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Booking Public Sports Facilities in Japan: Gyms, Courts, and School Gyms
Booking public sports facilities in Japan means registering with a city or ward reservation system, then winning or claiming a slot at a municipal gym or court, or at a public-school gym opened to the community outside school hours.12 Eligibility usually depends on living, working, or studying in that municipality, and every rule, from group size to lottery dates and fees, is set city by city, so a procedure that works in one ward can fail in the next.13
Procedures, fees, and requirements can change. Confirm current details at the sports-facility pages of the city or ward that runs the facility (for example, Toshima City's indoor sports facility guide) and, for insurance, at the Sports Safety Association site.
Overview
Good slots at public facilities are contested. Minato reported that new registrations in its school-facility 一般団体 (ippan dantai, "general group") category rose about 2.4-fold in FY2024, to 135 groups, after its reservation system arrived, making slots hard to get (as of 2025-09-25; confirm current figures with Minato City).4 Toshima and Sapporo, for example, ration access through advance registration, monthly lotteries, and caps on how many slots one user or group can hold.15
None of the rules below is national. Each example belongs to the named city or ward, and two facilities in the same city can differ because school gyms are coordinated per school and many facilities follow their own house rules.32
Municipal facilities and school gyms: the two routes
The first route is the municipal sports facility: a city gymnasium, tennis court, ground, or pool booked through the city's online reservation system after you register as a user. Toshima, for example, requires either group or individual registration before its system can be used at all.1
The registration type decides what you can book. In Toshima, group registration unlocks both lottery entry and general booking, while individual registration unlocks only general (first-come) booking (as of 2026-06-01).1
A single ward's fee schedule shows the range of facility types. Nerima prices gymnasium arenas by the whole, half, and quarter court, plus table-tennis halls, judo and kendo halls, archery ranges, heated pools, outdoor tennis courts, and multipurpose grounds.6
The second route is school facility opening. Chiba City opens the grounds, gymnasiums, and budo halls of almost all city elementary and junior high schools to registered sports groups, as long as school education is not disrupted.2
School gyms come with tighter hours. In Chiba City, school events and club activities take priority, and weekday open use runs in the evening only: elementary gyms 17:00–21:00, junior-high gyms 19:00–21:00, and weekends 6:30–21:00 (as of 2026-10-15, FY2026 edition).2
School gyms are also more often group-only. In Sapporo, individuals can register for every facility type except school-opening sports use, which requires a group of 10 or more (as of 2026-04-22).7
| Term | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 体育館 | taiikukan | "Gymnasium"; the general word for a sports hall, municipal or school |
| 総合体育館 | sōgō taiikukan | "Comprehensive gymnasium", a larger multi-room municipal sports complex, such as Nerima's6 |
| 競技場 | kyōgijō | "Arena", the main court area in a gym; Toshima and Nerima book or price it as 全面 (whole) or 半面 (half)16 |
| 学校体育施設開放 | gakkō taiiku shisetsu kaihō | "School sports-facility opening", the program that lends school gyms and grounds to community groups outside school hours32 |
| 公共施設予約システム | kōkyō shisetsu yoyaku shisutemu | "Public facility reservation system", the city's online booking platform (the name Toshima and Itabashi use)18 |
Who is eligible: live, work, or study in the municipality
The common pattern is eligibility by 在住・在勤・在学 (zaijū, zaikin, zaigaku, "living, working, or studying" in the municipality), but each city mixes the three differently.9 The table compares five examples, each row as of the date shown.
| City / program | Who qualifies | Student (在学) route | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toshima, indoor arenas | Groups of 10+ with at least half the members living or working in Toshima | None; student-only groups cannot register, nor can member groups of the ward sports and recreation associations (sports-association youth groups excepted) | 2026-06-011 |
| Minato, sports facilities | Separate resident, worker, and student group types, 10+ members each; resident groups need every member living in Minato and aged 16+ | Yes | 2026-05-159 |
| Meguro | Resident groups need an adult representative who lives, works, or studies in Meguro and at least half the members living there; other groups can register as 区外団体 (kugai dantai, "out-of-ward group") | Yes, for the representative | 2025-05-2610 |
| Sagamihara, school gyms | 10+ members, at least 80% living, working, or studying in the city, adult representative | Yes | 2026-04-093 |
| Chiba City, school gyms | Sports groups made up of people who live, work, or study in the city, approved by each school's committee | Yes | 2026-10-15 (FY2026 edition)2 |
Some systems admit outsiders at a disadvantage. In Meguro, resident groups can enter lotteries and book vacant slots, and the city describes their rental fees as about half those charged to non-resident groups (as of 2025-05-26).10
Others reserve the lottery for locals only. In Itabashi, only 区内団体 (kunai dantai, "in-ward groups") can enter the lottery, while any registered group can book leftover slots (as of 2022-09-16 and 2023-10-06).811
None of these rules turns on nationality. Every city's condition is written in terms of address, workplace, or school, and proof works the same way for every applicant.19103
User registration
Booking a slot starts with 利用者登録 (riyōsha tōroku, "user registration") in the city's reservation system.13 The documents, the counter or online channel, and how long approval takes are all set by the city.
Individual registration and proof of residence
Toshima accepts as proof of residence a document showing your name and address, such as a driver's licence, a My Number card (not the older notification card), or a 住民票 (jūminhyō, "certificate of residence") issued within the last three months; a student ID is not accepted as proof of residence (as of 2026-06-01; confirm current figures with Toshima City).1 The jūminhyō is the municipal residence record, covered in Jūminhyō: Japan's Residence Record Explained, and How to Request Koseki and Juminhyo Copies walks through getting a certificate.
