| 21.Apr.2023 | Headed out to JR Osaka Station this morning to catch a train to parts west of Osaka. First up, our furthest destination of the day: Himeji.  A fort/fortress has been on this site since the 1300s and the current castle complex has been intact since 1618! Similar in architecture to castle structures we’ve visited in Osaka and Hiroshima, Himeji hasn’t suffered any damage from WWII or natural disasters in the region.

 

 

 

 

From Himeji we headed back toward Osaka with a stop in Kobe. After locating the venue for tonight’s event, we found a small local craft beer taproom with a trifecta of greatness: vibe, beer, and gyoza.

Wandered a few shopping arcades and stopped in at a local record shop.

Then it was time for today’s main event: New Japan Pro-Wresting!  The venue was a smallish conference center where a ring and about 1000 seats were set up in the upstairs open space. No light shows. No fancy intros. The matches were primarily 3- and 4-person tag teams. The crowd, while reserved and ridiculous well-behaved, were knowledgable and appreciative. We found the mid-card matches to be the most entertaining – both in athleticism and personalities.