Our Story · Est. 2024

Michigan to Tokyo

What started on a few Michigan courts turned into a pilgrimage across the world — paddles packed, designs sketched, and a mission to play pickleball where we least expected to find it.

How it started

Two pop cultures, one court

Tokyo Pickleball began with a simple idea: the merch should be as fun as the game. We were tired of generic pickleball tees, so we started drawing — mixing Japanese pop art with the American sport we couldn't stop playing.

Every design comes from something we love. Jay pulls from mixed media, a healthy dose of humor, and his favorite pop-art and cultural references — folding pickleball into the stuff he's already into. The result is apparel worth wearing on the court and off.

About the founder
Cha-soba green-tea noodles in Tokyo
Beneath Tokyo Tower
Sake barrels at Meiji Shrine
At Zojoji Temple beneath Tokyo Tower
The Trip · 東京

Pickleball in Tokyo

A few days on the courts of Tokyo — and the people who made them unforgettable.

A master calligrapher at work at Pickleball One in Ginza
Our crew with the calligraphy pieces at Pickleball One, Ginza
STORY 01

Ginza & the calligrapher

We had the privilege of playing for an hour at Pickleball One in Ginza with their resident Pro — and a master calligrapher whose brushwork found its way onto a few of our designs. T-shirts available here!

Playing pickleball on a rooftop court beneath Tokyo Tower
Our group on the rooftop pickleball court under Tokyo Tower
STORY 02

In the shadow of Tokyo Tower

The next day, we played pickleball right in the shadow of Tokyo Tower — rooftop courts, open sky, and one unforgettable backdrop.

We can't wait to go back — and play again.

— Tokyo Pickleball
Our Lucky Cat Plays Pickleball sticker among the maneki-neko at Gotokuji
Maneki-neko lucky cats at Gotokuji Temple
STORY 03

Gratitude at Gotokuji

We made friends along the way — and even left a “Lucky Cat Plays Pickleball” sticker at Gotokuji Temple, the birthplace of the maneki-neko, as a small sign of gratitude.

From our courts to yours

Wear the story

Every shirt in the shop traces back to a sketch, a court, or a moment on this trip. Find yours.

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