Workers prove employment separately. Toshima accepts a document showing name and workplace, such as a 在勤証明書 (zaikin shōmeisho, "certificate of employment") bearing the company and certifier seals, or an employee ID card; a business card alone is not enough (as of 2026-06-01).1
When a licence or My Number card is used in Toshima, you submit a copy with the individual number masked so it cannot be recovered, and Toshima returns the documents after checking (as of 2026-06-01).1
Minato registers at the counter only, with no postal applications. Its listed proof examples include a driver's licence, My Number card, jūminhyō, employee ID, 在勤証明書, and student ID (as of 2026-05-15).9
Minato's own page is not fully consistent on who can register individually. Its category table lists individual categories (resident, worker, and student, aged 16+) for the tennis courts only, yet the same page separately says individuals using the Sports Center register at the counter with a document confirming residence, work, or study (as of 2026-05-15).9
One Minato restriction is narrow. Individual student registrants for the tennis courts cannot enter the tennis lottery (as of 2026-05-15).9
Inagi registers individuals only for its tennis courts; its other sports facilities use group registration (as of 2026-10-15).14 Accepted ID must show address, name, and date of birth, and workers add an original employment certificate with a company seal issued within one month (as of 2026-05-08).15
Inagi also lists what it refuses: the My Number notification card, a passport without an address, and, from 2025-12-02, the health insurance card (as of 2026-05-08).15
Outside Tokyo, Fukuoka's counter registration requires ID such as a driver's licence, health insurance card, or My Number card (as of 2025-07-30).13 Fukuoka's tennis courts and city gymnasiums are among the facilities that accept individual registration only, and duplicate registration is not allowed under either type (as of 2025-07-30).13
None of the city pages consulted names the 在留カード (zairyū kādo, "residence card") as accepted or refused ID; Toshima's list ends with "and so on", and Inagi requires government ID that shows an address.115 Bring an ID that shows your current registered address, and confirm with the facility before you go. Residence Card: Status, Period, and Work Flags explains what the card records.
| Term | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 利用者登録 | riyōsha tōroku | "User registration" for the reservation system13 |
| 住民票 | jūminhyō | "Certificate of residence"; Toshima accepts one issued within three months1 |
| 在勤証明書 | zaikin shōmeisho | "Certificate of employment" at a workplace in the ward1 |
| 本人確認書類 | honnin kakunin shorui | "Identity-verification document"1 |
Group registration (dantai toroku)
In Toshima, 団体登録 (dantai tōroku, "group registration") is the only route into the lottery.1 Each group names a 代表者 (daihyōsha, "representative") and usually a 連絡者 or 連絡員 (renrakusha / renrakuin, "liaison").110
Toshima's group rules for indoor arenas (basketball, volleyball, table tennis, badminton, and other indoor sports) are specific. Groups need 10+ members with at least half living or working in Toshima, and a representative aged 18+ who lives or works in the ward (as of 2026-06-01).1
Toshima adds three limits: preschool children cannot be members, one person cannot be on two teams of the same type, and each group gets one ID (as of 2026-06-01).1 Its registration paperwork is listed below, as of the date shown.
| Item | Note | As of |
|---|---|---|
| 団体登録申請書（代表者・連絡者） | Representative and liaison form | 2026-06-011 |
| 団体登録申請書（メンバー登録） | Member list | 2026-06-011 |
| ID for every registered member | 本人確認書類 | 2026-06-011 |
| Proof of residence or work for the members counted toward the eligibility share | Residents' ID can double as this | 2026-06-011 |
A Toshima group registration is valid until the end of the month three years after issue. Renewal can only be done at the facility where the group first registered, with the same documents as a new registration (as of 2026-06-01).1
Other cities set different thresholds. The table compares them, each row as of the date shown.
| City / program | Minimum members | Representative | Other rules | As of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meguro | 2 (tennis) to 11 (soccer), by facility | Counted in the member total for adult groups, not for youth groups | Groups of 3+ submit a roster | 2025-05-2610 |
| Minato, sports facilities | 10 for each group type | Adult Minato resident for children's groups; adult representative studying, living, or working in Minato for student groups | Resident and worker groups: all members 16+; children's groups: all Minato-resident elementary and junior-high pupils | 2026-05-159 |
| Tokyo Metropolitan high schools | 10 | Supervising responsible person aged 20+ | Members mainly live, work, or study in Tokyo; amateur, non-profit, organized, regularly active; each school's committee may add conditions | 2026-10-1516 |
| Fukuoka, sports facilities | 10 in principle (5+ at the civic welfare plaza, 2+ at other cultural facilities) | Not specified | Whether group registration is possible, and the screening, varies by facility | 2025-07-3013 |
| Sagamihara, school gyms | 10 | Adult | Up to 3 schools per group in Fujino, up to 2 elsewhere | 2026-04-093 |
Meguro has a separate youth category, 小人団体 (reading not given by Meguro; "youth group"), for groups of high-school students and younger. In a resident youth group the representative and liaison are adults and the representative must live in Meguro, and junior-high students and younger cannot serve as representative or liaison except in unavoidable cases (as of 2025-05-26).10
Meguro registration is free and valid for two years, with no automatic renewal; you can renew from two months before expiry by the same process as a new registration (as of 2025-05-26).10 Commercial activity cannot be registered (as of 2025-05-26).10
Minato's sports-facility system uses 少年団体 (shōnen dantai, "children's group") for its youth category, distinct from adult resident, worker, and student groups (as of 2026-05-15).9 This is separate from Minato's school-facility program, whose rules changed in April 2026 (see Good to know).17
Online registration and counter registration
Some cities register at the counter only; others let you finish online. The comparison below reflects each city's registration page, as of the dates in the table.137101915
