The Karuizawa International is set to begin Thursday at the Karuizawa Ice Park in Japan.

The historic venue hosted curling for the 1998 Winter Olympics, when the sport was added to the official program, and the Karuizawa International was established the following year.

Jennifer Jones, Anna Hasselborg, Brad Gushue and Kevin Koe are among those who have won the Karuizawa International.

The tournament is also part of the new Satellite Events series. The Grand Slam of Curling has partnered with established tour events to help teams qualify for berths into its tournaments.

Here's what you need to know for this weekend's event.

What's at stake?

Winners of the Karuizawa International will qualify for the GSOC Co-op Invitational, Oct. 13-18, at Victoria's Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.

If the winning team has already qualified, the invitation will pass to the runner-up. If the runner-up has already qualified, the invitation will then go to the highest-placed semifinalist in the world rankings.

If all finalists and semifinalists have already qualified, the invitation will be offered to the highest-placed quarterfinalist in the world rankings, provided the team holds a world ranking of No. 32 or higher after points gained from the event are added.

Playoff-bound teams will also earn points toward qualification for the GSOC Players' Cup, Dec. 15-20, at Slush Puppie Place in Kingston, Ontario.

The Grand Slam of Curling's competition committee selected 12 men's and 12 women's teams for the GSOC Co-op Invitational. The Euro Super Series, held last month in Stirling, Scotland, was the first opportunity for teams to compete for qualifying berths. Scotland's Orrin Carson and Italy's Giulia Zardini Lacedelli earned entries for their teams as semifinalists.

The AMJ Shorty Jenkins Classic, also taking place this weekend in Cornwall, Ontario, will qualify teams for the GSOC Co-op Invitational as well, with the Prestige Hotels and Resorts Curling Classic, Oct. 1-4 in Vernon, B.C., serving as the last chance to earn berths.

What's the format?

Both 12-team divisions are divided into two groups of six for pool play. Six teams advance to the playoffs, with two teams receiving byes to the semis.

The finals and third-place games are slated for Sunday.

How can I watch?

Livestreaming of the Karuizawa International will be available on YouTube.

Which teams are playing in the event?

Men's Division: Abe, Eriksson*, Fujii, Hirata, Jeong, S. Kobayashi, Lee, Maeda, Noguchi, Raju, Yamaguchi*, Yoshioka

Women's Division: Akahoshi, Fujisawa*, Ha, Kang, E. Kim, J. Kim, Kitazawa, M. Kobayashi, Miura, Suzuki, Tanaka, Wranå*

* = Team has already qualified for the GSOC Co-op Invitational.

Four teams to watch in the men's division

Oskar Eriksson took charge after legendary skip Niklas Edin stepped back from the tour at the end of last season. The reigning world champions from Sweden missed the playoffs in Stirling to start the season as Eriksson was absent, but rebounded with an undefeated run through at the Oslo Cup to take the title.

The Karuizawa International is a hometown event for reigning Japanese champion Tsuyoshi Yamaguchi, who skips and throws third stones for his team. His club captured the title in 2022 when fourth Riku Yanagisawa was calling the shots. Yamaguchi has played two events this season and reached both finals, winning the Wakkanai Midori Challenge Cup and finishing runner-up at the Hokkaido Bank Curling Classic.

With Eriksson and Yamaguchi already in the GSOC Co-op Invitational, Takumi Maeda might be the dark-horse pick to earn the berth. Maeda won the Grand Slam of Curling's JR GSOC U25 men's title last season in Nisku, Alberta. His Kitami-based team finished runner-up to Yamaguchi at nationals in June and has claimed two titles on tour this season, with victories at the Hokkaido Bank Curling Classic and Advics Cup.

Shinya Abe is the event's defending champion. Abe's Sapporo-based squad has made it to at least the final four in all three tournaments this season, including a runner-up result at the Wakkanai Midori Challenge Cup.

Four teams to watch in the women's division

Isabella Wranå had a season to remember, capturing Olympic gold in mixed doubles and winning bronze with her women's team at the world championship. Her Swedish squad had a roster shuffle during the off-season, with Linda Stenlund moving to alternate, Maria Larsson switching to lead and two-time world junior silver medallist Moa Dryburgh joining full-time at second. Wranå rolled through the Oslo Cup to start the season, finishing with an unblemished record.

Satsuki Fujisawa has had an interesting start to the season. Yako Matsuzawa joined the Kitami team after longtime third Chinami Yoshida stepped back. Fujisawa, Matsuzawa and Yumi Suzuki have been playing as a three-player team, as lead Yurika Yoshida has been out of the lineup. Fujisawa finished runner-up in the Advics Cup and fourth at the Argo Graphics Cup.

Just like in the men's division, only two women's teams have earned GSOC tickets to Victoria, giving other teams an excellent opportunity to cash in. That could benefit Karuizawa's own Ikue Kitazawa, who won the tournament in 2023 and finished runner-up to Hasselborg last season. Her team is also coming off a title win this past weekend at the Argo Graphics Cup.

After Sayaka Yoshimura retired in the off-season, alternate Mina Kobayashi stepped up to skip the Sapporo-based club. Kobayashi has made the final four in both tournaments her team has played this season, finishing third at the Advics Cup and fourth at the Hokkaido Bank Curling Classic.