wrestlingmad Posted August 4, 2016 Share Posted August 4, 2016 Hi everyone, Â In just short of two months time I'll be spending 24 days over in Japan travelling around. I'm extremely keen to fit in some Professional Wrestling, naturally! Has anybody on here been out there and attended shows? For example, I've found some events on the NJPW site, but there's no link to tickets and the English is quite broken. Any advise would be massively appreciated. Is there some site that features all the promotions that I just haven't stumbled across yet? Â Here's my current itinerary: Â October 2nd - 11th TOKYO October 11th - 14th MT. FUJI October 14th - 18th OSAKA October 18th - 21st KYOTO October 21st - 24th TOKYO Â I'm assuming I can sort everything while I'm out there and plan spontaneously but some planning prior wouldn't go a miss. Â My biggest goal really is catching something in Korakuen Hall. Even if it was some death match type stuff. Â Thanks in advance guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Austin Posted August 4, 2016 Share Posted August 4, 2016 There's a Classic Japanese Wrestling Facebook group that will have guys that can give you all sorts of good advice (Eric is particularly helpful). Â I've been to Korakuen twice, and got tickets for NOAH and All Japan shows there. We used friends of my wife who lived there for the All Japan show, but there are vending machines in 7/11 and other local stores (even in the suburbs) where you can buy tickets, and collect them from the counter. It's really easy-I was amazed just how easy it was! Â You can usually get tickets for all but the MAJOR shows in the week leading up to the show, but try and get the higher priced seats as the seating is way more comfortable than the infamous orange seats at Korakuen. Korakuen is well worth it for the atmosphere alone. We saw the All Japan Champion Carnival final in 2015, and the opening of the NOAH tag league this year. Neither had absolute blowaway matches (good matches, but not MOTY fare), but the atmosphere just made them excellent shows to witness live! (And Atsushi Aoki recognised me from his trip to the UK, and called me over to say hello at the merch tables which was pretty cool too) Â Also, when you are in Tokyo, go across the road from the Dome, under the railway bridge, and turn left just by the station. You should find the awesome wrestling shop there (Toudokan if I recall right). Past the station there is a right turn where you should see the New Japan shop too which has all the wrestler autographs on the stairs, as well as NJPW merch and a nice Rikidozan tribute in the corner (his widow works there I believe). Â Have fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrestlingmad Posted August 4, 2016 Author Share Posted August 4, 2016 Thanks, Phil. That's a great help, buying tickets from a vending machine in a convenience store just sound so odd, but great! I'll most definitely be catching those shops and joining that Facebook group. Â I've found NJPW PPV - Kings of Pro Wrestling at Tokyo/Ryogoku kokugikan on the 10th October. Is there no way tickets can be purchased online for this? I can't seem to find anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Austin Posted August 4, 2016 Share Posted August 4, 2016 Apparently ticket buying from the UK is nigh on impossible - the only way is to find a 'friend' to get them for you in Japan from what I recall. But Eric at Classic Japanese Facebook group may be able to direct you better on that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Austin Posted August 4, 2016 Share Posted August 4, 2016 http://portal2.tickebo.jp/pc/en/njpw/index.html  This may be a way, although I've never used it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrestlingmad Posted August 4, 2016 Author Share Posted August 4, 2016 Interesting, I'll have to check back to that site closer to the time. Thanks Phil, you're a star! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Austin Posted August 4, 2016 Share Posted August 4, 2016 No worries. Have fun. It's an amazing country-most polite service I've ever received in shops and bars. You will feel welcomed there! Â Oh, there's a TGIs right below the Tokyo Dome that is good for a pre-show drink, and the entire staff automatically all say goodbye to each customer as they leave! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrestlingmad Posted August 4, 2016 Author Share Posted August 4, 2016 I need to find a show at Korakeun Hall first, annoyingly I seem to miss Dragon Gate by a day. Having been to numerous Dragon Gate UK and one USA show, that would had been nice. Â How much did your tickets cost on average? I've been told it's expensive but if I'm completely honest it doesn't seem so expensive, in relation to food and drink anyhow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Kaz Hayashi Posted August 4, 2016 Paid Members Share Posted August 4, 2016 Last time I was there we spent 3-4 days in Osaka. At the time Osaka Pro had it's own mini arena and shop in a big leisure centre. Came across it by accident and a show was on within 3 hours. Bought tickets at the door, didn't speak any Japanese and some of the wrestlers made a point of coming up to us during their entrance. Around 100 people sat cross legged on the floor, a bit mental, but really fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 4, 2016 Share Posted August 4, 2016 The vending machine option might be a bit tricky if you don't read Japanese. Â The aforementioned New Japan shop is probably the best place for NJPW tickets. For any other company you'll be able to buy tickets on the door. At Korakeun they're usually sold starting from around an hour before start time from a hole in the wall outside on the ground floor of the building Korakeun is in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrestlingmad Posted August 4, 2016 Author Share Posted August 4, 2016 I most certainly can't read Japanese. Speak some basic words and phrases maybe but nowhere near a conversation. Â That's easy, if you can just pay effectively on the door. Kaz Hayashi, that sounds brilliant, in a mental way, I love it! Â Thanks everybody, it's greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Kaz Hayashi Posted August 4, 2016 Paid Members Share Posted August 4, 2016 No probs. If you do go to Osaka Pro, just a heads up, you can't miss the leisure centre, big place with onsens, pools/slides etc and some random eateries/shops. The Osaka Pro shop is really small though, and you have to walk through the shop to a door at the back which leads to the arena. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Austin Posted August 4, 2016 Share Posted August 4, 2016 I'm pretty sure that when I used the vending machine, it actually had an English speaking option - my wife speaks Japanese, but didn't really know enough about wrestling to order the right tickets, so I seem to recall I did it myself with not much hassle. As for price, pretty reasonable I'd say-can't remember exact prices, but easily affordable compared to big shows over here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Austin Posted August 4, 2016 Share Posted August 4, 2016 http://my8daysinjapan.blogspot.co.uk/ Â Here's some more useful information Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherCrapUsername Posted August 4, 2016 Share Posted August 4, 2016 Definitely join the classic Japanese wrestling group on Facebook. Amazingly knowledgeable people and will certainly be able to point you in the right direction! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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