Planning to see some Japanese wrestling early May - advice needed

[McBain]

Hey all,

Feel free to merge this with a general thread if you think that's the best place for it...

Anyway, I have holiday time at the beginning of May, and my original plan to go to Australia appears to be fading. So I figured while I was still in the not so distant vicinity that Japan would be a cool option to finally check out. As I'd be going alone though I need some good events to go go - I figured why not make it something of a Japanese wrestling pilgrimage at the same time.

So my first thought was, I should definitely check out a NJPW show....and from the show listings on their website they have a New Japan Alive double show in Kagawa and Hyogo. My question to you people who know more than me is - is this a low ranked show, or can I expect to see some big names and/or feuds/matches at this event? If you've actually been to Japan, is it difficult to get to these places from Tokyo?

My next questions really are, what other promotions (and specific shows, ideally) do you recommend I check out? If you can name specific events worth my time during the first 2 weeks of May then I'd greatly appreciate it.

Other than that if you have any other recommendations or things to keep in mind before I book/go then please go ahead. I'm also interested in other things to see and do but let's try and stay on topic. ;)

Cheers :beer:

[Cewsh]

New Japan Alive is sort of like a house show for them. It'll still feature the top talent and everything, but it'll be on the road to one of the big events, so you won't see any huge matches or anything. Still very cool if you can go, but it's like seeing a WWE house show instead of Raw.

Looking at things, your best bet might be Pro Wrestling NOAH's Great Voyage in Yokohama. I don't know if you'll be anywhere near that area of the country, but that's a fairly big time show.

[Defrost]

I'd actually assume there will be a ton of indies running Korakuen since the first few days of May are part of Golden Week. Too bad Dragon Gate's big Golden Week show is in Nagoya and NJPW's in Fukuoka.

[McBain]

Cheers for info. I have a friend from Japan so will ask her about travel considerations when I have a tentative plan in mind.

So I could be looking at Dragon Gate and NOAH in addition to NJPW if I can sort out the travelling? Will have a look at their websites, which hopefully have an English option...

[Ringo]

http://www.purolove.com/

If you click on the Results & Schedule sections under each promotion on the left, it has all the upcoming shows listed. Looks like you'll just miss a DDT Korakuan show which is a shame. If anything else is on there that must be worth doing though.

[McBain]

:yes:

So what's this NJPW Wrestling Dontaku?

Bound to have several more questions once I've come up with my short-list of shows... Thanks again.

[Ringo]

That's New Japan's annual May PPV event. It's always in Fukuoka because "Dontaku" is some sort of traditional festival they have there in May. It used to be a big Dome show but nowadays it's held in a much smaller arena. Almost certainly the biggest wrestling show happening in Japan in early May though :yes:

[thegoat]

In three weeks time I will be attending Invasion Attack, based partially on people in this forum recommending it. Should have come a month earlier Mcbain, we could have eaten ramen and drunk beers together.

[McBain]

That's New Japan's annual May PPV event. It's always in Fukuoka because "Dontaku" is some sort of traditional festival they have there in May. It used to be a big Dome show but nowadays it's held in a much smaller arena. Almost certainly the biggest wrestling show happening in Japan in early May though :yes:

Awesome, that's going on the list then.

Next challenge will be how I buy tickets for them without major communication difficulties. :D

[Ringo]

Correction: "Dontaku" apparently means holiday and the festiva in May is "Hakata Dontaku" and people dress up like this:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ac/Hakata_Dontaku_78338440_org.jpg

:cool:

[McBain]

Even better.

[Defrost]

This seems relevant

https://twitter.com/newjapaneng/status/577924750992908288

[McBain]

Nice one.

I just got my leave confirmed so I'm looking at May 2nd - May 18th.

As far as wrestling events goes it includes the following:

NJPW - NJPW "WRESTLING DONTAKU 2015", 03.05.2015
Fukuoka International Center

WRESTLE-1 "WRESTLE-1 TOUR 2015 TRIUMPH", 05.05.2015 5/May
Tokyo

ZERO1, 05.05.2015
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

Dragon Gate shows
3, 4th of may - kyoto

or 8-10 - tokyo, okazaki, yamanashi
https://www.facebook.com/events/1570345259891539/

NOAH 1st May - Osaka
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.noah.co.jp%2Ftour_detail.php%3F tour_id%3D1423

NOAH "GREAT VOYAGE 2015 IN YOKOHAMA", 10.05.2015
Yokohama Bunka Gymnasium

Can anyone give me some insight into which one of those I HAVE to see? My Japanese friend tells me Fukuoka isn't much to write home about so I'm not sure I can be bothered to go there just for that show...

