Yocard, a Trading Card Shop Operated by Yoren, Certified as a Venue for Pokémon Card Game Individual City League in China

Yocard, a trading card shop operated by Yoren Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Osamu Kaneda) in Shanghai, China, was certified in March 2026 as an officially approved venue to host the Pokémon Card Game's official competitive event, the 'City League (Individual Battle)'. Yocard earned this qualification by accumulating over two years of operational experience and receiving high evaluations among top-tier partner stores.

[Positioning of Official Major Tournaments in China]

Official major tournaments in mainland China consist of three types: 'City League', 'Super League', and 'Master League'. Among these, the City League is a competitive tournament held weekly, with venues selected from top-tier partner stores across the country, with each season lasting approximately two and a half months. Yocard has now become a store capable of hosting the Individual City League in Shanghai.

[Background]

In China's trading card market, the importance of competitive experiences centered around battles, tournaments, and communities is growing, beyond just product sales. Especially for the Pokémon Card Game, a permanent venue where players can consistently gather and compete under official rules directly leads to an increase in the player population and the maintenance of enthusiasm.

In China, card shops frequently change, and only a limited number of stores can continuously operate official events with high quality. In this environment, Yocard's acquisition of the City League hosting qualification signifies its recognition as a hub that forms a part of the competitive infrastructure in the Shanghai, China area.

[Overview of the Recently Held City League]

The most recent City League hosted by Yocard was held as the final individual battle of Season 1. The venue was Honghui Real Estate Plaza (within the Yoren headquarters building) at 1600 Zhongshan West Road, Changning District, Shanghai. It utilized a space of approximately 240㎡ and was equipped to accommodate up to 140 players for simultaneous battles. 

Applications for participation were accepted through the official Pokémon Card Game WeChat mini-program, and players selected by lottery competed. On the day of the event, operations were managed to meet high demand, including accepting substitute registrations by lottery before the start of the tournament.

• Participation Status

[Tournament Operation System]

The tournament format consisted of 7 rounds of Swiss-system play followed by a final tournament for the top 8 players. Many players gathered at the venue two hours before the start, lining up for check-in and substitute registration, creating an atmosphere of high tension and excitement even before the main event. 

For operations, three experienced official Pokémon Card judges were invited to consistently handle everything from reception, check-in, and substitute registration management to answering questions during battles and judging. This ensured fair and impartial tournament operation.

[Future Developments]

Yocard primarily handles trading card game products and card-related merchandise for the Chinese mainland, offering a diverse range of brands including Pokémon Card Game, One Piece Card Game, Digimon Card Game, Gundam Card Game, Weiß Schwarz, ULTRAMAN CARD GAME, and Yu-Gi-Oh! Official Card Game. It also provides services such as board games, movie viewing spaces, and online lotteries.

Yoren and Yocard will continue to strengthen tournament operations, community building, and the handling of related products as a hub for trading card players in the Chinese market. Building on this hosting achievement, they aim to create an environment that not only caters to competitive players but also encourages new fans to participate.

 

[Representative Comment] Osamu Kaneda, Representative Director and CEO, Yoren Co., Ltd.

Yocard has consistently enhanced the depth of the TCG experience in the Chinese market not only through sales but also through tournament operations and community building. We believe this certification is a result of our continuous efforts being recognized as competitive infrastructure. Moving forward, we will continue to create a valuable competitive environment for players and sustainably spread the appeal of Japanese IPs in the Chinese market.

[Company Profile]

Yoren is a Japan-China business professional with bases in Japan and China. It has handled China marketing, WeChat mini-program development, and operation for various partners, including Lawson, in the Chinese consumer market, managing over 75 million member information records. In the trading card game domain, it also provides development and consulting support for global membership systems and tournament operation systems.

Company Name: Yoren Co., Ltd.

Representative: Representative Director and CEO Osamu Kaneda

Location: Hanzomon PREX South 10F, 2-5-1 Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

URL: https://www.yo-ren.com/jp/

[Contact Information]

Yoren Co., Ltd. Public Relations

Email: pr@yo-ren.com