Introduction





Before the show

Banners

Signs





During the show





"Eiga Dorobo" (映画泥棒) who is the mascot for Japanese anti movie piracy.





Pictures and filming

After the show









Other

This is a small guide intended to help anyone attending a puro event (whether it be Noah, Dragongate, New Japan, All Japan or any promotion really), to get the most out of, in terms what they should be doing, and what they definitely should not be doing. Ultimately, it is up to you how you want to behave; whether you want to have a nice trip and make people think you have manners, or whether you want to leave your morals at home, act as if you are a in a Zoo and ruin it for yourself and everyone else around you.If you are going to an event at Korakuen Hall, always check what is going on at the Tokyo Dome, as this can cause a lot of disruption when thousands of concert goers file out at the same time as Korakuen Hall. Aside from this, it might also be worth checking if there is any kind of bicycle race or marathon going on in the area. Plan your journey accordingly, leaving plenty of time to get to your destination, and again, plan your trip back. You should also take the weather into account, especially if there is a typhoon warning.The majority of overseas puroresu fans will be seeing shows at the bigger venues; Tokyo, Osaka, Yokohama etc (wrap up warm if you are going to Yokohama during the cold weather as the venue is notoriously cold). However, if you are going to a venue outside of the metropolitan areas, it may be worth checking to see what the shoe policy is. Some venues (especially the smaller ones in the countryside) forbid footwear, and ask that you bring a bag to put your shoes in. House slippers and socks are fine.Fire alarms are the same as anywhere, an alarm will sound and you will be ushered out of the venue by staff. If there is an Earthquake warning or tremors hit the city, again, take your cue from the venue staff and those around you. When visiting Japan, it is an idea to familiarize yourself with emergency procedures.The wrestlers will come out for twenty minutes at a certain time before the show to sign autographs. What they will sign is merchandise bought at the venue. They are not going to sign anything bought anywhere else or old magazines. Pictures are also prohibited, please do not photograph or film them, or ask them to pose with you, because they won't, and this is often done after the show. Please be aware that there are a long line of people waiting to see them, and this is not the time.Japanese fans do hang banners when venues allow them, but they don't bring signs telling the heels how much they hate them, or their favorites how much they love them.Years ago I went to a show which Mick Foley appeared on; people were gathered round for autographs, while others took photographs. Foley was unconcerned about this (he more wanted to be paid for the signatures), but in Japan, photographing people (not just wrestlers) is different.The general rule of thumb is this; photograph them in the ring, photograph them when you see them peeping round curtains or up in the gallery watching the show, photograph them with you after the show (if they say yes, which they normally do), but do not photograph them otherwise. Not when standing signing autographs, and especially not if you see them out and about in public.A photograph is taken with permission, the ring is fair game, but please do not do it in any other situation. It is considered very rude to take a picture of someone without their consent or their knowledge (Great Sasuke once wound up in court after beating up someone over it), and some Japanese fans will block out the faces of the ringside audience in pictures.If you are lucky enough to go backstage, the same rules apply; no photographs without permission.An announcement is made before each show, usually up on the monitor or in Japanese, but sometimes spoken asking people not to use their mobile phones for filming the show. As I have said, pictures are fine (if anything the wrestlers like them), but. Filming shows and uploading them to social media, is considered a copyright violation, whether the promotion has a streaming service or not.If you get a seat by the entryway\exit. Please do not try and obstruct the wrestlers as they come in and out (there have been problems with this in the past as people hung around asking for handshakes etc). Sticking out your hand for a handslap is fine, but these aren't the days when they had to run the gauntlet and you could say that you got elbowed aside by the seconds, so stick out your hand and hope for the best.Additionally, do not ever get out of your seat and try to physically touch the wrestlers by patting them on the shoulders or on the back. This does happen when they fall against the ring-barriers, or over them, but please keep physical contact to a minimum.Fights do go into the crowd, so pay attention to what is heading your way, and when the seconds tell you to move. Move. Keep your distance from the action, but don't ever get so close that you put yourself and others in danger. Remember, they are trained to take bumps, spots involving being thrown down the stairs or on to chairs have been trained for and practiced by them, and most likely not by you.Don't worry about your bags or your coat, but it is an idea to keep them tucked away, and although Japan is a safe country, if you