Boat Race Tsu

What Boat Race Tsu does

Boat Race Tsu is a municipal motorboat racing venue located in Tsu City, Mie Prefecture, Japan, operated by the Tsu City Government through its Boat Race Division. Established on July 4, 1952, it holds the distinction of being Japan's first nationally certified boat racing facility, with 74 years of continuous operation. The venue hosts regular graded racing events including SG (Special Grade), G1, G2, and G3 competitions, alongside general races, and serves both in-person spectators and remote bettors via partner sales offices and digital voting channels.

The core product is the racing event itself, supported by a multi-channel betting and ancillary services ecosystem. Ticketing operates through cashless Tsukki Card, on-site ticket machines, online voting via ib.mbrace.or.jp, and telephone voting (teleboat). Revenue is diversified across betting commissions, reserved seating (500 yen B-seats to 12,000 yen suite rooms), 100 yen admission fees, fan club memberships (5,000 yen/year), on-site dining across multiple restaurants, and original character merchandise. The TSU NAVI2 mobile app provides race information, live streaming, and digital voting, while the cashless card system accumulates redeemable points (1 point per 200 yen). The facility also operates YouTube live streaming of all races since October 2025.

Additional revenue and community engagement levers include year-round children's workshops, sports classrooms, VR experiences, and a point-based loyalty program (Tsu Point Club). The Tsu Inkuru external sales office extends ticket sales to races held at up to 8 other venues nationwide, including SG and G1 events. The customer base is primarily Japanese adults aged 20 and above, with secondary segments comprising families, tourists, and Mie Prefecture locals supporting branch racers. The regulatory framework under Japan's Tourism Nation project provides legal structure for the gambling operation, while distinguishing the venue from informal betting alternatives.

Name

Boat Race Tsu

Legal name

津市モーターボート競走事業 (Tsu City Motorboat Racing Business)

Website

https://boatrace-tsu.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Boat Race Tsu is a municipal boat racing venue in Tsu City, Mie Prefecture, Japan, operating since 1952 as Japan's first nationally certified facility. It hosts graded races (SG, G1, G2, G3), offers betting via cashless and online channels, and serves adult spectators with seating, dining, merchandise, and event experiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tsu

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales (舟券販売): Revenue from selling boat race betting tickets (舟券) through cashless cards, online voting platforms, and on-site ticket machines. This is the primary revenue stream.
2. Reserved Seating (指定席): Revenue from premium seating options ranging from B-seats (500 yen) to Royal S-seats (3,000 yen cash/2,000 yen Tsukki card) and Suite Rooms (12,000 yen). Includes various seating tiers with different amenities.
3. General Admission (入場料): 100 yen admission fee per person for visitors aged 20 and above.
4. Fan Club Membership (ファンクラブ): Annual membership fee of 5,000 yen providing entrance tickets, original goods, and exclusive benefits.
5. Food and Beverage (飲食): On-site dining through restaurants and food stands including 笑楽 (Ukiraku), 丸一 (Maruichi), and 味どころ 御飯艇 offering various Japanese cuisine options.
6. Merchandise Sales (オリジナルグッズ): Sale of original character merchandise including plush dolls (ツッキー, ツッピー, ツックン, ツーコ), towels, and ballpoint pens.
7. Tsukki Card Point Exchange (電子マネー交換): Points earned through ticket purchases (1 point per 200 yen) can be exchanged for electronic money at rates up to 60,000 yen for 50,000 points.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Boat Race Tsu operates a municipal motorboat racing venue in Tsu City, Mie Prefecture, Japan, hosting graded boat races (SG, G1, G2, G3, and general events) and providing regulated betting ticket sales on-site (cashless card and ticket machines), online (net voting), and at its external sales office (Tsu Inkuru). The venue supplements racing with reserved seating tiers, dining facilities, original merchandise, fan-club membership, and ancillary services such as a mobile app (TSU NAVI2) and a loyalty point program (Tsu Point Club).