| City | Online | Counter or post | Processing time | As of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fukuoka | Yes; smartphone plus ID check by My Number card (signature PIN of 6–16 characters), driver's licence, or health insurance card | Counter | About 2–4 weeks either way; counter applicants get a 利用者登録通知書 (riyōsha tōroku tsūchisho, "user registration notice") by post, online applicants an approval email | 2025-07-3013 |
| Sapporo | Yes | Mailed paper form | Card arrives about one week after online, about two weeks after mail | 2026-04-227 |
| Meguro | Yes; user number and temporary password by email, no card issued | Counter at a sports facility or the Sports Promotion Division; no proxy applications | About one week for the counter card | 2025-05-2610 |
| Toshima | No; forms downloadable from the ward website | Counter at Toshima Gymnasium (豊島体育館), Sugamo Gymnasium (巣鴨体育館), Zōshigaya Gymnasium (雑司が谷体育館), or Minami-Nagasaki Sports Center (南長崎スポーツセンター) | Not stated | 2026-06-011 |
| Minato | No | Counter only; no postal applications | Not stated | 2026-05-159 |
| Inagi | Individual tennis registration via My Number card from 2026-03-16 | Groups at City Hall or named facility counters | Not stated | 2026-05-0815 |
Registrations do not last forever. In Fukuoka, a registration lapses after two years without use from registration or last use (as of 2025-07-30).13 In Sapporo, registration is valid one year and can be renewed from one month before expiry (as of 2026-04-22).7
The reservation systems themselves sit behind a login. Everything in this section comes from each city's public guide pages, which is also where to check the current procedure.137101
How booking works
Toshima and Sapporo run two stages for each month: a lottery for the most popular slots, then first-come booking of whatever is left. Payment deadlines close both stages.15
The monthly lottery (chusen)
Toshima's indoor arenas run the full cycle two months ahead of use (as of 2026-06-01; confirm current figures with Toshima City).1 The diagram traces a slot from registration to check-in at the facility counter on the day, which Toshima also requires.1
The same cycle in table form, as of the date shown:
| Step | Window | As of |
|---|---|---|
| Lottery application (groups only) | 1st–10th of the month two months before use | 2026-06-011 |
| Check results, pay to confirm | 11th–20th of the same month; unpaid wins are void | 2026-06-011 |
| Leftover slots, first-come | From 09:00 on the 21st until 7 days before use; pay within one week or the booking is void | 2026-06-011 |
| After 7 days before use | Contact the facility directly | 2026-06-011 |
Toshima also caps each group per month at 6 lottery entries, 4 wins, and 8 total bookings, counted in コマ (koma, "time blocks") (as of 2026-06-01).1
Other cities run their lotteries on different calendars. The table gives examples, each as of the date shown.
| City / facility | Application window | Results and confirmation | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yokohama, sports and park facilities (original schedule for the November 2024 cycle) | 15th to last day of the month two months before use (09-15 00:00 to 09-30 23:59) | Results 10-03 00:00, email 09:00; confirm by 10-10 23:59 (postponed after a system failure; see Good to know) | 2024-10-0218 |
| Sapporo | 1st–10th of the month before use; automatic draw at midnight on the 10th | Apply to use and pay at the facility 11th–15th or the win is void; some facilities have no lottery; per-facility entry caps | 2026-04-225 |
| Itabashi, most facilities (gyms, budo halls, baseball, tennis, soccer, futsal, pools) | 16th–20th, three months before use; ward groups only | Results on the 25th (23rd for February and December use); confirm 25th–30th (23rd–28th for February and December) | 2022-09-168 |
| Inagi, tennis courts | 15th–25th, two months before use | Results 09:00 on the 1st of the month before use | 2026-10-1514 |
| Inagi, Nomura Real Estate Inagi Arena and Comprehensive Ground | 15th–25th, three months before use | Results 09:00 on the 1st, two months before use | 2026-10-1514 |
| Inagi, school gyms | Opens on the 1st for the following month | Draw and results at 09:00 on the 20th | 2026-08-191219 |
Itabashi's lottery page was last updated in 2022, so check the current page before relying on those dates.8
| Term | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 抽選 | chūsen | "Lottery"1 |
| 当選 / 当選確定 | tōsen / tōsen kakutei | "Winning a slot / confirming a win"8 |
| コマ | koma | "Slot" or "time block", the unit Toshima uses for caps1 |
First-come booking of leftover slots
Slots nobody won, or nobody applied for, reopen first-come. Opening times and deadlines differ by city, as of the dates in the table.
| City | Leftover slots open | Booking deadline | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Itabashi | 09:00 on the 5th of the month two months before use (the 6th when that date falls in January); all registered groups, not just ward groups | Outdoor fields and tennis until the day of use; indoor gyms, multipurpose rooms, pools, and budo halls until 3 days before | 2023-10-0611 |
| Toshima | 09:00 on the 21st, two months before use | Online until 7 days before use | 2026-06-011 |
| Sapporo | 16th of the month before use | Until the day before use; deadlines vary by facility | 2026-04-225 |
| Yokohama (original schedule for the November 2024 cycle) | Vacancy list at 05:00 and applications from 07:00 on 10-11, the day after the confirmation deadline | Not stated | 2024-10-0218 |
| Inagi, school gyms | After lottery results | Until 15:00 the day before use; cancellations by the same deadline through the system | 2026-08-1912 |
Itabashi also caps 仮予約 (kari yoyaku, "provisional bookings", made before payment) at 4 or 5 days per venue, depending on the facility type (as of 2023-10-06).11 Its vacant-slot page was last updated in 2023, so confirm these rules on the current page.11
| Term | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 空き予約 / 空き施設の申込み / 空き枠 | aki yoyaku / aki shisetsu no mōshikomi / aki waku | "Booking a vacant slot", the first-come stage after the lottery111 |
| 先着順 | senchaku-jun | "First come, first served"11 |
| 仮予約 | kari yoyaku | "Provisional booking", Itabashi's pre-payment state11 |
Payment, cancellation, and no-shows
A booking is not secure until it is paid. Every city in the table below voids or cancels unpaid bookings automatically; each row is as of the date shown.
