Japan Open Poker Tour (JOPT) is a leading live poker festival in Japan and one of Asia’s major large-scale poker event platforms. Since its launch in 2011, JOPT has developed from a tournament series into a multi-city festival that combines competitive poker, professional event production, digital coverage, and community engagement. Its mission is to make Tokyo a central hub of the Asian poker scene while contributing to the continued growth and wider recognition of poker in Japan.
JOPT attracts approximately 50,000 participants annually. The 2025 Grand Final Main Event recorded 4,525 entries, demonstrating the scale and depth of its player base. The tour is supported by a nationwide qualification network involving approximately 250 poker venues, enabling players from across Japan to access major events through local satellite tournaments. International qualification pathways have also been developed in East Asia, helping overseas players connect with JOPT events in Japan.
The event is designed as more than a conventional poker tournament. JOPT combines serious competition with high-quality venue operations, professional stage presentation, lighting, storytelling, live streaming, and digital content. Its schedules include a wide range of tournament formats and competition levels, creating opportunities for ambitious amateurs, experienced competitors, and international players. The tour regularly holds events in Tokyo and other major Japanese cities, including Osaka, Sapporo, and Fukuoka, establishing a broad national footprint while maintaining Tokyo as its flagship center.
The player journey begins with local or online qualification and continues through a professionally managed live-event experience. Participants enter a large-scale festival environment, compete in a diverse tournament program, and remain connected through live broadcasts and social media coverage. This integrated model allows JOPT to serve not only as a competitive platform, but also as a media product, a destination event, and a meeting point for players, venues, partners, and fans.
Japan Open Poker Tour Co., Ltd. is the Tokyo-based company responsible for planning and operating JOPT. Established on 22 April 2016 and headquartered in Shinjuku, Tokyo, the Company engages in the planning and management of poker tournaments, as well as internet content distribution and advertising activities.
In addition to JOPT, the Company operates and develops a broader portfolio of live poker events, including MASTERS, SPADIE, Sengoku Poker Tour, Top of Poker Championship, and U-30 Championship. These brands serve different player segments, competition levels, age groups, formats, and regional markets, enabling the Company to engage with a broad range of participants across Japan’s poker community.
The Company’s operating capabilities cover the full tournament lifecycle. These include event and schedule design, satellite and qualification networks, venue management, staffing and floor operations, stage and live production, streaming and media distribution, participant services, and the management of multiple event brands. By integrating these functions, the Company is able to deliver large events consistently and develop them as repeatable festival platforms rather than stand-alone tournaments.
JOPT also contributes to the broader poker ecosystem by connecting local venues with national events, creating opportunities for player development, attracting international participation, and generating engagement beyond the tournament floor. Its activities have included junior-oriented programs and collaborations with sponsors and local businesses, reflecting an approach that combines competition, entertainment, education, and community involvement.
For international organizations and operators, JOPT provides a practical gateway to Japan’s live poker market. Its long operating history, established brand, national distribution network, professional production capabilities, and experience with both domestic and overseas participants provide a strong foundation for cross-border collaboration.
JOPT and Japan Open Poker Tour Co., Ltd. are positioned to support international competition formats, player-development pathways, media initiatives, and strategic partnerships that connect Japan with the wider Asian and global poker community.
