Japan is one of the most popular tourist destinations due to its vibrant Pop Culture. Japan is world-famous for its animation and is home to many video game companies like Nintendo, Capcom, Konami, Namco, and many more. However, if you go to Japan to play poker, you may be a little disappointed.
Like many other Southeast Asian countries, Poker/Gambling is illegal in the country. You will be able to play poker, but unlike other countries, you won’t get prize money, instead, you will get prizes like accommodation, and packages to popular poker tournaments such as Japan Open Tour, Asian Poker Tour, APPT, and sometimes WSOP Europe and WPT.
Japan’s government is aware of the problems Japanese gamblers face and to boost economic growth, in 2016, the government passed a bill to allow casinos with plans for two or three establishments. As per recent reports, the country is expecting to open its first casino in Osaka by 2029.
Top 7 Live Card-rooms in Japan
7. Ginza Casino Paraja
Opened in January 2024, Ginza Casino Paraja is an amusement casino located in the prime location of Tokyo’s Ginza Area. The casino offers a variety of games, including Baccarat, Blackjack, Millionaire, and poker.
Casino Paraja poker room hosts Daily NLH tournaments, Pot Limit Omaha tournaments, and free rollers. With buy-ins starting from ¥4,000 to ¥8,000.
All main poker tournaments held in Ginza Casino Paraja, including JOPT, Spadie Poker League, and Fuji Cup, serve as satellite events that can qualify participants for overseas tournaments like the APT (Asian Poker Tour). Follow Casino Paraja’s Twitter account @ginzaparajaclub for tournament details.
- Address: 6-3-15 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Hase Building B1
- Contact Number: +81 03-6264-6550
6. Hige Gorilla
Hige Gorilla is a stylish amusement card room located in Shinjuku, inside the iconic Hotel ‘Siena’ in Kabukicho. Owners opened Hige Gorilla in April 2017 with the concept of providing poker action to the locals. Hige Gorilla Poker Room welcomes both poker pros and amateurs trying to learn poker.
It’s open from 9 PM to 6 AM, provides an all-night poker action, and offers daily poker tournaments with buy-ins starting from ¥2,000 to ¥4,000. You can follow Hige Gorilla’s official Twitter handle @higegorilla99 for live updates on tournaments.
- Address: 2-22-1 Kabukicho 2nd floor E Issue
- Contact Number: +81 3-6265-9189
5. Japan Poker Club
Japan Poker Club is one of the amusement poker rooms situated in Tokyo. It’s a nonprofit organization that hosts daily poker tournaments. The poker club collaborates with prestigious poker brands like PokerStars and PokerMasters, as well as tournament organizations like AJPL, APT, APPT, and JOPT.
They host daily poker tournaments and offer prizes like iPhones and packages to the Asian Poker Tour, AJPL, and the World Series of Poker Europe events.
- Address: Nakano City, Tokyo 164-0001
- Contact Number: +81 90-2550-7755
4. Nagoya Ritz Casino
Ritz Nagoya is an amusement casino where, like other casinos in Japan, you can’t redeem cash but only prizes. It offers an entertaining environment to play poker and other games.
Located about a 5-minute walk from Sakae Station, Ritz Nagoya provides a variety of popular games like Texas Hold’em Poker, Roulette, Baccarat, Blackjack, and Millionaire. The casino is open from 6 PM to 11 PM on weekdays and from 1 PM to 11 PM on Sundays and Saturdays.
- Address: 3rd floor of Sakae, Naka-ku, Nagoya-shi
- Contact Number: +81 052-261-0076
3. Poker Live Osaka
Poker Live Osaka is a card room sponsored by PokerStars. Opened on January 23, 2016, It is centrally located in Osaka, just outside the Namba metro station and close to the famous Dotonbori area.
The club is open from 5 PM to 12 AM and organizes a variety of events such as MegaStack and Bounty tournaments, with some starting at ¥1,000. Additionally, Poker Live Osaka hosts the Poker Japan Championship. The poker room also holds beginner lessons every day.
- Address: Naniwa Ward, Osaka, 556-0011, Japan
- Contact Number: +81 6-6636-0333
2. Sunrise Of Samurai Poker
Sunrise Of Samurai Poker, established in September 2012, is located in Shibuya, Tokyo. It is advisable to make reservations and arrive 30 minutes to 1 hour before the tournaments begin.
SOS Poker offers free poker courses and partners with Japan Open Poker Tour (JOPT). Tournaments at Sunrise Of Samurai Poker are sponsored by reputable online poker brands such as PokerStars and PokerMaster. Prizes for tournaments include tickets/ packages to live events worldwide, such as APT, AJPL, Asia Open (High Roller), and WSOP Europe.
- Address: 渋谷3-10-14 長崎堂ビル3F, Shibuya, Tokyo
- Contact Number: +81 080-4662-7730
1. Tokyo De Poker aka Salon De Poker
Tokyo De Poker is a card room franchise that opened in 2013. The cardroom welcomes players of all levels, no matter if you are a beginner or an advanced player. They offer a variety of poker events like NLHE, and PLO tournaments, some sponsored by PokerStars. With three locations in Tokyo, Tokyo dePoker provides daily tournaments and shares their monthly calendar of events on their official website, and Twitter.
These events include the DePoker Gold and Silver Cups, Sunday Million, satellite events to the Japan Open Poker Tour, and World Poker Tour Side-events. Prizes often include tickets and packages to live events that may include flights and hotel accommodations.
- Address: 3-10-4 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Tsukisekai Building 4F
- Contact Number: +81 080-8743-0644
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