| City | Payment deadline | Cancellation and refunds | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toshima | Lottery wins: within the 11th–20th window; first-come: within one week | Unpaid bookings are void | 2026-06-011 |
| Itabashi | Bring the 利用者登録証 (riyōsha tōroku-shō, "user registration card") to the payment counter within six days counting the booking day, shorter for bookings within 10 days of use; with 口座振替 (kōza furikae, "automatic bank-account debit") the booking confirms automatically | Unpaid provisional bookings cancel automatically; confirmed bookings cannot be cancelled in the system | 2023-10-0611 |
| Inagi | By the third day after the lottery result or reservation date | Unpaid reservations cancel automatically; paid fees are non-refundable except when rain or similar conditions make the facility unusable | 2026-10-1514 |
| Sapporo | Lottery: at the facility 11th–15th; first-come: within 3 days of applying and by the day of use; some parks accept convenience-store payment for online bookings | Free cancellation until 5 days before use, a fee after that; weather or facility refunds claimed at the counter within 30 days | 2026-04-225 |
| Fukuoka | Online registrants have no debit account set automatically; without one, pay by credit card by the day of use or at the facility counter | Some facilities do not take counter payment | 2025-07-3013 |
In Sapporo, not cancelling, not showing up, or not paying can lead to suspension of booking privileges.5 If your group cannot use a slot, cancel it through the proper channel before the deadline.
Fees
Fees are set per city and per facility, by time block or by court-hour, not as a national rate. Groups usually pay for exclusive use of a whole, half, or quarter court; individuals pay a per-visit ticket at drop-in sessions.62021
Hall and court fees by the hour or block
Nerima's gymnasium group fees show the block structure (as of 2026-07-07; confirm current figures with Nerima City).6 Blocks are morning 9:00–12:00, afternoon 1 12:30–15:30, afternoon 2 16:00–18:00, night 18:30–21:30, and all day 9:00–21:30.6
| Facility / unit (yen per block) | Morning | Afternoon 1 | Afternoon 2 | Night | All day | As of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nerima Sōgō Taiikukan (総合体育館) arena, whole | 13,200 | 13,200 | 8,800 | 13,200 | 48,400 | 2026-07-076 |
| Nerima Sōgō Taiikukan (総合体育館) arena, half | 6,600 | 6,600 | 4,400 | 6,600 | 24,200 | 2026-07-076 |
| Hikarigaoka Gymnasium (光が丘体育館) arena, quarter | 3,300 | 3,300 | 2,200 | 3,300 | 12,100 | 2026-07-076 |
| Sakuradai Gymnasium (桜台体育館) arena | 4,800 | 4,800 | 3,200 | 4,800 | 17,600 | 2026-07-076 |
| Kamishakujii Gymnasium (上石神井体育館) arena, whole | 9,000 | 9,000 | 6,000 | 9,000 | 33,000 | 2026-07-076 |
Nerima's heated-pool group use costs ¥4,800 per lane per 2 hours (as of 2026-07-07).6 Individual drop-in gym use in Nerima costs ¥100–300 per visit for adults; preschoolers and elementary and junior-high pupils are free, and for people who live, work, or study in Nerima, ages 65–74 pay half and 75+ are free (as of 2026-07-07).6
Sapporo's gymnasium group, which includes its ward gymnasiums, prices exclusive use of a 競技室 (kyōgishitsu, "competition room") higher in the evening (as of 2025-05-15).20
| Block (yen, 競技室 exclusive use) | Weekday | Weekend / holiday | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morning 9:00–12:00 | 12,400 | 14,880 | 2025-05-1520 |
| Afternoon 13:00–17:00 | 18,400 | 22,080 | 2025-05-1520 |
| Night 18:00–21:00 | 24,600 | 29,520 | 2025-05-1520 |
| All day 9:00–21:00 | 55,300 | 66,360 | 2025-05-1520 |
In Sapporo, using half of a competition room generally costs half the fee (two named venues price by thirds instead), weekend and holiday use carries a 20% surcharge (amounts under ¥10 truncated), and events that charge admission are priced differently (as of 2025-05-15).20 Sapporo tennis courts are priced per court-hour, for example ¥430 at Maruyama Tennis Courts (円山庭球場, soft tennis) and ¥700 at Asabu Tennis Courts (麻生庭球場, hard courts) (as of 2026-08-21).22
Residence can change the price: Meguro's resident groups pay about half the non-resident rate (as of 2025-05-26; see Who is eligible).10
School gyms are often cheap or free for registered groups. The examples below are each as of the date shown.
| City / program | School-gym fee for registered groups | As of |
|---|---|---|
| Chiba City | Free; air-conditioning charged, amount varies by school | 2026-10-15 (FY2026 edition)2 |
| Sagamihara: Midori (Hashimoto and Ōsawa), Chuo, Minami wards | Free | 2026-04-093 |
| Sagamihara: Sagamiko district | ¥200 per 2 hours daytime (+¥100 per extra hour); ¥400 per 2 hours 18:00–22:00 (+¥200 per extra hour); free for groups where under-20s are the majority | 2026-04-093 |
| Sagamihara: Fujino district | ¥500 per 2 hours (+¥100 per extra hour); free on application for groups of junior-high age and younger | 2026-04-093 |
| Minato, school-facility program | 届出団体 (todokede dantai, "notified group", resident-based) are exempt from school-facility fees | 2026-09-2817 |
Lighting, equipment, and other add-ons
The base fee is rarely the whole bill. Night lighting, air-conditioning, and some equipment are charged separately, as these examples show, each as of the date shown.
