Martial arts Championship (November 3, 2009) All-Japan
Karate Championship (2012) Although the Budokan also functions as a venue for big musical events, its primary purpose is for Japanese
martial arts. The national championships of the different branches of major martial arts (
judo,
kendo,
karate,
aikido, etc.) are held annually at the Budokan. The Budokan has also been associated with
professional wrestling's big shows, typically from
All Japan Pro Wrestling and
Pro Wrestling Noah. However, due to declining audiences following the death of
Mitsuharu Misawa and the retirement of
Kenta Kobashi, professional wrestling has ceased running regular shows in the Budokan. During
Wrestle Kingdom 12,
New Japan Pro-Wrestling announced that its yearly
G1 Climax tournament's finals would be held at the Budokan. The
Muhammad Ali vs. Antonio Inoki hybrid rules fight held at the Budokan in 1976 is seen as a forerunner to
mixed martial arts.
K-1,
Shooto,
Vale Tudo Japan and
Pride Fighting Championships have all held events at the arena.
Music The Beatles were the first rock group to perform at the Budokan in a series of five shows held between June 30 and July 2, 1966. Their appearances were met with opposition from those who felt the appearance of a western pop group would defile the martial arts arena. In July 1973, Japanese television recorded the
Santana performance at the Budokan. The Budokan gained worldwide fame when American artists
Cheap Trick and
Bob Dylan used the arena to record their performances,
Cheap Trick at Budokan (1978) and
Bob Dylan at Budokan (1979). The venue is popular for recording live albums because it has good acoustics, is relatively large and Japanese audiences are known for being highly appreciative when appropriate but quiet during performances.
Eric Clapton described the Tokyo audience as "almost overappreciative" in interviews promoting
Just One Night (1980), his own live album recorded at the Budokan. American
crossover thrash band
Stormtroopers of Death released a live album titled
Live at Budokan (1992), though the title was in jest and the album was recorded at famed New York City venue
The Ritz. The original Beatles concert is heavily bootlegged on audio and video; the first night's concert video was officially released by
Apple Records in Japan only as
Beatles Concert at Budokan 1966, and excerpts are shown in
The Beatles Anthology, while the
second Anthology album included the first show's performances of "
Rock and Roll Music" and "
She's A Woman". The venue is one of the stages in
The Beatles: Rock Band video game. The record for the most Budokan music concerts is held by
Eikichi Yazawa, 142 times as of December 19, 2017.
Other events The
National Memorial Service for War Dead is held with the attendance of the
Prime Minister, the
Emperor and the Empress annually in Budokan on August 15, the day of Japan's surrender. A concert was held in honor of
Studio Ghibli's 25th anniversary at the Budokan, hosted by
Joe Hisaishi. It included repertoire from most of the films Hisaishi composed for
Hayao Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli filmography.
Diana Ross performed and taped her "Here and Now" television special in 1991 to a sold-out audience. The
Japan Record Awards took place in the arena from 1985 to 1993 where all of the artists from around the country receive these awards.
Muhammad Ali won a unanimous decision over Mac Foster in their 1972 heavyweight boxing match. On February 13, 1975, a religious gathering was held to hear Rev.
Sun Myung Moon speak. On August 27, 2011, Japan's three biggest professional wrestling promotions;
All Japan Pro Wrestling,
New Japan Pro-Wrestling and
Pro Wrestling Noah came together to produce a charity event titled
All Together at the arena. On August 10, 11 and 12, 2018
New Japan Pro-Wrestling held the final 3 days of the
G1 Climax in the Budokan, which marked the first time in 15 years that New Japan has promoted an event there. New Japan once again returned to the arena for the final 3 days of the 2019 G1 Climax. New Japan also held the
Best of the Super Jr. and
World Tag League finals in December 2021, as well as their
49th Anniversary Show and the final two days of the G1 Climax in 2021. Joshi wrestling promotion
World Wonder Ring Stardom held their
All Star Dream Cinderella event on March 3, 2021, making this the first time a joshi company had held an event in the venue in 24 years. Professional wrestler and legend in Japan
Kenta Kobashi wrestled his final match in Budokan on May 11, 2013, at an event titled
Final Burning in Budokan. Kobashi is synonymous with the arena along with fellow wrestlers
Toshiaki Kawada and the late
Mitsuharu Misawa. In November, the Budokan is a venue for the annual
Japan Self-Defense Forces Marching Festival, a yearly tradition and the nation's
military tattoo first held here in the fall of 1963. Aside from JSDF bands, foreign armed forces military bands are also invited to join the event. The
state funeral of
Shinzo Abe was held at the Budokan on September 27, 2022.
Other uses The Nippon Budokan is the primary setting of the 1989
fighting game Budokan: The Martial Spirit. Players train in various Japanese martial arts, and must then face off at the Budokan arena against computer-controlled opponents. A fictional concert hall based on the Nippon Budokan appeared in the
music video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (2007) under the name "
Kaiju Megadome". The Beatles' appearance at Nippon Budokan was featured in
The Beatles: Rock Band (2009). The Nippon Budokan appeared in the Japanese pro-wrestling video game
Virtual Pro Wrestling 2: Ōdō Keishō (2000). == See also ==