Catan Japan Championship Finally Begins! First Chubu Tournament Sees Over 30% New Participants for 3rd Consecutive Year!
GP Inc. has started the '2026 Catan Japan Championship.' The first regional tournament in Chubu had 141 participants, with a new participant rate exceeding 30% for the third year in a row.
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- 📰 Published: April 13, 2026 at 19:57
- 🔍 Collected: April 13, 2026 at 16:35
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To the Press
Japan's Largest Board Game Tournament: "2026 Catan Japan Championship"
Finally Started! Staggering New Participant Rate Exceeds 30% for 3 Consecutive Years!
Toy manufacturer GP Inc. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, CEO: Shuji Yonekawa) started the Catan Japan Championship from April 12, 2026. The initial Chubu regional tournament was held with 141 participants, surpassing last year's 139.
=> Official Page: https://www.gp-inc.jp/catan/catan_championship2026/index.html
Looking at the trends in participation rates over the past three years for the annually held Catan Japan Championship Chubu regional tournament, the staggering new participant rate has exceeded 30% for three consecutive years! This suggests that the number of Catan players is increasing every year, and the number of people enjoying board games is growing annually.
* New Participant Rate: 44% in 2024, 40% in 2025, 36% in 2026.
The Chubu regional tournament fought through 4 rounds, and 4 representatives were selected from the 141 participants.
For more details, please visit the webpage.
https://www.gp-inc.jp/catan/catan_championship2026/index.html
The Catan Japan Championship will continue with Hokuriku on 4/19, followed by the remaining 7 venues.
There are still venues where you can purchase tickets. Playing Catan with different people than usual has a reputation for being very fun.
Why not join us?
[Contact for Inquiries/Coverage]
GP Inc. PR: Wada, Yonekawa
Wako Building 606, 1-28-18 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-0075
TEL: 03-6273-9245 MAIL: mail@gp-inc.jp
* Regarding the notation "Japan's Largest": According to our company's research as of November 2025 regarding board game championships within Japan.
The 12th "Catan Japan Championship"
This time, we have finally added the Tohoku region (Morioka) and will hold it at 8 venues nationwide.
- Chubu Regional Tournament: Sunday, April 12, 2026 (120 -> 141 participants)
- Hokuriku Regional Tournament: Sunday, April 19, 2026 (100 participants) IT Business Plaza Musashi *Half remaining
- Tohoku Regional Tournament: Sunday, May 31, 2026 (100 participants) Morioka Iwate Industry Hall *Half remaining
- Kansai Regional Tournament: Sunday, June 14, 2026 (250 participants) Namba Midosuji Hall *Less than half remaining
- Kyushu Regional Tournament: Sunday, June 21, 2026 (120 participants) Tenjin Crystal Building *Less than half remaining
- Hokkaido Regional Tournament: Sunday, July 5, 2026 (80 participants) Kaderu 2・7 *Few remaining
- Chugoku/Shikoku Regional Tournament: Sunday, July 5, 2026 (80 participants) Okayama International Exchange Center *Less than half remaining
- Kanto Regional Tournament: Sunday, July 19, 2026 (600 participants) Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Trade Center Hamamatsucho-Kan *Less than half remaining
- Finals: Sunday, August 2, 2026, Tokyo (Only for selected representatives)
=> Official Page: https://www.gp-inc.jp/catan/catan_championship2026/index.html
The previous 2025 tournament recorded an astonishing figure of 51% for the new participant rate, with a wide range of participation from core fans to casual players. It is an event that symbolizes the expansion of the board game market, and we expect further expansion this time. We have increased the capacity in all regions, and it is planned as a large-scale event with over 1,400 cumulative participants nationwide.
* Based on 2025 survey compilation
Regional tournaments will be held at 8 venues nationwide, and the finals will be held in Tokyo. The winner will be dispatched by our company as the Japanese representative to the Catan World Championship scheduled for 2027.
Please join this tournament that traverses Japan.
[What is Catan?]
With staggering cumulative sales of over 45 million units, it is considered the origin of the board game boom (*1).