| Add-on | City / facility | Amount | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Night lighting, tennis | Nerima, Ōizumi Sakura Undō Kōen (大泉さくら運動公園) | ¥300 per court-hour | 2026-07-076 |
| Night lighting, multipurpose ground | Nerima, Ōizumi Sakura Undō Kōen | ¥2,200/hour whole, ¥1,100/hour half | 2026-07-076 |
| Night lighting, multipurpose ground | Nerima, Ōizumigakuenchō Kibōgaoka Kōen (大泉学園町希望が丘公園) | ¥1,200/hour whole, ¥600/hour half | 2026-07-076 |
| Night lighting, school ground | Inagi Dai 5 Junior High School | ¥1,740 per 2 hours (until 21:00) | 2026-08-1912 |
| School-gym air-conditioning | Inagi | ¥1,000 per 2 hours via prepaid vending-machine tickets; no change given, and receipts only from the Education General Affairs Section | 2026-08-1912 |
| Electricity and PA system | Sagamihara, Tsukui district school gyms (otherwise free) | Electricity ¥630 all day, ¥310 half day; PA ¥520 / ¥260 | 2026-04-093 |
Some cities state that a charge exists without listing it. Tokyo Metropolitan high-school opening charges a 光熱水費負担金 (kōnetsusuihi futankin, "utilities contribution") for indoor lighting and outdoor night lighting, plus an extra air-conditioning charge where the school allows it, payable online by credit card or PayPay or by payment slip.16 Sapporo likewise notes that night lighting and heating, and at indoor facilities summer cooling, may be charged separately.2022
Air-conditioning is not always on demand. In Suginami school gyms, the group's responsible person decides under the ward's standard, which allows it from 1 June to 30 September when the room exceeds 28°C with windows open; in winter, air-conditioning is in principle not used for sports (as of 2026-02-09).23
Equipment lending is limited. In Nakano, Nagano Prefecture, school gyms lend items hard for individuals to own, such as volleyball nets, but not large fans or jet heaters (as of 2025-12-31).24 In Chiba City, school equipment may be used with the principal's permission, and damage caused by users, even accidentally, is in principle the user's cost.2
| Term | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 照明料 | shōmei-ryō | "Lighting fee"6 |
| 使用料 / 利用料金 | shiyō-ryō / riyō ryōkin | "Usage fee"621 |
| 全面 / 半面 / 4分の1面 | zenmen / hanmen / yonbun no ichi men | "Whole / half / quarter court"6 |
| 光熱水費負担金 | kōnetsusuihi futankin | "Utilities contribution", Tokyo Metropolitan schools' lighting charge16 |
Individual drop-in sessions (kojin kaiho)
Drop-in sessions are the no-team route. Called 個人開放, 一般開放, or 個人利用 (kojin kaihō, ippan kaihō, kojin riyō: "individual opening", "general opening", "individual use"), they let one person turn up and play a scheduled sport.2526
How drop-in sessions work
In Itabashi, gyms and heated pools are used either by group exclusive booking or by individual use, on days and hours fixed per facility; individual use needs no pre-registration, and indoor arenas and budo halls offer only set sports during individual sessions.25 Itabashi's FAQ page dates from 2020, so check the facility's current schedule.25
Sapporo sells drop-in access by ticket. At Chuo and ward gymnasiums, a 当日券 (tōjitsu-ken, "same-day ticket") costs ¥430 general, ¥250 for high-school students, and ¥140 for ages 65+, with junior-high age and younger free (as of 2026-07-22; confirm current figures with Sapporo City).21
Sapporo also offers six-ticket books (回数券, kaisū-ken) and one-month passes, and where sessions are split into morning, afternoon, and night, each session needs its own ticket (as of 2026-07-22).21 Nerima's per-visit drop-in fee is listed under Fees above.6
Chiba City runs 自由開放 (jiyū kaihō, "free opening") at elementary-school grounds three times a month on weekends and holidays, 36 times a year, for about 3 hours per session. Individuals can use it freely with no registration (as of 2026-10-15, FY2026 edition).2
Free school-gym sessions for individuals
Several Tokyo wards open school gyms to individuals for free. Conditions differ by ward, and each row below is as of the date shown.
