日本武道館 | |
Budokan | |
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 Interactive map of Nippon Budokan | |
| Location | 2–3Kitanomarukōen,Chiyoda, Tokyo 102-8321, Japan |
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| Coordinates | 35°41′36″N139°45′00″E / 35.6933°N 139.75°E /35.6933; 139.75 |
| Public transit | Tokyo Metro/Toei Subway (atKudanshita): |
| Owner | The Nippon Budokan Foundation |
| Capacity | 14,471 |
| Field size | Height: 42 metres (138 ft) |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1964 |
| Opened | October 3, 1964 |
| Renovated | 2020 |
| Construction cost |
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| Architect | Mamoru Yamada |
| Main contractors | Takenaka Corporation |
| Website | |
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TheNippon Budokan (Japanese:日本武道館,Hepburn:Nippon Budōkan;lit. 'Japan Martial Arts Hall'), often shortened to simplythe Budokan, is anindoor arena inChiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It was originally built for the inaugural Olympicjudo competition in the1964 Summer Olympics. The Budokan was a popular venue forJapanese professional wrestling for a time, and it has hosted numerous other sporting events, such as the1967 Women's Volleyball World Championship. Most recently, the arena hosted thejudo andkarate competitions at the2020 Summer Olympics andjudo at the2020 Summer Paralympics.
While its primary purpose is to host martial arts contests, the arena has gained additional fame as one of the world's most outstanding musical performance venues.[1] A number of famous acts have played at the Budokan.The Beatles were the first rock group to play there, in a series offive concerts, each lasting 30 minutes, from June 30 to July 2, 1966.[2]ABBA ended theirlast tour and held their final live performance there in March 1980. Numerous other notable acts have recorded live albums at the Budokan for the good acoustics and audience behaviour.
The Nippon Budokan is located inKitanomaru Park in the center ofTokyo, two minutes' walking distance fromKudanshita Subway Station, and near theImperial Palace andYasukuni Shrine. The 42 metres (138 ft) highoctagonal structure holds 14,471 people (arena seats: 2,946, 1st floor seats: 3,199, 2nd floor seats: 7,846, standee: 480).[3] The building is modeled afterYumedono (Hall of Dreams) inHōryū-ji inNara.[citation needed]
The area around the Nippon Budokan was originally where Tsuchi-do Shrine (formerly Tayasu Myojin), the guardian deity of the Kanto region, was relocated when Ota Dokan built Edo Castle, and later, when Tokugawa Ieyasu entered the city, it became the residence of the Kanto magistrate Naito Kiyonari and others, and was therefore called Daikan-cho. Later, it became the residence of Tokugawa Tadanaga and Tokugawa Tsunashige, and from the mid-Edo period onwards, the Tayasu Tokugawa family, one of the three branches of the Tokugawa clan, had their residence there, but after the Meiji Restoration it was demolished and became a barracks for theImperial Guard Division.[citation needed]
In June 1961, when judo was selected as an official sport for the 1964 Tokyo Summer Olympics, some judo-loving Diet members formed the Diet Members Judo Association. At the launch celebration held at Nippon Television's outdoor studio, House of Representatives memberMatsutarō Shōriki, who became the association's chairman, stated, "I want to build a world-class martial arts hall in the center of Tokyo and promote the development and spread of this art." On June 30, the Diet Members' Association for the Construction of the Martial Arts Hall (Chairman: Matsutaro Shoriki; Vice-chairmen:Mikio Mizuta,Shigeyoshi Matsumae,Yonosuke Sato [jp], andMunenori Akagi) was formed.[4]
This initiative received signatures from 525 cross-party lawmakers, including House of Representatives SpeakerIchirō Kiyose, House of Councillors Speaker Matsuno Kakuhei, Prime MinisterHayato Ikeda, Japan Socialist Party ChairmanJōtarō Kawakami, Democratic Socialist Party ChairmanSuehiro Nishio, and Japanese Communist Party ChairmanSanzo Nosaka.[citation needed]
On 31 January 1962, with the approval of the Minister of Education, the Nippon Budokan Foundation (Chairman: Matsutaro Shoriki; Vice-chairmen: Atsutaro Kimura, Shigeyoshi Matsumae; Chairman of the Board: Munenori Akagi) was established.[5] After much deliberation, the site for the building was finally decided upon in Kitanomaru, and the Nippon Budokan was completed on 15 September 1964.[6] The opening ceremony was held on October 3, in the presence ofEmperor Showa andEmpress Kojun. On 15 October, the Tokyo Olympic martial arts exhibition competitions (kendo, kyudo, and sumo) were held, and from 20 to 23 October, the Olympic judo competitions. Since then, in line with its founding purpose, the Nippon Budokan has been used to promote and popularize various martial arts, hosting various martial arts tournaments, and also for various national events with a public mission.[citation needed]
