Episode 70: Young Lions ②
May 8, 2026
In my last post, I wrote about the significance of being a "Young Lion." This time, I’d like to introduce you to their "ecosystem."
Once you enter the Dojo, life in the dormitory begins. Everyone wakes up at 8:00 AM, and cleaning duties for the Dojo, the dorm, the bathrooms, and the outdoor areas are assigned on a rotating basis. Joint training starts at 10:00 AM and can sometimes last until around 2:00 PM. After that, everyone except those on "Chanko duty" (cooking) is free to spend their time as they wish. However, there is an old-school rule that says you basically "cannot leave the premises" until you've made your debut. I remember being so happy just to go out for grocery shopping or running errands for my seniors.
On top of those Dojo duties, even when you reach the stage where you can go on tours, the only time you can truly relax is when you're in your hotel room. From taking roll call at departure times to practicing at the venue, handling ring-side chores, performing duties as a personal assistant, and cleaning up the locker rooms—there is so much to do.
I personally served as a personal assistant to both Riki Choshu and Keiji Muto, which was an incredible learning experience. From the task of scrubbing Choshu-san’s back in the shower to learning the "ABC's of being a star" just by watching Muto-san’s every move.
I might have mentioned this story before, but Muto-san once told me: "Tanahashi, if a fan asks for a handshake, I want you to refuse them once first." (Laughs). Right after I’d decline, Muto-san would step in, say "It’s okay," and shake their hand. He explained, "Doing that makes me look like an even bigger babyface (hero), right?" (Laughs).
That hunger—the way he even used a Young Lion as a "flavor enhancer" for his own image! Honestly, he was already such a star that he didn't even need to do that! (Laughs).
As I progressed in my own career, many wrestlers served as my personal assistants. My very first assistant was Oka-kun (Great-O-Khan), followed by Tsuji-kun, Nakashima-kun, and my final assistant was Murashima-kun. Naturally, I find myself watching the wrestlers who were once my assistants with a special kind of emotional investment. I have memories with each of them, but I’ll save those for another time.
Right now, the one I’m most concerned about is Murashima-kun, who is currently on his overseas excursion. I see he’s... wearing a red one-shoulder singlet. A... a one-shoulder... I mean, it suits him... but... a one-shoulder? Yeah. It suits him... but still...