| Ward | Who can join | How to join | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bunkyo (スポーツ交流ひろば, supōtsu kōryū hiroba, "sports exchange plaza") | People who live, work, or study in Bunkyo | Free, no pre-registration; each school and weekday has a set sport with an instructor; schedules published as monthly PDFs | 2026-10-0827 |
| Nerima (学校体育館個人開放, gakkō taiikukan kojin kaihō, "school-gym individual opening") | People who live, work, or study in Nerima; junior-high age and under generally need a guardian | Free; go to the school gym and fill in a usage form at reception; some schools lend equipment, others ask you to bring your own | 2026-10-0526 |
| Meguro (学校体育館の個人開放, gakkō taiikukan no kojin kaihō, "school-gym individual opening") | People who live, work, or study in Meguro, aged 16+ in principle | Free, no advance application; sports, days, and hours set per school by its opening committee; some schools do not run it | 2026-10-0228 |
Bunkyo asks participants not to come by bicycle and to take all rubbish home, and may turn people away when a session is full (as of 2026-10-08).27 Bunkyo directs groups to book the ward's 総合体育館 or スポーツセンター (supōtsu sentā, "sports center") instead (as of 2026-10-08).27
Nerima's sessions can be cancelled without notice for bad weather (as of 2026-10-05).26 Outside Tokyo, Chiba City's school-ground 自由開放 described above is the equivalent no-registration option.2
School gyms and grounds (gakko kaiho)
School-gym opening runs on a different model from municipal facilities. Access is usually limited to registered groups and coordinated school by school, with the school's own activities first in line.32
Registered groups and the school opening committee
In Sagamihara's Midori (Hashimoto and Ōsawa), Chuo, and Minami wards, a group must contact the school's 学校体育施設開放運営委員会 (gakkō taiiku shisetsu kaihō un'ei iinkai, "school-opening steering committee") before applying to the city's Sports Promotion Division (as of 2026-04-09; confirm current figures with Sagamihara City).3 Without that prior confirmation the division cannot accept the application, and it does not know each school's booking status (as of 2026-04-09).3
Registered groups then attend scheduling meetings and apply for usage permission (as of 2026-04-09).3 The sequence looks like this:
Chiba City sets up an opening committee at each school, drawn from the school, sports promotion bodies, sports commissioners, sports groups, the youth-development committee, the PTA, and others. The committee registers groups, coordinates their use, issues permits, and patrols.2
In Chiba City, groups submit a registration form and usage application to the school's committee at least 10 days before starting. The registration period runs April to March, and mid-year registration is possible (as of 2026-10-15, FY2026 edition).2
Inagi runs school-gym group access through its online reservation system. Groups of 10+ who live, work, or study in Inagi, with an adult person in charge, apply by mail or at the Education General Affairs Section (as of 2026-08-19).1219
After approval, Inagi groups receive a user ID and a post number for setting up the group in the reservation system; they borrow keys by showing the reservation on screen at the key counter or, outside counter hours, from a key mailbox (as of 2026-08-19).1219 Registered groups are exempt from facility fees for the gym, schoolyard, and clubhouse (as of 2026-08-19).12 School-gym reservations moved to a new system from November 2025, renewed for December 2025 use (as of 2026-05-11).19
Minato's school-facility program splits groups into 届出団体 (todokede dantai, "notified group", mainly ward residents, fees exempt) and 一般団体 (ippan dantai, "general group"). Applications go by the reservation system, post, or in person, and review usually takes about one month (as of 2026-09-28).17
Tokyo Metropolitan high schools are a separate system from the wards. Each school's opening committee may set extra conditions, people not on the registered roster cannot use the facilities, and use is mainly practice and practice matches.16
| Term | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 学校開放運営委員会 / 学校体育施設開放運営委員会 | gakkō kaihō un'ei iinkai / gakkō taiiku shisetsu kaihō un'ei iinkai | "School-opening steering committee"32 |
| 利用調整会議 | riyō chōsei kaigi | "Use-coordination meeting", where the committee allocates days and times2 |
| 届出団体 / 一般団体 | todokede dantai / ippan dantai | Minato's "notified (resident) group / general group" categories17 |
Priority for children's sports groups
Children's teams often get first call on school gyms after the school itself. Nakano, Nagano Prefecture, set this out in its FY2025 school-opening priority plan, published as a draft: school educational activities first, then weekdays until 20:00 reserved for elementary and junior-high pupils (as of 2025-03-11).29
Within that weekday window, Nakano's FY2025 plan puts community clubs replacing school clubs and parent-run groups at priority 1, the city's スポーツ少年団 (supōtsu shōnendan, "youth sports clubs") and comprehensive community sports clubs at priority 2, and other groups after that (as of 2025-03-11).29 The plan sets no priority order after 20:00 on weekdays or on weekend and holiday evenings (as of 2025-03-11).29
Nakano's later user notes show the effect in practice. At many schools, 育成会 (ikuseikai, "parent-run children's associations") and junior-high club activities occupy weekend daytime and some weekday slots; at Hirano Elementary, for example, the 育成会 uses Monday and Thursday until 20:00, Wednesday until 19:30, and weekends 9:00–18:00 (as of 2025-12-31).24
The plan reflects 部活動の地域移行 (bukatsudō no chiiki ikō), the transfer of school club activities to community clubs.29 The school-club side is covered in Club Activities (Bukatsudō) and Time Commitment, and children's clubs outside school in Narai-Goto and Youth Clubs Outside the School System.
Chiba City orders school-facility use as follows: uses the principal deems integral to school education (PTA, community events), then public-interest activities for local residents (elections, disaster drills, city-run classes), then registered open-use groups.2 It asks committees to accept new groups where possible, suggests half-court allocation at junior-high gyms, and suggests that groups with several weekly slots yield some to newcomers.2
In Tokyo, Minato has a dedicated children's-group category for some sports facilities, such as baseball fields, futsal courts, and a youth baseball field (as of 2026-05-15).9 In Sagamihara, Sagamiko waives school-gym fees for groups where under-20s are the majority, and Fujino waives them for groups of junior-high age and younger, on application (as of 2026-04-09).3
On-site rules and insurance
House rules on the day are enforced. In Chiba City, a group that breaks them can lose its registration, and injuries or damage during use are in principle the user's own responsibility.2
Indoor shoes, setup, and cleanup
Gym floors are the main concern. At the gym of Urayasu's まちづくり活動プラザ (Machizukuri Katsudō Puraza, "community activity plaza"), outdoor shoes are banned and indoor or athletic shoes required, wet-mopping is not allowed, and users wipe the floor with the provided mop afterwards; the stated reason is preventing floorboard peeling and cracking, citing a 2017 notice from the education ministry on floorboard injury accidents.30 Eating is not allowed, though drinking water is.30
In Suginami school facilities, the group leader shows the 団体登録証 (dantai tōroku-shō, "group registration certificate") at the caretaker's office and submits the usage form before going to the venue (as of 2026-02-09; confirm current figures with Suginami City).23 Footwear that could damage the floor is not allowed, and outdoor shoes and bare feet are banned inside the building (as of 2026-02-09).23
After use in Suginami, the group returns equipment, cleans, checks the lights, and the leader reports to the caretaker. Eating other than hydration is banned, rubbish goes home, and cars and motorbikes are not allowed (as of 2026-02-09).23
Nakano, Nagano Prefecture, treats cleanup as part of the booked time. After night use, groups leave promptly without lingering on site, check locks and lights, and record use, including lighting time, in the 利用日誌 (riyō nisshi, "usage log") used to calculate lighting fees; one school requires non-marking shoes (as of 2025-12-31).24
In Nakano, the rule is that the booking runs until cleanup is finished, not until play stops.24 Plan to stop early enough to take down nets, wipe the floor, and log your use before the slot ends.
