Begin Japanology

Pro wrestling battles take place every evening in rings across Japan-over 150 pro wrestling events are held every month. Japanese pro wrestling was launched by the popularity of one wrestler: Rikidozan. 60 years ago, he drove the Japanese people wild, lifting the country's spirits after its demoralizing defeat in the Second World War. The Japanese have been hooked on this thrilling form of entertainment ever since. There are many "student pro wrestlers" in universities across Japan. Every March, they take part in an intense "Student Pro Wrestling Summit." There is currently a large number of pro wrestling organizations in Japan, each with its own niche. But some of these organizations struggle to make ends meet, and some wrestlers now also work outside the ring. On this edition of BEGIN Japanology, our theme is pro wrestling. We'll explore the appeal of this popular entertainment, which blurs the line between fantasy and reality.