Japanese Woman Wins ¥2.22 Million in Tokyo Sleep Competition

A Japanese woman has turned sleep into a winning formula after taking first place in an unusual competition in Tokyo, earning a prize of ¥2.22 million — worth roughly RWF18 million. The woman, known publicly as Suimii , won the “Matt Race by Koala,” a sleep competition organised by mattress company Koala Japan on October 5 in Tokyo. The contest attracted extraordinary interest, with more than 45,000 people applying for a place. Only around 60 participants were selected for the competition, meaning applicants faced odds of more than 760 to one. Rather than rewarding participants for simply s

A Japanese woman has turned sleep into a winning formula after taking first place in an unusual competition in Tokyo, earning a prize of ¥2.22 million — worth roughly RWF18 million. The woman, known publicly as Suimii, won the “Matt Race by Koala,” a sleep competition organised by mattress company Koala Japan on October 5 in Tokyo. The contest attracted extraordinary interest, with more than 45,000 people applying for a place. Only around 60 participants were selected for the competition, meaning applicants faced odds of more than 760 to one. Rather than rewarding participants for simply sleeping for the longest time, the competition assessed several aspects of sleep. Participants were fitted with sleep-monitoring equipment, while judges examined factors including how quickly they fell asleep, the depth and quality of their sleep, and how stable their sleep remained during the competition. The event was divided into three 90-minute races, with about 20 people competing in each round. Suimii emerged as the overall winner and received the ¥2.22 million cash prize along with a Koala mattress. Her victory comes against the backdrop of a long-running sleep problem in Japan. The country is frequently reported as having some of the shortest average sleep durations among developed economies, raising concerns about the effects of insufficient rest on health, productivity and daily life. Koala Japan said the competition was designed not only as entertainment but also to encourage people to think more seriously about the importance of quality sleep. The unusual contest highlights a simple reality: in a country where sleep deprivation has become a social concern, getting better rest can now be both a health goal  and, for one winner in Tokyo, a very profitable achievement.