The battle to decide the best riichi mahjong player in the world has its homecoming in Tokyo, July 2025.

Shigekazu Moriyama

Chairman, Japan Professional Mahjong League

In 2008, the first European Riichi Mahjong Championship was held in Hannover, Germany. This was the first major tournament held in Europe using Japanese riichi mahjong rules. With the success of that event, the calls for a world riichi mahjong tournament naturally grew louder, especially in Europe, where players were particularly attracted by the competitive nature of riichi mahjong.

In 2012, Japan was asked to cooperate in organizing the World Riichi Championship. We answered that call. Subsequently, the prestigious first WRC was held in Paris, France in July 2014. Fruitful discussions there led to a decision that the event should be held every three years, and the second championship was confirmed for Las Vegas, USA.

The third event was scheduled to be held in Vienna, Austria in 2020, but the pandemic resulted in the tournament being unfortunately postponed into 2022. It was a difficult time for the organizers. The baton has been handed over to Tokyo for 2025. The World Riichi Championship has been made possible by the dedicated cooperation of everyone around the world, and although Japanese players have won in the past, I can see that skill level across the world has significantly improved so it will be a challenge for Japan to continue its hold on the title.

I look forward to welcoming players from all over the world will to compete in Tokyo, Japan, the sacred land of riichi mahjong. I wish you the very best of luck.

Keijun Nara

Current World Champion

Hello to all mahjong players around the world! I am Keijun Nara, a member of the Japan Professional Mahjong League and the winner of the 3rd WRC. I was very happy to win the championship in Vienna! I hope to convey the charm and fun of mahjong to all mahjong lovers using my own unique style.

Mahjong has always been a popular game in Japan, and I feel that it has become even more popular in recent years with the establishment of the "M League", a professional mahjong league. Mahjong does have luck but it is also a game of strategy where you take on opponents. You need to use your head to grasp the various concepts like building a hand and reading the opponent's tiles.

Further, each game of mahjong takes a relatively short time to complete, so you can enjoy multiple games in a row—one of the game's attractions is you can play for a long time without getting bored. The many other attractions include the high level of strategy, the tension, and that it is a four-player game. I hope that everyone reading this experiences the draw of mahjong and that the game will spread to as many people as possible.

By participating in a mahjong tournament, you experience a different kind of fun from your regular play. It is a forum to test your skills in a tense game against other players and observe the techniques and strategies of others. There is also the unique atmosphere and excitement of a tournament. Enjoying this with friends is a great way to really immerse yourself in the meaning of mahjong.

Mahjong is a game where communication between players is essential. There are plenty of opportunities to interact with players at tournamentsーduring games and breaks. Players exchange opinions and share their play styles. Because the tournaments attract people from various countries, age groups, and backgrounds, you can expect to meet people with different perspectives and experiences.

Making new friends and colleagues through mahjong is one of the things I look forward to at these types of events. Mahjong attracts many people because of its fun and human connection. It is a game that can be enjoyed across language and culture.

By participating in tournaments, I hope to contribute to the promotion of mahjong. I am very happy because I feel the popularity of riichi mahjong is spreading around the world and I can't wait for the Tokyo 2025 tournament! There are still many strong players in Japan who have not participated in the past three tournaments, and I am training every day to make sure I keep my competitive edge!

Players of the world, come and challenge me!

Gemma Sakamoto

President of World Riichi Championship-WRC

As we prepare to welcome players from around the globe to the World Riichi Championship (WRC) 2025 in Tokyo, I am filled with great anticipation and excitement. I cannot help but be reminded once again of the amazing journey the tournament has taken from its humble beginnings. Starting with the first tournament in Paris in 2014, the World Riichi Championship has become a truly global event, showcasing the passion and skills of players from around the world through events in other iconic cities such as Las Vegas and Vienna.

Now, in 2025, Tokyo has the honor of being the next chapter in this story. As the global level of competition continues to rise, I am confident that we will witness an even higher standard of play. I would like to thank the organizers and players for their efforts in making this tournament a reality, and to the entire worldwide mahjong community for their passion in the development of riichi mahjong.

I wish all participants good luck and look forward to an unforgettable tournament where the beauty and excitement of riichi mahjong will once again be showcased on the world stage.