f
or a lot of wrestling fans, it’s
WrestleMania. For some, it might be a
Brock Lesnar-headlined UFC. For a few
sick, twisted people, it may be a brain-
frying night at the Impact Zone. For me, it was
Dragon Gate on their home turf. When I found out
that they would be appearing at Korakuen Hall
during the week I’d tentatively planned to spend in
Tokyo, well, that’s all there was to it; I was going!
Only after I’d booked the flight did I realise exactly
what I’d done: heading, on my own, to a country I
had a little knowledge of, spoke little of the
language and would be able to read even less. How
was I going to buy tickets for this show I was
determined to attend? How would I get around?
Most importantly, what was I going to eat?
Tokyo is an eleven-to-twelve hour flight from the
Tokyo, Go!
UK and eight hours ahead. Fairly crucially, your
phone probably isn’t going to work out there, so,
I went in August and the first thing that hit me about
unless it has WiFi, leave it at home and use the few
Japan (and I do mean hit me) was the heat. The
hundred extra grams to bring home another
average ‘official‘temperature was 30C, but with a
wrestling T-shirt. Even with a WiFi phone, finding a
humidity level that never dropped below 80%, it felt
free wireless hotspot in Tokyo is a heck of a
more like 40C. You get used to sweating really quickly
mission. Thankfully, my hotel had free wired
and thin clothes, deodorant and bottled water are the
internet and I’d brought my laptop. Google Maps
order of the day. Thankfully, the latter is easy to come
was a life-saver.
by, with vending machines on every corner. Y110 (69p)
gets you a 500ml bottle of Crystal Geyser water, as
Before you go, think about the amount of travelling
advertised on Japanese TV by Beyonce. Also
you’re likely to be doing. Japanese train travel,
recommended is CC Lemon - handy for a vitamin C hit
particularly within Tokyo, is pretty cheap (singles to
- and the oddly-named Pocari Sweat, which purports
most places on the Tokyo Metro were Y180 (about
to replace all the ions lost through sweat. All I know is
£1.15)), but I also had a day out in Osaka planned
that it was cheap enough (Y150 (95p)), refreshing and
which is about £175 return. Putting all jokes about
tasted a bit like flat Mountain Dew.
Oklahoma natives aside, I plumped for a week-long
JR Pass which was £185 from Top Tour Europe,
On the subject of liquid refreshment, if, like me,
although you can knock a fiver off that if you can
you’re a fan of Sprite or 7-Up, forget it. I found one
collect it from their office in London.
eating establishment that sold it and bottles or cans
of the stuff were simply non-existent.
The JR Pass grants you unlimited travel on lines run
by Japan Rail (i.e. most of them) between the dates
As we’ve done drink, let’s get the food concerns out
you specify when purchasing. The Pass can only be
of the way: no, you won’t have to eat raw fish if you
bought outside of Japan, but if you’re doing any big
don’t want to. If you want Japanese food without the
internal trips, it’s well worth it. What with Osaka,
uncooked sea-life aspect, I recommend seeking out a
airport transfers (don’t get a cab; that’ll cost you the
Gonpachi restaurant. There are around half-a-dozen
thick end of £200, whereas the train is about £20
in Tokyo, they’re reasonably priced and the food is
without a JR Pass or free with) and much to-ing and
great (I ate my fill with two courses and two drinks
fro-ing on the Tokyo train system, mine more than
for around £20). The menu comes in English and a
paid for itself.
lot of the staff speak it really well too.
Six paragraphs in and we haven’t even got to Japan
The Japanese interpretation of Western food falls
yet! Alright, let’s go.
under the ‘nearly, but not quite‘banner. You’ll get
something really nice, but perhaps not quite what
45 The online magazine for pro wrestling fans worldwide thewrestlingpress.com
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