Bunkyo's drop-in sessions ask participants to take rubbish home rather than use school bins (as of 2026-10-08).27 In Toshima, groups complete the usage procedure at the facility counter on the day of use (as of 2026-06-01).1
Rule-breaking has consequences. In Chiba City, committees report groups that break usage rules to the Sports Promotion Division, which gives guidance; if the problem is not corrected, the division orders suspension and deletes the registration.2
| Term | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 上履き / 室内履き | uwabaki / shitsunai-baki | "Indoor shoes"3023 |
| 土足禁止 | dosoku kinshi | "No outdoor shoes"30 |
| 団体登録証 | dantai tōroku-shō | "Group registration certificate"23 |
| 利用日誌 | riyō nisshi | "Usage log"24 |
Sports safety insurance for groups
スポーツ安全保険 (supōtsu anzen hoken, "Sports Safety Insurance") is group accident and liability cover offered by the スポーツ安全協会 (Supōtsu Anzen Kyōkai, "Sports Safety Association") to amateur groups of 4 or more, including sports, cultural, volunteer and community, and child-development groups. Enrollment is per group.3132
The FY2026 policy period runs 2026-04-01 to 2027-03-31, with age categories judged as of 2026-04-01 (as of 2026-02).3332 The 掛金 (kakekin, "premium") is annual and per person, as of the date shown in the table.
| Category | Who / what is covered | Premium | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | Children (junior high and under): group sports, cultural, volunteer, community activities | ¥800 | 2026-023332 |
| AW | Children: A1 plus individual activities | ¥1,450 | 2026-023332 |
| C | Adults (high school and up) aged 64 and under: group activities including sports | ¥2,000 (changed for FY2026) | 2026-0232 |
| B | Adults aged 65+: group activities including sports | ¥1,200 | 2026-023332 |
| A2 | Adults: cultural, volunteer, community activities and support roles; sports-activity accidents not covered | ¥800 | 2026-023332 |
| CW | Adults 64 and under: C plus individual activities | ¥5,000 (changed for FY2026) | 2026-0232 |
| BW | Adults 65+: B plus individual activities | ¥5,000 | 2026-023332 |
| D | All ages: high-risk sports (for example mountaineering, American football, skydiving) | ¥11,000 | 2026-023332 |
Adult premiums include a ¥10 system operating fee. Premiums are charged for the full year even when joining or leaving mid-year, with no refund, the category cannot be changed mid-year, and a group can hold only one enrollment (as of 2026-02).3332
Enrollment is online through スポあんネット (Spo-an Net), where the group gets a member ID, files an enrollment request, and pays. Payment is in cash at Seven-Eleven, Lawson, FamilyMart, Ministop, Daily Yamazaki, or Seicomart, or via Pay-easy, where bank fees may apply.3134
Each enrollment request also carries a system fee: ¥140 when total premiums are under ¥50,000 and ¥360 at ¥50,000 or more, or ¥44 for groups offered bank transfer, plus the bank's own fee (as of 2026-10-15).35
Some programs require or recommend cover. Tokyo Metropolitan school opening asks every group to carry injury insurance, and Chiba City recommends that groups take out insurance and treats damage to school equipment as the user's cost.162
The foreign-resident angle
The rules above apply to every resident equally, since none of them turns on nationality.1910 The practical barriers for foreign residents are language and the group thresholds.
Japanese-only systems and forms
Inagi is the exception among the sources consulted: it publishes official English pages for its sports-facility reservation guide, user registration, school-gym group access, and the school-gym reservation system manual (as of 2026-10-15; confirm current figures with Inagi City).14151219
Every other city page used in this article, from Toshima, Minato, Meguro, Itabashi, Nerima, Bunkyo, Suginami, Sagamihara, Sapporo, Fukuoka, Yokohama, Chiba City, and Nakano, is in Japanese only (as of 2026-10-15).19101162723371318224 Bureaucratic Japanese: Ward Office and Government Forms covers the form vocabulary these pages use.
ID rules are the easiest place to stumble: Inagi refuses a passport without an address, and neither Toshima nor Inagi names the residence card either way (as of 2026-05-08 and 2026-06-01; see User registration).151 Bring an address-bearing ID and confirm with the facility.
Join an existing registered group first
Joining a group that already holds slots is usually faster than meeting the registration thresholds yourself. Hobbies and Community Circles and The Foreign-Resident Community Structure cover how to find one.