Catan is a pioneering game set on the uninhabited island of Catan, where players compete for points acquired from constructing buildings in a territory-capturing battle. With a highly perfected game system combining elements of luck, negotiation, and reading ahead like Shogi, it has gained popularity among a wide range of players from beginners to experts, becoming Japan's largest (*2) board game.
Japan's Largest Board Game Tournament: "2026 Catan Japan Championship"
Finally Started! Staggering New Participant Rate Exceeds 30% for 3 Consecutive Years!
Toy manufacturer GP Inc. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, CEO: Shuji Yonekawa) started the Catan Japan Championship from April 12, 2026. The initial Chubu regional tournament was held with 141 participants, surpassing last year's 139.
=> Official Page: https://www.gp-inc.jp/catan/catan_championship2026/index.html
Looking at the trends in participation rates over the past three years for the annually held Catan Japan Championship Chubu regional tournament, the staggering new participant rate has exceeded 30% for three consecutive years! This suggests that the number of Catan players is increasing every year, and the number of people enjoying board games is growing annually.
* New Participant Rate: 44% in 2024, 40% in 2025, 36% in 2026.
The Chubu regional tournament fought through 4 rounds, and 4 representatives were selected from the 141 participants.
For more details, please visit the webpage.
https://www.gp-inc.jp/catan/catan_championship2026/index.html
The Catan Japan Championship will continue with Hokuriku on 4/19, followed by the remaining 7 venues.
There are still venues where you can purchase tickets. Playing Catan with different people than usual has a reputation for being very fun.
Why not join us?
[Contact for Inquiries/Coverage]
GP Inc. PR: Wada, Yonekawa
Wako Building 606, 1-28-18 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-0075
TEL: 03-6273-9245 MAIL: mail@gp-inc.jp
* Regarding the notation "Japan's Largest": According to our company's research as of November 2025 regarding board game championships within Japan.
The 12th "Catan Japan Championship"
This time, we have finally added the Tohoku region (Morioka) and will hold it at 8 venues nationwide.
- Chubu Regional Tournament: Sunday, April 12, 2026 (120 -> 141 participants)
- Hokuriku Regional Tournament: Sunday, April 19, 2026 (100 participants) IT Business Plaza Musashi *Half remaining
- Tohoku Regional Tournament: Sunday, May 31, 2026 (100 participants) Morioka Iwate Industry Hall *Half remaining
- Kansai Regional Tournament: Sunday, June 14, 2026 (250 participants) Namba Midosuji Hall *Less than half remaining
- Kyushu Regional Tournament: Sunday, June 21, 2026 (120 participants) Tenjin Crystal Building *Less than half remaining
- Hokkaido Regional Tournament: Sunday, July 5, 2026 (80 participants) Kaderu 2・7 *Few remaining
- Chugoku/Shikoku Regional Tournament: Sunday, July 5, 2026 (80 participants) Okayama International Exchange Center *Less than half remaining
- Kanto Regional Tournament: Sunday, July 19, 2026 (600 participants) Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Trade Center Hamamatsucho-Kan *Less than half remaining
- Finals: Sunday, August 2, 2026, Tokyo (Only for selected representatives)
=> Official Page: https://www.gp-inc.jp/catan/catan_championship2026/index.html
The previous 2025 tournament recorded an astonishing figure of 51% for the new participant rate, with a wide range of participation from core fans to casual players. It is an event that symbolizes the expansion of the board game market, and we expect further expansion this time. We have increased the capacity in all regions, and it is planned as a large-scale event with over 1,400 cumulative participants nationwide.
* Based on 2025 survey compilation
Regional tournaments will be held at 8 venues nationwide, and the finals will be held in Tokyo. The winner will be dispatched by our company as the Japanese representative to the Catan World Championship scheduled for 2027.
Please join this tournament that traverses Japan.
[What is Catan?]
With staggering cumulative sales of over 45 million units, it is considered the origin of the board game boom (*1).
Catan is a pioneering game set on the uninhabited island of Catan, where players compete for points acquired from constructing buildings in a territory-capturing battle. With a highly perfected game system combining elements of luck, negotiation, and reading ahead like Shogi, it has gained popularity among a wide range of players from beginners to experts, becoming Japan's largest (*2) board game.