Episode 110: Off to Hokkaido!
July 18, 2026
I’m currently sitting at the boarding gate at Haneda Airport. From here, I’m heading to Sapporo, Hokkaido—the battleground for the Japanese opening leg of G1 CLIMAX 36.
Looking around, the wrestlers are scattered all over the waiting area. Some are quietly listening to music through their headphones, some have their eyes closed to focus, and others are exchanging a few sparse words with each other.
Even though we’re all at the exact same boarding gate, everyone is spending their time before the opening night in completely different ways. I'm fighting the urge to go over and strike up a conversation; today, I'll just watch over them quietly. By nature, I’m usually the hype guy, though!
And yesterday, July 17th... this is actually an unforgettable date for me. It marks exactly 20 years since I won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship for the very first time back in 2006 at the Tsukisamu Green Dome. The heat in the ring that night, that almost scary level of tension... and my iconic line, "I love you!" I still remember every bit of it so vividly.
Back then, I never could have imagined that 20 years later, I’d be returning to Hokkaido not as a wrestler, but as the company President sending off our roster into battle. Well, I’m going along with them anyway, though! (lol)
The G1 kicks off its Japanese leg in Hokkaido, a place so rich with memories for me. As President, I'm going to oversee everything with my own eyes. For this tournament, an event featuring Tenzan-san and Oiwa with Tanahashi is also on the schedule, and I'm sure it's going to get the venue super pumped up. Well, mainly Oiwa, that is!
That being said, another unavoidable battle awaits me.
And that battle is... Ramen. When you think of Hokkaido, you think of that rich, savory Miso Ramen. The overwhelming desire to drink every last drop of the broth versus the agonizing struggle to not let my physique slip any further... Hmm... Extra butter, please! (lol) Yeah, a defeat seems pretty much guaranteed at this point! (lol)
This battle known as "maintaining my physique"—it certainly doesn't let me win easily, does it?
Alright then! The wrestlers' fiery battles in the ring! And my own gentle battle on the side. In Hokkaido... let the bell ring!