Basketball
Tokyo Gaijins (“TG”) hosts regular pick-up basketball sessions at gyms conveniently located in central Tokyo. We run indoor five-on-five games twice a week, on both weekends and weeknights.
Our community is made up of about 70% international players and 30% (mostly English-speaking) Japanese players. Each session typically has 12–18 participants.
Please note: these are pick-up games designed for experienced basketball players.
Join us on the court and be part of Tokyo’s international basketball community!
How to join
- Join the TG Basketball Meetup group.
- Upcoming games will be posted on Meetup.
- Games may occasionally be canceled, postponed, or moved to another venue due to unforeseen circumstances. Please join our Meetup group to receive the latest updates and notifications.
- Signing up on Meetup doesn’t lock in a guaranteed spot—it’s still first come, first served on the day. But making a reservation really helps! It lets us (and other players) know how many people to expect, and it also gives you handy reminders from Meetup so you don’t miss the session.
RULES AND GUIDELINES
To keep our pickup games fun, safe, and enjoyable for everyone, please make sure you understand and follow these rules:
- Skill Level: Players should have at least an average basketball skill level. If your skill level is below average, we may kindly ask you not to join, to keep the games fair and enjoyable for all.
- Player Limit: Each session has a strict maximum number of players (20). Once full, no additional players can join.
- Age Requirement: Players must be 18 years or older.
- Shoes: Proper indoor basketball shoes are required. Shoes worn outdoors are not allowed on the court.
- Prohibited Activities: Smoking, eating, and drinking alcoholic beverages inside the gym are not allowed.
- Respect & Sportsmanship: No fighting, abusive language, or unacceptable behavior towards other players or organizers.
- Enforcement: The organizers reserve the right to refuse entry or ban any player who violates these rules.
Game fee
- Fee: ¥1,500 per player, per session.
- Payment: Please pay directly to the person in charge before the game starts. (No payment at the gym reception.)
- Your contribution helps cover:
– Court rental (¥8,500–¥10,000 per session)
– High-quality basketballs
– Transportation, meals, and drinks allowance for organizers
– The time and effort of the person in charge on the day
– Court booking (the most time-consuming and difficult part)
– Other small expenses
💡 Important Note:
This is not a business—it’s a community effort to make sure everyone has a chance to play basketball regularly. The game fee simply keeps things running smoothly and fairly.
If you feel uncomfortable with the game fee, we kindly ask that you reconsider joining. We know it might seem expensive, but it’s the only way to cover the costs and support the people who make these sessions possible.
PLAYING TIME GUIDELINES
- Maximum Players: 20 per 2-hour session.
- Game Length: Each game lasts about 10–12 minutes.
- Scoring: Games go up to 11 or 13 points (2 points for regular baskets, 3 points for shots made beyond the arc).
- No “King of the Court”: We don’t use this rule—everyone gets a fair chance to play.
- Substitutions: The session organizer is fully in charge of player rotations.
- Winning teams, scorekeepers, and late arrivals may sometimes be prioritized for subs.
- Play Time: Everyone should get roughly the same amount of court time (that’s the goal!).