JAPAN GAMES JUNIOR & YOUTH 2026 ISHIKAWA to Be Held!

JSPO (Japan Sports Association, a public interest foundation headquartered in Shinjuku, Tokyo, President Toshiaki Endo), which creates environments for people to 'play,' 'watch,' and 'support' sports, will host 'JAPAN GAMES JUNIOR & YOUTH 2026 ISHIKAWA' from August 8 to 11 in Kanazawa City and Hakui City, Ishikawa Prefecture.

Under the slogan 'Bonds That Connect: From Ishikawa to the Future,' this event aims to realize the societal vision of JAPAN GAMES by expanding participants’ perspectives through para-sports experiences such as sitting volleyball, learning about disaster preparedness through lectures by storytellers from the Noto Peninsula earthquake and heavy rainfall survivors, and reflecting on the connection between youth sports clubs and local communities.

We invite you to follow the growth of participating children as they experience the joy and value of sports through these activities.

[Photo: 2025 edition held in Saga Prefecture]

Originally launched in 1963 as the 'National Sports Youth Festival,' this annual event aims to nurture the minds and bodies of youth through group living, sports, cultural learning, outdoor activities, and exchange programs, while promoting youth sports clubs and revitalizing local communities.

Starting in 2025, the event has been rebranded as 'JAPAN GAMES JUNIOR & YOUTH,' aligning with the National Sports Festival and Japan Masters Games under the unified 'JAPAN GAMES' brand, with the tagline 'Sports Are Even More Fun.'

JAPAN GAMES JUNIOR & YOUTH 2026 ISHIKAWA Overview

Schedule

August 8 (Sat) – August 11 (Tue, national holiday), 2026 (Reiwa 8)

Venues

【Opening Ceremony Venue】

Ishikawa Prefectural Music Hall, Japanese Music Hall (20-1 Showa-machi, Kanazawa)

【Main Venue, Accommodation / Closing Ceremony Venue】

National Noto Youth Exchange House (14-5-6 Shibigaki-cho, Hakui)

【Sports and Exchange Activities】

Ishikawa Comprehensive Sports Center (222 Higashino-kitamachi, Kanazawa)

Participants

206 participants from 37 prefectures (members: elementary grade 6 to high school grade 3, accompanied by supervising coaches)

Attached Documents (separate sheets)

Competition Regulations, Event Schedule

Japan Sports Youth Association Executive Attendees

Hagiwara Tomoko, Deputy Director

Opening Ceremony on August 8 (Sat)

Mase Naomi, Director

Lecture on August 10 (Mon), Closing Ceremony on August 11 (Tue, national holiday)

Information Available on JSPO Website (Please also refer)

▶ JAPAN GAMES JUNIOR & YOUTH Information Page

◆ About JSPO (Japan Sports Association)

JSPO was founded in July 1911 as the Greater Japan Physical Education Association, with the mission of promoting national sports and enhancing international competitiveness. It evolved from the Japan Physical Education Association and adopted its current name on April 1, 2018.

JSPO organizes multi-generational sports events such as the National Sports Festival (formerly National Physical Education Festival) and Japan Masters Games, fosters sports participation through youth sports clubs and comprehensive community sports clubs, trains sports instructors, and promotes science-based sports. As Japan’s unified sports organization, JSPO collaborates with the government, over 60 national sports federations, 47 prefectural sports associations, and various sports-related organizations and individuals.

▶ Website https://www.japan-sports.or.jp/

▶ Business Overview Brochure

https://www.japan-sports.or.jp/about/tabid57.html#09 (Approx. 15-minute read)

▶ JSPO Mid-Term Plan 2023–2027

https://www.japan-sports.or.jp/about/tabid149.html#01