Product overview

Boat Race Tsu is a boat racing venue offering live competitive racing events with graded classifications (SG, G1, G2, G3, general). The core product is race attendance and ticket voting. The venue operates a digital ecosystem comprising the ツッキーカード cashless payment system, Tsu Point Club loyalty program, TSU NAVI2 mobile app for race information and ticket voting, and reserved seating options ranging from economy B-seats (500 yen) to premium 5F suites (12,000 yen). Supporting services include VR experiences, original merchandise, fan club membership, email newsletters, and children's educational workshops. The facility also houses the Tsu Inkuru external sales office for nationwide race ticket sales.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ツッキーカード (Tsukky Card): Cashless card membership system for convenient ticket purchasing, automatic winnings deposits, and point accumulation.
• 津ポイント俱俱乐部 (Tsu Point Club)
• ボートレース津ファンクラブ (Boat Race Tsu Fan Club)

Products and services

• Boat Race Tsu Racing Events Live motorboat racing competitions held at the Boat Race Tsu venue featuring professional boat racers in graded events including SG, G1, G2, G3, and general races, open to adults aged 20 and above as on-site entertainment and betting venue.
• Ticket Voting (舟券投票)
• Tsukki Card Cashless System (ツッキーカード)
• Tsu Point Club (津ポイント倶楽部)
• TSU NAVI2 Mobile App
• Reserved Seating (指定席予約)
• VR Splash Battle (VRスプラッシュバトル)
• Tsu Inkuru External Sales Office (津インクル)
• Original Goods (オリジナルグッズ)
• Boat Race Tsu Fan Club (ボートレース津ファンクラブ)

Quantifiable outcome

• 74-year operating history as Japan's first certified boat racing facility
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Boat Race Edogawa (Tokyo): Tokyo metropolitan boat racing venue operating under the identical BOATRACE Japan model. Comparable in offering cashless voting, mobile betting, premium suites, and family/community event programming.
• Boat Race Toda (Boat Race Toda, Tokyo): Toda is one of Japan's most prominent boat racing venues in Saitama, operating the same national motorboat racing framework with comparable SG and G1 hosting, cashless voting, and digital distribution. Directly mirrors Boat Race Tsu's business model of cashless betting, reserved seating tiers, and outward sales.
• Boat Race Tokuyama (Yamaguchi): Yamaguchi Prefecture boat racing venue that frequently hosts G1 徳山クラシック争奧戦 and SG-class events, mirroring Boat Race Tsu's anchor on SG/G1 cycles. Operates with the same cashless voting, mobile app, and inter-venue betting distribution.
• Boat Race Marugame (Kagawa): Kagawa-based boat racing venue operating the same BOATRACE Japan framework with comparable reserved seating, cashless betting, and SG/G1 event hosting. Similar event-driven revenue concentration as Boat Race Tsu.
• Boat Race Gamagori (Aichi): Aichi Prefecture boat racing venue sharing Boat Race Tsu's anchored regional racing model with comparable cashless betting, fan club, and reserved seating tiers. Frequently cross-sells SG and G1 races for inter-venue wagering.
• Boat Race Miyajima (Hiroshima): Miyajima-based boat racing venue with a comparable product mix including cashless voting, premium seating, fan club membership, and SG/G1 cycle participation - offering nearly identical functionality to Boat Race Tsu.
• Boat Race Suminoe (Osaka): Major Osaka-based boat racing venue operating under the identical BOATRACE Japan regulatory framework, with cashless card systems, mobile apps, fan club memberships, and tiered reserved seating. Comparable in scale to Boat Race Tsu as a frequent SG host.
• Boat Race Biwako (Shiga): Lake Biwa-based boat racing venue with an active water-surface-data analytics system comparable to Boat Race Tsu's race-course characteristics. Operates the same cashless and online voting infrastructure and hosts SG-tier events.
• Boat Race Amagasaki (Hyogo): Hyogo Prefecture boat racing venue operating cashless voting, mobile apps, and outward SG/G1 sales - structurally identical to Boat Race Tsu. Direct competitor for inter-venue betting handle in the Kansai/Chubu corridor.
• Boat Race Heiwajima (Tokyo): Heiwajima is a high-traffic Tokyo boat racing venue competing in the same national betting network, with comparable reserved-seating tiers, cashless systems, and outward sales of SG/G1 events across venues.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/br_tsu_09
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCEUXzh5FRxDneaLvv0YdEfQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/boatracetsu
• Instagraminstagram.com/br_tsu09

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Boat Race Tsu