What if the key to winning ¥2.22 million was simply falling asleep? That is the premise behind “Mattrace by Koala,” an unusual “sleep race” competition coming to Tokyo this October. Rather than running, jumping or lifting weights, contestants will climb into bed, close their eyes and try to achieve the best sleep possible over 90 minutes, while organizers deliberately attempt to disturb their slumber.

Koala Japan, the company behind Koala mattresses, announced the competition on September 4. The event will take place at Share Green Minami Aoyama in Tokyo’s Minato ward on October 5, with three 90-minute “races” scheduled throughout the day. Each race will have around 20 participants. If there are more applicants than available spots, participants will be selected by lottery. Applications are open until September 16 at 11:59 p.m.

Sleep depth and quality will be measured, and a unique “sleep score” will be calculated | PR Times

How Does a Sleep Race Work?

Participants will wear sleep-monitoring equipment before settling down on Koala mattresses. Their performances will be evaluated using a proprietary “sleep score” that takes into account factors including sleep depth, overall sleep quality, how quickly they fall asleep and the stability of their sleep. According to Koala, the scoring is supervised by physicians, with the participant who achieves the highest overall score taking home the ¥2.22 million grand prize.

Contestants, however, will have to do more than simply lie down and hope for the best. Before the race begins, they will take part in “sleep warm-ups” and receive various “sleep items” that can influence the quality of their rest. Once the competition gets underway, organizers will introduce deliberate “sleep disruption” to see whether participants can maintain high-quality sleep despite the disturbances.

In other words, the challenge isn’t just falling asleep. It is staying asleep and sleeping well, even when the conditions are far from ideal. There will also be several special awards recognizing different aspects of the contestants’ sleeping performance. The “Deep Sleep Award,” for example, recognizes participants who achieve particularly deep sleep, while the “Sleep Flip Award” celebrates contestants with distinctive or unusual sleeping positions. 

Event Details

Event: Mattrace by Koala
Date: October 5, 2026
Venue: Share Green Minami Aoyama, 1-12-32 Minami Aoyama, Minato ward, Tokyo
Format: Three races, with approximately 20 participants per race
Competition time: 90 minutes per race
Application period: September 4 at 10:00 a.m. through September 16 at 11:59 p.m.

Race Times

Race 1: 12:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m.
Registration: 10:45–11:00 a.m.

Race 2: 2:30–4:30 p.m.
Registration: 1:15–1:30 p.m.

Race 3: 5:00–7:00 p.m.
Registration: 3:45–4:00 p.m.

The listed race windows appear to include time for registration and event procedures, with the actual sleep competition lasting 90 minutes. For anyone accustomed to measuring success by speed, strength or endurance, Mattrace by Koala offers a decidedly different approach. In this race, the path to victory may be as simple as getting comfortable, shutting out the distractions and getting some seriously good sleep.

Related Posts

Updated On September 10, 2026