Mainichi Shimbun, Ibaraki Pref. to co-host national esports gaming event in Japan

The Mainichi Newspapers Co. and the government of eastern Japan’s Ibaraki Prefecture are jointly hosting a new esports gaming event March 8, 2025.

Ibaraki Gaming Day will take place at the Tsukuba Capio arena in the prefectural city of Tsukuba.

The Mainichi Newspapers started an all-Japan high school esports tournament in 2018. The Ibaraki Prefectural Government in 2019 was the first prefectural government to host a prefecture-level esports competition as a cultural program for the Japan Games, formerly the National Sports Festival.

At the upcoming event, visitors will get to take in the diverse attractions that are planned, such as esports experiences, match viewing and exhibitions by local organizations, among other programs.

The event host will be Tetsuya “OooDa” Okagami, who MCs or provides play-by-play commentary at over 200 esports events a year. Regarding the March event, he commented, “It will be held for the first time in Tsukuba! A wide range of unique experiences only had through esports await. Let’s enjoy the event to the fullest and get charmed by Ibaraki. I look forward to seeing you at the venue!”

Information is being released via X (formerly Twitter) at https://x.com/Iba_Mai_gaming and an official website to be launched soon. Inquiries can be made to the Ibaraki Gaming Day office at [email protected]

(Mainichi)