The other variable is that one of my good friends who isn't a fan of wrestling may also be joining. I'm gonna drag him along to a show anyway by promising him a good time and cultural experience! Ideally the show wouldn't be too small time, with good atmosphere and a lot to keep our eyes and ears busy, so if that helps in recommending then great. :yes:

[Psycho666Soldier]

I don't know too much about the others, but Great Voyage is usually a decent show. Really, though, I think the biggest shows out of all of these would be Wrestling Dontaku. New Japan iPPV and usually has some good matches. But if you're trying to avoid the town, then that's a no go. I'm not the best authority on this either.

[McBain]

What guys does NOAH have?

The Dontaku definitely sounds the best, but I'm not sure I can justify dragging my mate to nothing town just for an event. Whereas the others I can justify more as they have other things to see and do in. If my mate doesn't end up coming then I may make the trip after all.

[Ringo]

Yeah, that is quite a way to go just for one show. That's easily the biggest though.

Not really into Dragon Gate personally but if you like that sort of thing it could be good.

Wrestle-1 and Zero1 are pretty irrelevant at this point but you could go just for the Korakuen experience and you might at least get to see Muta wrestle.

It's a shame there's not a DDT show on during your trip because that'd probably be the best choice in terms of keeping you and your friend entertained.

[Ringo]

Oh yeah NOAH

Most recent results:


NOAH "GREAT VOYAGE 2015 IN TOKYO", 15.03.2015 (G+)
Tokyo Ariake Colosseum
6,300 Fans

1. GREAT VOYAGE 2015 in Tokyo Opening Match: Mitsuhiro Kitamiya besiegt Hitoshi Kumano (6:58) mit einem Spear.
2. Captain will be unveiled: Mohammed Yone, Katsuhiko Nakajima Diamond Ring, Taiji Ishimori & Captain Noah besiegen Yoshinari Ogawa, Zack Sabre Jr., Super Crazy & Jonah Rock (10:39) nach einem 450° Splash von Ishimori gegen Crazy.
3. Feel Force: Daisuke Sekimoto BJW & Yuji Okabayashi BJW besiegen Akitoshi Saito & Quiet Storm (11:57) nach einem German Suplex Hold von Sekimoto gegen Storm.
4. Cho Kibou-Gun vs. NJPW: Takeshi Morishima & Maybach Taniguchi besiegen Hiroyoshi Tenzan NJPW & Manabu Nakanishi NJPW (12:11) nach einem Backdrop Suplex von Morishima gegen Nakanishi.
5. Dangan Yankees vs. Suzuki-gun: Takashi Sugiura & Masato Tanaka ZERO1 besiegen Shelton Benjamin & Takashi Iizuka NJPW (16:34) nach einen Olympic Slam von Sugiura gegen Iizuka.
6. GHC Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title, 3 Way Match: TAKA Michinoku KAIENTAI DOJO & El Desperado NJPW besiegen Kenou Michinoku Pro & Hajime Ohara (c) and Daisuke Harada & Genba Hirayanagi (10:02) nach einer Diving Body Press von Desperado gegen Hirayanagi - Titelwechsel.
7. GHC Jr. Heavyweight Title: Taichi NJPW besiegt Atsushi Kotoge (c) (18:57) mit dem Black Mephisto - Titelwechsel.
8. GHC Tag Team Title: Lance Archer & Davey Boy Smith Jr. (c) besiegen Shane Haste & Mikey Nicholls (15:45) als Smith Nicholls nach der Killer Bomb pinnte (1st defense).
9. GHC Heavyweight Title: Minoru Suzuki besiegt Naomichi Marufuji (c) (23:44) mit einem Gotch-Style Piledriver - Titelwechsel.

With the NJ injection, BJW guys and Tanaka there's a decent roster there.

Here's a match in that Osaka arena, the smaller Bodymaker Colosseum:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2g0vmq_noah-ghc-jr-championship-atsushi-kotoge-c-vs-daisuke-harada-1-24-15_sport

[kangus]

Thanks Ringo.