The 65th All Japan Championship: A Title Match Weaving the History and Culture of Competitive Karuta, Held in Toyota City

The All Japan Karuta Association (Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo), in co-sponsorship with Toyota City and the Toyota City Cultural Promotion Foundation, will host the "Ogura Hyakunin Isshu Competitive Karuta 65th All Japan Championship" on Sunday, April 26, 2026, at the Meitetsu Toyota Hotel (Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture).

This tournament is one of the three major competitive karuta title matches, alongside the "Meijin and Queen Title Deciding Matches" (January / Omi Jingu, Shiga Prefecture) and the "National Invitational Tournament" (March / Meiji Jingu, Tokyo). It is a large-scale national tournament where 64 top players selected from across the country will compete.

【Tournament Name】Ogura Hyakunin Isshu Competitive Karuta 65th All Japan Championship

【Date & Time】Sunday, April 26, 2026, Round 1 starts at 9:30 AM

【Venue】Meitetsu Toyota Hotel 7F "Kujaku no Ma" (1-140 Kitamachi, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture)

【Organizer】All Japan Karuta Association

【Co-organizers】Toyota City, Toyota City Cultural Promotion Foundation

【Sponsor】Chunichi Shimbun

【Participants】A total of 64 A-class players, including 23 top performers from the previous year and 41 selected from 9 national branches.

【Spectator Seating】Viewing is permitted inside the competition venue from Round 2 onwards (free of charge).

*The tournament will be live-streamed on YouTube from Round 1 and broadcast live on cable TV (Himawari Network).

【Tournament URL】https://www.karuta.or.jp/championship/

Competitive karuta is a competitive sport originating from Japanese culture, combining reaction speed that competes for mere hundredths of a second with a high level of strategic complexity involving card placement, tactics, and psychological warfare.

In Toyota City, which focuses on promoting culture and arts, this event has been held for over 30 years.