Episode 152: Sendai Reminiscence
September 14, 2026
Sendai is packed with so many memories from my own professional wrestling life.
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I fought a match at Zepp Sendai. However, I wasn't able to hype up the venue the way I wanted to. After the match finished, set aside my own lack of ability, I even made a comment like, "What is everyone even coming here to watch?"
Then, time flowed by to February 2011. The location was Sendai Sunplaza Hall. What's more, it was an IWGP title match. The venue was packed to capacity. Deafening cheers. Back then, I couldn't stop the overflowing tears.
And yesterday, I was watching the stream of that exact same Sendai Sunplaza Hall.
Attendance: 1,250 people.
To be honest, it's frustrating. However, I don't want to make this number something that merely forces us to look down at the floor.
If it were me from my wrestler days, I would have taken it purely personally, thinking, "We need to do more promotion, perform even better matches." But now, it's different.
As President, while overseeing the wrestlers, staff, sales, PR, production, and the company as a whole, I ponder: "How can we make the people of Sendai want to see New Japan Pro-Wrestling once more?" That is my job right now.
The me who tasted frustration at Zepp Sendai in 2004 was able to witness the view of a sold-out crowd at Sendai Sunplaza in 2011.
Thinking about it that way, yesterday's attendance number starts to look like the beginning of the next story as well.
To the 1,250 people who came out, I thank you from the very bottom of my heart.
And every single day, I have this delusion where the people who came say, "New Japan Pro-Wrestling was so awesome!", and others reply, "Wait, really? Invite me next time!"—expanding the circle of pro wrestling further and further.
As a wrestler, I chased after the cheers and the excitement in Sendai. Next up, as President...
Because my story in Sendai is far from over. We can start over as many times as it takes---!!!
■ Reminiscence: A word with a literary resonance meaning "recollection" or "reminiscing." Rather than simply remembering, it holds a slightly lonely yet warmly poignant nuance, like quietly reflecting upon beautiful past days that will no longer return.