Osaka Basketball Tips Off a New Era
Osaka’s original professional basketball club enters a new era with the launch of B.PREMIER. Get close to the action, discover the city’s three-time champions and experience Osaka Evessa at Ookini Arena Maishima.
Basketball puts you remarkably close to the action — and Osaka has a team of its own.
Osaka Evessa returns for the 2026–27 season at Ookini Arena Maishima, bringing professional basketball back to the city as the sport enters one of the biggest transitions in its modern Japanese history. The newly launched B.PREMIER begins play this fall, and Evessa will be there from the start. The club opens its regular season on the road against Kobe Storks on September 26 before returning to Osaka for its historic B.PREMIER home opener against SeaHorses Mikawa on October 3.
Before the league campaign begins, Osaka fans get an early look at the new team on September 12, when Evessa hosts Shimane Susanoo Magic in a preseason game at Ookini Arena Maishima. Doors open at 12:00, the pregame show begins at 13:10 and tipoff is scheduled for 14:05. Evessa is billing the game as the first appearance of its new 2026–27 team.
Osaka’s place in Japanese professional basketball goes back more than two decades. Evessa was there when Japan’s first professional basketball league, the bj-league, tipped off in 2005. The new Osaka club quickly became its first powerhouse, winning the inaugural championship in 2005–06 and following it with two more. By 2008, Osaka Evessa had completed the only three-peat in bj-league history and established the first dynasty of Japan’s professional basketball era.
Even the name is unmistakably Osaka. Evessa comes from Ebessan, the affectionate Osaka name for Ebisu, the god of prosperity and commerce whose presence runs deep through the city’s merchant culture. When the club was created, its founders wanted more than a basketball team: they envisioned a sports-entertainment experience that could become part of Osaka itself.
More than two decades later, Japanese basketball is reinventing itself again.
The 2026–27 season marks the beginning of B.PREMIER, the top level created through the B.LEAGUE’s major structural reform. For Evessa, it creates a neat historical symmetry: a club that helped launch Japan’s first professional basketball league now gets to help open another new chapter in the sport.
And for visitors, basketball offers something distinctly different from Osaka’s massive baseball and soccer venues. Ookini Arena Maishima is an indoor arena where the court, players, entertainment and supporters are compressed into a much more intimate space. The game is fast, the atmosphere is loud and the action never feels far away.
Courtside Action — Basketball puts fans remarkably close to the players, with fast-paced action unfolding just meters away.
Osaka Originals — Founded in 2005, Evessa became Japan’s first professional basketball dynasty with three consecutive bj-league championships.
New Era — Osaka Evessa competes at the top level of Japanese professional basketball in B.PREMIER.
More Than Basketball — Music, arena entertainment and fan performances turn home games into a full sports-entertainment experience.
Made in Osaka — Even the Evessa name comes from “Ebessan,” Osaka’s affectionate name for Ebisu, connecting the club to the city’s merchant culture.
Photos: Osaka Evessa official website
Maps
Contact
Opening Hours
THE SCENE: FAQ’s
ACCESS
How do I get to OOKINI ARENA MAISHIMA?
The arena is on Maishima in Osaka’s bay area and requires a little more planning than Osaka’s downtown sports venues.
JR Yumesaki Line → Sakurajima Station
From Sakurajima Station, take the Hokko Kanko Bus Route 2 to OOKINI ARENA MAISHIMA-mae. The ride takes approximately 15 minutes and costs ¥210 for adults and ¥110 for children.
Osaka Metro Chuo Line → Cosmosquare Station
From Cosmosquare Station, take Hokko Kanko Bus Route 3 to OOKINI ARENA MAISHIMA-mae. The ride takes approximately 20 minutes and costs ¥210 for adults and ¥110 for children.
Osaka Metro Chuo Line → Yumeshima Station
The arena can also be reached on foot from Yumeshima Station in approximately 30 minutes.
Is there a free shuttle bus?
Osaka Evessa introduced a free game-day shuttle between JR Sakurajima Station and OOKINI ARENA MAISHIMA for home games during the 2025–26 season. However, shuttle arrangements for the September 12 preseason game have not yet been announced. Check the official game information before traveling; the regular paid public bus routes remain available. (Evessa Access page)
SCHEDULE
When is the Osaka Evessa vs. Shimane Susanoo Magic game?
The preseason game takes place Saturday, September 12, 2026, at OOKINI ARENA MAISHIMA.
Doors open at 12:00, with tipoff scheduled for 14:05.
Is this a regular-season B.PREMIER game?
No. This is a preseason exhibition and does not count toward the B.PREMIER standings. Osaka Evessa describes it as the first game for its new 2026–27 team.
Evessa begins the regular season on the road before playing its first B.PREMIER home games against SeaHorses Mikawa on October 3–4.
TICKETS
How much are Osaka Evessa tickets?
Ticket prices depend heavily on seat location. For the 2026–27 season at OOKINI ARENA MAISHIMA, published adult base prices range from approximately ¥2,400 for upper-level seating to ¥25,000 for the most premium bench-side seats.
Regular-season general-sale tickets use dynamic pricing, so actual prices can rise or fall according to the game and demand. A ¥220 system fee per ticket also applies.
Where can I buy tickets?
Tickets are sold through B.LEAGUE TICKET. Advance purchase is recommended, particularly if you want a specific seating area. https://ticket.bleague.jp/
Do children need tickets?
Children of elementary-school age and older require a ticket. Preschool children may sit on a parent or guardian’s lap without a ticket, although a ticket is required if they use their own seat. For safety reasons, preschool children are not permitted in the seats immediately surrounding the court.
THE EXPERIENCE
An Osaka Evessa game combines professional basketball with music, lighting, performances and arena entertainment, creating a much more intimate experience than Osaka’s larger baseball and soccer venues.
- Get Close — Premium seats put spectators remarkably close to the players and court.
- Wear Red — Passionary Red is Evessa’s team color and dominates the arena on game day.
- Come Early — Pregame entertainment begins well before tipoff, so arriving only for the opening whistle means missing part of the experience.
- Food & Merchandise — Home games typically feature arena food, team merchandise and game-day activities.
- Easy for Beginners — You don’t need to be a basketball expert. The compact arena, constant action and entertainment make Evessa particularly approachable for first-time spectators.
Basketball moves quickly, with frequent scoring and relatively little downtime. For visitors accustomed to baseball in Japan, expect a louder, more concentrated sports-entertainment experience.
INFO & TIPS
OOKINI ARENA MAISHIMA is an indoor venue, making Evessa an especially useful sports option during Osaka’s colder months or bad weather.
- Allow extra travel time. Maishima is removed from central Osaka and most public-transport routes require either a bus connection or a substantial walk.
- Check transportation before leaving. Special shuttle arrangements can change from game to game.
- Buy tickets in advance. Prices and availability vary by seating category and demand.
- Consider the upper stands for value. They provide a good overview of the entire court while keeping prices considerably below premium floor seating.
- Check the game page before traveling. Tipoff times, arena operations, transportation and special events can vary by fixture.
Osaka Evessa: https://www.evessa.com/
OOKINI ARENA MAISHIMA: 2-2-15 Hokukoryokuchi, Konohana-ku, Osaka
