Episode 144: Korakuen Memories
September 2, 2026
In truth, there was an era when I actually struggled with matches at Korakuen Hall.
Both before and after becoming IWGP Champion, I used to feel much more nervous there than usual.
Because Korakuen Hall hosts the largest number of events for us, I held an arbitrary preconception thinking, "There must be a lot of fans with a really discerning eye here." Before matches, I would sometimes get faint-hearted, thinking, "I want to hype up the crowd, but man..."
That very Tanahashi, of all people!
However, I feel Korakuen Hall possesses a feverish heat unique to itself. The distance between the ring and the audience seats is so close. From any seat in the house, you can clearly see the wrestlers' expressions.
And that overwhelming sense of unity when the arena gets hyped up. Before I knew it, I had grown to absolutely love Korakuen.
In the G1 CLIMAX that took place until recently, so many wrestlers proved their own potential.
There were wrestlers who won, and wrestlers who tasted bitter disappointment. Through the tournament, I'm sure many of you felt the birth of new stars as well.
The emotions and grudges born in the G1, as well as the wrestlers' frustrations and newfound confidence. All those respective emotions are bound to intersect right at Korakuen Hall.
The sheer amount of information broadcasted out of Korakuen Hall is massive. I follow New Japan Pro-Wrestling's official X account myself (naturally, lol), so on match days, my timeline becomes completely filled with New Japan. That's right—Korakuen is the starting point for NJPW's battles.
"If you're going to invite a friend who might be interested in pro wrestling for the first time, Korakuen Hall is the place to go." This isn't just Tanahashi's personal opinion; I feel like that's been a long-standing sentiment for ages.
After all, you want the friends and companions you bring along to think, "That was so much fun!"
On a side note... back when I was a university student, the very first time I took the girlfriend I'd been dating since high school to a New Japan Pro-Wrestling show was at the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, and the main event was 【Scott Norton vs. Manabu Nakanishi】.
While it was a power clash with plenty of impact... Ugh, a short while after that, she ended up dumping me! Talk about a real backbreaker!
If only the first venue we went to had been Korakuen Hall... (tears).
Setting Tanahashi's youth aside—how will the G1 winner Oiwa fight? What about Edmond Goto? With what kind of mindset will Uemura step into the ring? The excitement is endless.
Everyone, please come and witness the new story that is about to begin right at the venue!
Korakuen Hall is a special place for the wrestlers. And I want it to be a special place for all of you fans as well.
September 9th and 10th. We'll be waiting for you at Korakuen Hall.
Alright, here we go. New Japan Pro-Wrestling starts right here!