UTR Pickleball Japan Tour Powered by PJF Vol.5

UTR Tournament Overview

Date: January 11, 2026, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Venue: KPI Park (1588-1 Shinanocho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan)

Capacity: 150 participants

Organizer: UTR Japan Representative BearDown

Support: Pickleball Japan Federation (PJF)

Sponsors: JOOLA JAPAN, ZIPAIR

Registration Opens: September 18, 2025, from 3:00 PM via the URL below

Application Deadline: January 6, 2026

(*No entry fee refunds for withdrawals made after January 6)

※Registration will close once capacity is reached, as applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Tournament Entry Link: https://app.utrsports.net/events/329611

Eligibility: PJF Individual Members (please register here: https://www.pickleball-japan.org/en/member-info

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーー Official Ball: JOOLA HELEUSPaddles: UPA/USPA approved paddles

Entry Rules: 

Players cannot enter both Beginner/Intermediate and Advanced categories. Multiple entries are allowed only if within the same class.

Example:

✔ Men’s Doubles Advanced & Mixed Doubles Advanced /

✘ Men’s Doubles Advanced & Men’s Doubles Beginner/Intermediate)

Partnership Announcement

1. The prestigious U.S.-based tennis rating system UTR (represented in Japan by BearDown) has formed a partnership with PJF (Japan Pickleball Federation).

   
   

2. With UTR’s official entry into the U.S. pickleball market and its rapid expansion, the UTR Pickleball Tour will launch in Japan in 2025.
   

3. UTR evaluates players’ performance using a unique algorithm that rates skill on a scale from 0 to 16. Participants in the UTR Pickleball Tour will receive ratings based on match results, allowing them to compare their performance with players around the world.
   

4. This makes it possible for Japanese players to quantify their global skill level without leaving Japan. In tennis, the UTR rating is already a prestigious benchmark, often serving as a key criterion for U.S. university athletic scholarships and admissions. Similarly, pickleball leagues have already been established in U.S. colleges, and in the future, Japanese players will also be able to use this rating as a pathway to studying or enrolling abroad through pickleball. For recreational and competitive players alike, UTR will also serve as an important selection criterion for participating in international tournaments and for opportunities such as earning USAP Golden Tickets.
   

5. Tournament Schedule:  In 2025, five tour events were scheduled to be held in Japan, one of which was postponed due to rain. The tournaments will be hosted by UTR Japan Representative BearDown, with the support of PJF. From 2026 onward, more tour events will be held nationwide.
   

6. Special Benefits (2025): 

   To support player development, the top 4 players in total points across the 2025 tour will receive a round-trip flight ticket between Japan and Korea (sponsored by PJF) and the opportunity to participate in joint training sessions with Korean players.