Tokyo sleep contest awards over 2 million yen to fastest and deepest sleeper
Mattress maker Koala Sleep Japan held the Matt Race in Tokyo on Monday, awarding over 2 million yen to a participant who fell asleep the quickest and deepest during a 90-minute session.
The Matt Race in Tokyo
Dozens of self-described competitive sleepers gathered in Tokyo on Monday, 5 October 2026, to compete in an unusual tournament named Matt Race. Organized by the mattress manufacturer Koala Sleep Japan, the contest invited participants to lie down in a dimly lit room and fall asleep as quickly and deeply as possible. Competitors were provided with comfortable mattresses and permitted to bring personal comfort items, with several individuals cradling stuffed toys during the session. Each participant was fitted with sleep-tracking sensors and head monitors designed to record neurological and physical indicators of rest. The contest operated under a strict time restriction, permitting a maximum sleep window of 90 minutes.
Awareness and company objectives
The initiative aimed to focus public attention on rest habits across Japan, where cultural norms frequently encourage long hours at the expense of recuperation. Riichiro Nakama, creative director at Koala Sleep Japan, coordinated the event to create a communal forum addressing widespread fatigue. Nakama explained that framing sleep as a competitive sport offers a novel method to encourage healthy resting habits.
Japan is often described as a country suffering from sleep deprivation, and people here are very diligent.
Organizers gathered dozens of participants together in one room to foster greater openness around personal sleep hygiene and daily recovery. Nakama stated that bringing people together under these conditions helps stimulate wider public interest in rest.
By turning it into an event like this, I think we can get people to sleep together, raise interest in sleep.
- OECD figures show Japanese residents sleep an average of 7 hours 24 minutes daily
- Koala Sleep Japan stages the 90-minute Matt Race competition in Tokyo
National sleep deficit data
The contest took place against broader statistical trends showing chronic sleep shortages across the country. According to comparative data published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in 2021, residents of Japan slept an average of 7 hours and 24 minutes per day. This recorded duration was the shortest among all surveyed OECD member nations. Workplace specialists and sociologists attribute this deficit to extended work shifts, long daily commute times, and an active nightlife economy that delays typical bedtimes. Contestants noted that the 90-minute allowance felt exceedingly brief compared to their regular schedules. Chisato Honda, a 32-year-old contestant, described the session as an enjoyable experience that finished too quickly.
It was over in an instant. I almost wish I could have slept a little longer.
Judging criteria and tournament winner
To select the champion, event officials analyzed sensor readings tracking two primary metrics: the speed at which each participant fell asleep and the overall soundness and quality of their rest. At the conclusion of the 90-minute period, judges awarded first place to a female contestant competing under the pseudonym Suimii. The victory earned her the grand prize of over 2,000,000 yen (valued at approximately $14,000, 11,000 euros, or 10,200 Swiss francs). Following the announcement, Suimii explained how she intended to spend the winnings, stating that the funds would cover moving expenses to secure her own apartment as well as a new bed.
I want to live on my own, so I think I'll use the money for the moving costs.
Suimii added that she plans to purchase a princess bed with the remaining prize money.
I also want a bed like a princess's, so I think I'll buy that bed.
