Wrestling Omakase #255: Traveling to Japan for Wrestling w/ Quinlan

Wrestling Omakase returns for a special episode! John is joined by returning guest and longtime friend Bryan Quinlan (@Not_Quinlan on Bsky) for our podcast all about traveling to Japan to watch pro wrestling! After taking some quick little sideswipes at NJPW for their latest attendance bomb, we give a comprehensive look at all the elements involved in planning for a trip to Japan! John & Quinlan (who have 8 trips between them going back 9 years!) start by going over all of their own past trips and some of the major differences in all of the different seasons they've gone in, which then transitions into a longer discussion on the different times of year you can choose to go and what some of the pluses & minuses of each are. Once that's done, they cover everything else you could ever want to know for planning your first wrestling trip to Japan (or just planning a better one if you've gone before!), including:

-Overall trip budgeting and what the minimum amount you can get away with is

-Different accommodation options for different group sizes: solo travelers, couples, big groups, etc.

-Some of the various neighborhoods you could choose to stay in

-Various options for buying tickets (including John finding out that one has gotten a little more complicated than when they just used it a few months ago, live on the air!) and how they work, including how to pick up your tickets when you get there- and which is the only option that actually lets you pick your exact seat! Plus a little bit about the various sections in Korakuen Hall specifically.

-Specific Wrestle Kingdom ticket options by section and where each actually locates you

-Venue locations and other quirks about them

-Other major wrestling-related landmarks in multiple cities: restaurants, bars, and stores!

-Leaving Tokyo to see other cities: how to buy Shinkansen (bullet train) tickets, some cities besides Osaka/Kyoto that you might want to check out, and more

-Some brief thoughts on language barrier and what you could pick up relatively quickly for a better experience

-Food recommendations, especially budget ones

But honestly, this is just everything I can remember off the top of my head that we talked about in a sprawling three and a half hour podcast, so check it out for yourself!

Follow Wrestling Omakase on Twitter: @WrestleOmakase

Follow John on Bluesky: @justoneenby

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