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Although the Budokan also functions as a venue for big musical events, its primary purpose is for Japanesemartial 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 withprofessional wrestling's big shows, typically fromAll Japan Pro Wrestling andPro Wrestling Noah. However, due to declining audiences following the death ofMitsuharu Misawa and the retirement ofKenta Kobashi, professional wrestling has ceased running regular shows in the Budokan. DuringWrestle Kingdom 12,New Japan Pro-Wrestling announced that its yearlyG1 Climax tournament's finals would be held at the Budokan.[7]
TheMuhammad Ali vs. Antonio Inoki hybrid rules fight held at the Budokan in 1976 is seen as a forerunner tomixed martial arts.K-1,Shooto,Vale Tudo Japan andPride Fighting Championships have all held events at the arena.[citation needed]
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.[8] Their appearances were met with opposition from those who felt the appearance of a western pop group would defile the martial arts arena.[9]
In July 1973, Japanese television recorded theSantana performance at the Budokan.[citation needed] The Budokan gained worldwide fame when American artistsCheap Trick andBob Dylan used the arena to record their performances,Cheap Trick at Budokan (1978) andBob Dylan at Budokan (1979).[citation needed]
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.[10]Eric Clapton described the Tokyo audience as "almost overappreciative" in interviews promotingJust One Night (1980), his own live album recorded at the Budokan.[11]
Americancrossover thrash bandStormtroopers of Death released a live album titledLive at Budokan (1992), though the title was in jest and the album was recorded at famed New York City venueThe Ritz.[citation needed]
The original Beatles concert is heavily bootlegged on audio and video;[12] the first night's concert video was officially released byApple Records in Japan only asBeatles Concert at Budokan 1966, and excerpts are shown inThe Beatles Anthology, while thesecondAnthology album included the first show's performances of "Rock and Roll Music" and "She's A Woman". The venue is one of the stages inThe Beatles: Rock Band video game.[13]
The record for the most Budokan music concerts is held byEikichi Yazawa, 142 times as of December 19, 2017.[14]
TheNational Memorial Service for War Dead is held with the attendance of thePrime Minister, theEmperor and the Empress annually in Budokan on August 15, the day of Japan's surrender.[citation needed] A concert was held in honor ofStudio Ghibli's 25th anniversary at the Budokan, hosted byJoe Hisaishi. It included repertoire from most of the films Hisaishi composed forHayao Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli filmography.[citation needed]Diana Ross performed and taped her "Here and Now" television special in 1991 to a sold-out audience.[citation needed] TheJapan Record Awards took place in the arena from 1985 to 1993 where all of the artists from around the country receive these awards.[citation needed]Muhammad Ali won a unanimous decision over Mac Foster in their 1972 heavyweight boxing match.[citation needed]
On February 13, 1975, a religious gathering was held to hear Rev.Sun Myung Moon speak.[15]
On August 27, 2011, Japan's three biggest professional wrestling promotions;All Japan Pro Wrestling,New Japan Pro-Wrestling andPro Wrestling Noah came together to produce a charity event titledAll Together at the arena. On August 10, 11 and 12, 2018New Japan Pro-Wrestling held the final 3 days of theG1 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 theBest of the Super Jr. andWorld Tag League finals in December 2021, as well as their49th Anniversary Show and the final two days of the G1 Climax in 2021.[citation needed]
Joshi wrestling promotionWorld Wonder Ring Stardom held theirAll 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.[citation needed] Professional wrestler and legend in JapanKenta Kobashi wrestled his final match in Budokan on May 11, 2013, at an event titledFinal Burning in Budokan. Kobashi is synonymous with the arena along with fellow wrestlersToshiaki Kawada and the lateMitsuharu Misawa.[citation needed]
In November, the Budokan is a venue for the annualJapan Self-Defense Forces Marching Festival, a yearly tradition and the nation'smilitary 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.[16]
Thestate funeral ofShinzo Abe was held at the Budokan on September 27, 2022.[17][18]
The Nippon Budokan is the primary setting of the 1989fighting gameBudokan: The Martial Spirit. Players train in various Japanese martial arts, and must then face off at the Budokan arena against computer-controlled opponents.[citation needed] A fictional concert hall based on the Nippon Budokan appeared in themusic video gameGuitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (2007) under the name "Kaiju Megadome". The Beatles' appearance at Nippon Budokan was featured inThe Beatles: Rock Band (2009).[citation needed] The Nippon Budokan appeared in the Japanese pro-wrestling video gameVirtual Pro Wrestling 2: Ōdō Keishō (2000).[citation needed]
| Preceded by | Host of the Japan Record Awards 1985–1993 | Succeeded by |
| Heritage Zone | .jpg) | |
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| Tokyo Bay Zone | ||
| Sites outside Tokyo | ||
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