyalty through hands-on trust at the point where players are ready to choose gear for themselves.

The brand itself is still new. Osaka-based be-s Co., Ltd. launched TOCO in October 2025, with the first products arriving in November 2025. be-s says the line already covers paddles, balls, portable nets, bags and apparel, and the TOCO site lists paddle models including EMBER, EVOL and FORZA. The company’s broader mission is to share the joy of the game and help sports blend naturally into everyday life, under the concept With Your Steps.

The timing is strategic because PJF says the Yamaguchi tournament is its second regional event, following championship action in Ariake, Tokyo in 2024 and December 2025. It also fits PJF’s FY2025 regional appeal project linking Yamaguchi’s scenery, hot springs and cuisine with destination pickleball tourism. With more than 3,100 members and 53 partner organizations, PJF is pushing the sport beyond the capital, and TOCO is trying to meet that growth with gear players can feel before they commit.