Membership has a limit. Toshima does not allow one person on two teams of the same type, and Inagi's school-gym access bars members from belonging to another registered group in the same category, so joining one group uses up your place for that category (as of 2026-06-01 and 2026-08-19).112
Some cities help newcomers find groups. Chiba City publishes registered groups' names (including sport and target members), facilities, days, and times as a schedule on the Sports Promotion Division website, and when a newcomer cannot get a slot, committees are asked to introduce existing groups doing the same sport.2
Bunkyo's free school-gym sessions need no group membership at all, which makes them a low-commitment way to meet local players (as of 2026-10-08).27
One Toshima detail matters for anyone looking through local sports associations. Member groups of the ward sports association (豊島区スポーツ協会, Toshima-ku Supōtsu Kyōkai, "Toshima Sports Association") and the recreation association cannot register for Toshima's facility group registration, sports-association youth groups excepted, and the guide does not say how those associations' groups book (as of 2026-06-01).1
Building a group that meets registration rules
Organizers need to recruit enough local members, pick a qualifying representative, and keep the roster current. The table compares three cities' thresholds, each as of the date shown.
| City / program | Members | Local share | Representative | Other | As of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toshima, indoor arenas | 10+; preschoolers do not count | Half or more living or working in Toshima | 18+, lives or works in Toshima | Student-only groups cannot register | 2026-06-011 |
| Minato, school-facility 一般団体 (from April 2026) | 10+, aged 3+ | 50%+ living, working, or studying in Minato | Lives in Minato | Written group rules (規約, kiyaku, "bylaws") required | 2026-09-2817 |
| Sagamihara, school gyms | 10+ | 80%+ living, working, or studying in the city | Adult who takes part in activities | – | 2026-04-093 |
Keeping the roster current is a standing obligation. Toshima requires a 団体登録 変更／追加／削除届 (change, addition, or deletion notice) when details change, Chiba City requires a fresh registration form when the name, representative, or contact changes, and Nakano accepts change notifications, including online (as of 2026-06-01, 2026-10-15, and 2025-12-31).1224
At Tokyo Metropolitan schools, people not on the registered roster may not use the facilities, so add new members before they play.16
Good to know
Rules change when cities switch systems
Nerima replaced its old public facility reservation system with a new combined 練馬区施設予約システム (Nerima-ku shisetsu yoyaku shisutemu, "Nerima facility reservation system"). The old system took bookings only for use through 2026-06-30, and bookings for July 2026 use onward require registering again, because old registrations were not carried over; registration for the new system opened 2025-10-01 (as of 2025-10-01; confirm current figures with Nerima City).36
New systems can also fail under load. Yokohama announced that its new citizen-facility reservation system would start at 09:00 on 2023-11-19 (as of 2023-10-27).37 On 2024-09-30, the last day of the November lottery window, it failed from about 22:00 to midnight under heavy access, and the city postponed results and ran an extra application window from 2024-10-09 to 10-11 (as of 2024-10-02).18
Inagi moved its gymnasium bookings to a new system from February 2025 use and its school-gym bookings from November and December 2025 (as of 2026-10-15 and 2026-05-11).1419 When your city announces a switch, check whether you must re-register and when.
Group rules can tighten: Minato's April 2026 change
Minato's school-facility program used to be easy to join. In September 2025, its Board of Education reported that the 一般団体 category had no address requirement and needed only 2+ members, and that new registrations had risen about 2.4-fold in FY2024, to 135 new groups, after the reservation system arrived, making slots hard to get (as of 2025-09-25).4
The planned schedule was a rule revision in November 2025, renewal notices in December 2025, review from January 2026, and a new FY2026–FY2028 registration period from April 2026 (as of 2025-09-25).4
The tightened rules now apply from April 2026. 一般団体 need 10+ members aged 3+, a Minato-resident representative, 50%+ of members living, working, or studying in Minato, and written group rules; 届出団体 need 10+ members, a Minato-resident representative, 70%+ of members with a Minato address, and cannot consist only of students or of people from a single company (as of 2026-09-28).174
This applies to Minato's school-facility program, not its sports-facility groups, which already required residents, workers, or students.179 If your group is registered anywhere, recheck its eligibility whenever the city revises its rules.
Moving, changing jobs, or leaving school can end your eligibility
Eligibility is proved again at renewal, not just once. Toshima renewals need the same documents as a new registration, including proof of residence or work for the qualifying members, and Meguro renewals follow the same process as new registration (as of 2026-06-01 and 2025-05-26).110
Renewal comes around on a fixed cycle: Toshima every 3 years (to month-end), Meguro every 2 years with no automatic renewal, Sapporo every year, and Inagi groups every 2 years, while Fukuoka registrations lapse after 2 years of non-use (as of 2026-06-01, 2025-05-26, 2026-04-22, 2026-05-08, and 2025-07-30).11071513
If you move out, change jobs, or leave school, you or your group may no longer qualify at the next renewal. Toshima also requires a change notification when group registration details change, so file one rather than waiting (as of 2026-06-01).1 Jūminhyō: Japan's Residence Record Explained covers updating your address record.
Lottery wins usually carry a payment or confirmation deadline
Winning the lottery is only the first half. In Toshima, unpaid wins are void after the 11th–20th window (as of 2026-06-01).1
In Sapporo, a win without a usage application in the 11th–15th window is void, and no-shows, failing to cancel, or failing to pay can lead to suspension (as of 2026-04-22).5 Inagi cancels unpaid reservations automatically after the third day (as of 2026-10-15).14
Yokohama winners confirm use within a set window before slots return to first-come booking; the original schedule for the November 2024 cycle set that window at 10-03 to 10-10 23:59, before the system failure pushed it back (as of 2024-10-02).18
Insurance premiums and categories are set yearly
Sports Safety Insurance premiums change by fiscal year. For FY2026, the adult sports category C rose to ¥2,000 and CW to ¥5,000, and both are flagged as changed (as of 2026-02).3233
The cheapest adult category, A2 at ¥800, does not cover accidents during sports activity, so an adult sports group needs C, or B for members aged 65+ (as of 2026-02).3233 Premiums are charged for the full year regardless of when you join, with no refund on leaving (as of 2026-02).33
See also
- Address Change in Japan: Tenshutsu, Tennyu, Tenkyo
- The Neighborhood Association (Chonaikai)
- Making Japanese Friends as a Foreign Resident
- Insurance in Japan for Foreign Residents: What's Required and What's Optional