Guide to Attending Your First Japanese Wrestling Event: Korakuen Hall and Shinkiba 1stRING

Japanese wrestling emphasizes competitiveness more than any other style, and if you are planning your first trip to Japan and want to see it live, having an understanding of things ranging from the ticketing systems to venue etiquette in advance will be beneficial. This comprehensive guide breaks down everything a first-time visitor needs to know to experience live Japanese professional wrestling as smoothly as possible.

1. Preparation for the Venue Experience

Where you watch a show in Japan dictates the entire vibe of the event, and Korakuen Hall and Shinkiba 1stRING are two combat sport-dedicated venues located in Tokyo that are very popular with pro-wrestling fans while being very different in atmosphere. The Madison Square Garden of Japan, the Korakuen Hall is a highly respected 1,000+ seat venue known as a place where many historical moments in the Japanese pro-wrestling scene have occurred.

Shinkiba 1stRING is a 300-people-capacity small, wood-paneled converted storage warehouse that has a fun and laid-back atmosphere as it provides an intimate experience, focusing on in-ring action and interaction between the pro-wrestlers and the crowd.

2. Choosing the Promotion to See

Many wrestling promotions have shows at Korakuen Hall regularly, each with its unique style and loyal following. While NJPW quickly comes to mind for many, there are other notable promotions, including STARDOM, NOAH, AJPW, BJW, Michinoku Pro, Dream Star Fighting Marigold, SEAdLINNNG, and World Woman Pro-Wrestling Diana- which celebrated its 15th anniversary at Korakuen Hall this past April.

Meanwhile, promotions ranging from small-sized to major can be seen at Shinkiba 1stRING. Along with STARDOM, NOAH, AJPW, BJW, and Diana, SEAdLINNNG, ZERO1, Actwres girl'Z, Marvelous, and Sendai Girls can be seen there as well.

Each offers a distinct style of puroresu, from the power of joshi to the King's Road style to the hardcore style to the lucha libre style to promotions that have a unique blend of wrestling styles.

3. Navigating the Ticket Landscape

If you want to see a show at Korakuen Hall, the easiest ways to get tickets if you are visiting Japan will be via Korakuen Hall 5th Floor Office (same-day tickets are sold at the 1st-floor box office near the main entrance) or pro-wrestling shop Champion, with an alternative being ticket agencies. If you want to see an NJPW event, you can also purchase tickets at Tokon Shop.

As for shows at Shinkiba 1stRING, tickets for these events are not as easy to get if you are visiting Japan, since the most common way to get them is by reserving tickets via promotions directly, via an online shop, phone, social media, or by joining a promotion's fan club. However, Korakuen Hall 5th Floor Office does handle advance tickets for select Shinkiba 1stRING events.

4. Understanding Venue Etiquette

The atmosphere in a Japanese venue during a pro-wrestling event is a mix of deep respect and enthusiastic energy. Cheering and clapping are encouraged, but there is often silence during technical wrestling, with the crowd focused on the action. While fans at Korakuen Hall wrestling events are generally more likely to be quieter at events than fans at many other venues in Japan (as they analyze the wrestlers and the matches), they are loud at both the hall and Shinkiba 1stRING when it appears that a match is going to end, as it seems that a wrestler they like is about to win or lose.

When it comes to sitting at ringside, the rule is the same at both venues: Be prepared to run. When a brawl carries out of the ring, it will soon go into the crowd. Stand up and get out of the way immediately.

Most promotions allow still photography but not video recording of the matches. Any unauthorized recording is a subject of copyright infringement, and putting recorded videos online is against the law and is punishable.

5. Post-Show
Keep in mind that the Japanese train system usually stops running around midnight. If you stay in the area past this time, night buses, bicycles, or staying in a karaoke box or capsule hotel until the first train runs at roughly 5:00 AM are common solutions. Alternatively, you can take a taxi or stay overnight at a hotel near the venue.

With Japanese wrestling having competitiveness at such a high level that many pro-wrestlers in America study the style, watching an event live is a very memorable experience. Pick a promotion, secure your ticket, respect the venue etiquette, and get ready to see the fighting spirit of Japanese wrestling in-person.

Japanese Professional Wrestling (Puroresu) at Shinkiba 1stRING

While Korakuen Hall is the Madison Square Garden of Japan, Shinkiba 1stRING provides an intimate experience. With a capacity of 300 people, there is a big focus on the in-ring action and interaction between the pro-wrestlers and the crowd. The atmosphere is fun and laid-back, for both the talent and the audience. Located at 1-6-24 Shinkiba in Koto-ku, Tokyo, this small, wood-paneled converted storage warehouse is loved by fans and wrestlers alike.

Shinkiba 1stRING is a venue that has unique energy during a pro-wrestling event, very similar to WWE house shows in the United States. Located in an industrial area three minutes away from Shin-Kiba Station, the venue's interior is lined entirely with dark wood paneling, which absorbs and vibrates the crowd noise. A crowd of 300 people in Shinkiba sounds like 2,000 people anywhere else.

Tickets are not handled at Shinkiba 1stRING- the most common way to reserve tickets is via promotions directly, via an online shop, phone, or social media. A number of promotions use fan clubs to provide early access to tickets via lotteries before they go on sale to the general public as well. It is also common for pro-wrestlers to offer ticket reservations through social media for shows that they appear on. You can see the Shinkiba 1stRING seating arrangement here.

One side of Shinkiba 1stRING has an elevated stage area that is usually used as the entrance ramp for the pro-wrestlers, and has chairs and bleachers on both sides of the ramp. Here is a view of the ring from the stage at a Marvelous event.

There are folding chairs in the ringside area, and the first row is very close to the ring, as you can see from this ringside view at a Sendai Girls event.

Feeling like you're inches away from action like this 2019 match between KAORU and AKARI, the perspective is highly intense.

Being that there is little physical space between the ring apron and the front row, if the match goes outside the ring, it will soon go into the crowd. The ring crew will shout- stand up and get out of the way immediately.

There is fixed tiered seating on three sides of Shinkiba 1stRING, located behind the folding chairs. Below is a picture that was taken at YMZ Summer Festival 2018, which gives a perspective of sitting in that area.

Many wrestling promotions have shows at Shinkiba 1stRING regularly, ranging from small-sized promotions to major ones. They include STARDOM, NOAH, AJPW, BJW, Sendai Girls, SEAdLINNNG, ZERO1, Actwres girl'Z, World Woman Pro-Wrestling Diana, and Marvelous.

Each offers a distinct style of puroresu, from the power of joshi to the King's Road style to the hardcore style to the lucha libre style to promotions that have a unique blend of wrestling styles. Most promotions allow still photography but not video recording of the matches.