are concerned about leaving your valuables behind, put them in your pockets.Japanese fans do boo, they cheer, they scream, they make a lot of noise (the girls scream for their favorites); feel free to join in with them, and by all means, bang your feet on the wood at Korakuen, and clap a perfectly executed spot or a display of sportsmanship. Chanting tends to take place during entry to the rhythm of the music.Japanese fans very rarely heckle however (although you do hear it very occasionally), and so your sitting at ringside yelling abuse at a wrestler, is not acceptable. Never ever assume that because the audience is foreign or the wrestler is foreign, they don't know what you are saying, chances are is that they do.People cannot seem to often grasp that the wrestling scene in Japan is not the same as it is in the West (and this rule should also be applied to any Japanese promotion visiting overseas), and so your "heckling" is not and will not be accepted or understood by either the wrestlers or your fellow fans. You might find it funny, your friends might find it funny, but no one else will, as you are most likely ruining the show for them.So don't do it.Another thing that should be pointed out is that if someone is a heel in an outside promotion, they might not be in their own promotion, as it is an outside storyline and not connected. Unless that storyline is happening in that promotion, do not bring it in.Alcohol is served at most venues, although some do not sell it after a certain time, and others in limited quantities only. Glass bottles are not permitted in the main hall, and any alcohol served to you will be in a plastic beaker. People do get drunk watching shows, but if you do get to a point where you are disorderly, you will be escorted outside, and depending on your behavior, banned.Drink in moderation and know your limits.Eat beforehand or afterwards. Please do not eat in the main hall, although drinking is acceptable.Some promotions allow streamers, others don't. You will know when they do as you will see them provided by the venue, either for sale or on your seat if you are at ringside or at the second row. Take your cue from the Japanese fans of when to throw them (usually during when they are announced).Streamers are thrown for luck.Pick it up afterwards, and put it in a bin outside the venue or take it home and dispose of it there. It might be an idea to bring a plastic bag with you to put any trash into, especially if you have had beer or soda drinks.The wrestlers will usually come out afterwards to sign photographs, and will gladly pose for you. The same rules apply; no taking pictures without permission.Because they are not on autograph duty, they are usually happy to give you an autograph (a ticket makes an excellent thing), but don't get them to do anything silly like sign body parts or anything like bus timetables etc. Remember, act sensibly, and have respect.Again, different from the West, maintain space between the two of you, don't stand with your arm or arms around them.It is common that fans give the wrestlers gifts; especially on birthdays or anniversaries, and at New Year. Usually when wrestlers mention in interviews that they like a certain product, then fans will bring them it. There is no rule about what you should bring, but obviously, be sensitive about it.No one cares if you turn up in a business suit or jeans and t-shirt, and some ladies have worn traditional dress. Don't wear anything too offensive (as I said, never assume that people don't know your language), and cover up any tattoos as they can be seen as a symbol of organised crime in Japan. Some venues will not admit fans who have them at all.If you are lucky to be going to a show where you will meet wrestlers from the older generation (i.e. the generation of Hansen, Kobashi, Maeda etc), you might find a hostile attitude from them if you turn up wearing an All Japan t-shirt if they were New Japan and vice versa. Raised in a different era and a different world, its ingrained in them that the two promotions were rivals who were forbidden contact with each other, even if they are not so much anymore.As a Westerner you will probably be greeted with both a bow and a handshake (sometimes you will see two Japanese wrestlers do this in the ring), so take the hand, shake it, and bow deeply.There are many different levels of politeness in Japanese speech, but the only one a foreigner should really use is "San" (this means "Miss", "Mrs", "Mr") and can be used in all situations that the casual tourist will encounter. It is important that whenever you address someone or you talk about them by name, that you put "San" after their name.You may also hear the word (or have heard the word) "Senshu" being used after a wrestlers name, this denotes they are an athlete, and should not be something that you need use in your own speech when talking about wrestlers when "San" is just as fine. You may also hear honorifics like "Sama", "Chan" or "Kun" being used. "Sama" is a high level honorific and denotes the highest respect, it may be used for a company director, a scholarly teacher or an athlete of many years, "Chan" is more of a pet name added on to a shortened name and is used in affection, while "Kun" is usually used between men who know each other well, or used by a senior to a junior. Again, in all these situations, when speaking English, using "San" will serve you the best.