Budokan: Tokyo's Epicenter of Martial Arts and Music

Originally built to host judo competitions in the Olympics, Budokan Stadium has come a long way since its early days. Today, it has become the best arena for martial arts and a popular music concert venue, hosting world-class acts like The Beatles, Mariah Carey, Diana Ross, and Bryan Adams. 

Step into Nippon Budokan and explore its amazing facilities, attractions, and cultural impact through our detailed guide.

Introduction to Budokan

The Budokan is a massive indoor arena with a capacity of 14,471 located in Chiyoda, Tokyo. It’s owned by the Nippon Budokan Foundation and is one of the most popular sports arenas in the country. The arena’s name literally translates to “Japan Martial Arts Hall.”

As one of the major attractions in Kitanomaru Park, Budokan Stadium is within walking distance of other popular destinations in Tokyo, including the Imperial Palace, the National Museum of Modern Art, and Yasukuni Shrine.

Initially built for the purpose of hosting judo tournaments at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, Budokan has become famous for its martial arts events and iconic music performances. It has hosted countless famous musical acts, including The Beatles, Mariah Carey, Diana Ross, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Bryan Adams, X Japan, ABBA, Quincy Jones, and Frank Sinatra.

The arena’s story with the Olympics didn’t end in 1964. It also hosted the karate competition at the 2020 Summer Olympics and the judo games at the Summer Paralympics of the same year.

Besides music and martial arts, Budonkan Hall also hosts the National Memorial Service for War Dead every August 15, the day of Japan’s surrender to the war. Other events taking place there include boxing matches, wrestling, and state funerals. 

The Historical Significance of Budokan

On October 3, 1964, the Nippon Budokan Foundation officially opened their new arena in Tokyo, Japan. Japanese architect Mamoru Yamada had designed the building years before and the Takenaka Corporation was tasked with its construction. 

The arena opened with a major focus on becoming the epicenter of traditional Japanese martial arts ahead of the 1964 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo. When that event ended, its hall continued to see action, mainly by hosting national judo, karate, kendo, aikido, Japanese archery, and professional wrestling championships.

The stadium's reputation as a musical concert venue began in 1966, when The Beatles became the first rock band to perform there. At first, martial arts enthusiasts opposed the new purpose. However, the appearance of more world-class acts helped bring global fame to the arena and generate revenue for the owners.

In 2020, the stadium underwent major renovations and expansions in preparation for the Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo. Since then, it has continued to grow in popularity and expand its range of features as a multi-purpose arena.

Budokan's Architectural Features

Mamoru Yamada, the architect behind the design of the Budokan, is famous for his many other works of art, including Kyoto Tower and Hijiribashi Bridge. The architectural features of Budokan are notorious for being extremely traditional. In fact, its design was inspired by Yumedono (Dream Hall), a famous Buddhist structure located in the Horyuji Temple in Nara. Nippon Budokan’s roof shares an identical octagonal shape to that of the religious icon.

The common speculation is that the octagonal shape makes it easier for people to figure out the cardinal directions. This is related to the bushido practice, in which the ruler sits facing the south and the athletes come in from the east and west. There is a large sacred gem at the top of the building that’s shaped like a golden onion. This gem is called a giboshi, a traditional talisman used to ward off evil.

Martial Arts at Budokan

Nippon Budokan is the venue for all kinds of budo (martial arts) contests. Despite the musicals that take place in the arena, we can safely say that martial arts remain its primary focus.

The following are some of the important national martial arts competitions that take place at the stadium every year:

• All-Japan Judo Championships: The men’s version of this judo tournament takes place in Nippon Budokan on April 29 every year. This has been the case since the arena opened. The tournament uses international rules and is among the top 3 biggest judo competitions, alongside the Olympic Games and World Judo Championships.

• Japan Cup Karatedo Championships: Although this competition has existed for nearly 50 years, its top participants couldn’t get the chance to compete for Olympic medals until 2020. It consists of tournaments for men, women, and teams.

• All-Japan Kendo Championship: On November 3, every year, 64 men compete in the All-Japan Kendo Championship. Winning the tournament is a bigger deal than winning the World Kendo Championship.

• All-Japan Aikido Demonstration: This event has been using the Budokan as its venue since 1977. It’s not as much a competition as it is an exhibition of top-tier AIkido skills from members of different dojos.

Iconic Concerts and Cultural Impact

After the end of the 1964 Olympics, the Budokan began to accommodate live music concerts featuring some of the biggest names in the global music industry. In 1966, the arena hosted The Beatles, making them the first rock group to perform there. However, it truly gained global recognition after the release of Cheap Trick at Budokan in 1978 and Bob Dylan at Budokan in 1979—two live performances recorded in the arena.

As the years rolled by, the Budokan solidified its reputation as a legendary concert venue by hosting many other big names in concert. Quincy Jone (1981), Diana Ross (1991), Bryan Adams (2002), and Mariah Carey (2003 and 2018) have all performed at the arena.

Today, it’s a major milestone in any domestic or foreign musician’s career to perform in Nippon Budokan.

Budokan as a Tourist Attraction

The Budokan arena is a great place for lovers of martial arts to spend their free time. You get to watch a variety of tournaments and demonstrations or see music acts perform live. The arena also hosts national, commercial, and educational events.

Located within the picturesque Kitanomaru Park in central Tokyo, Nippon Budokan is close to many other tourist attractions. These include the National Museum of Modern Art, Yasukuni Shrine, the Imperial Palace, and Café 1894.

After your visit, you might want to see the Nippon Budokan Kenshū Center, which is a learning center close to Katsuura town in Chiba. There, you can watch seminars and see members of local clubs during their training.

Events and Accessibility

There’s usually at least one concert happening in the Budokan every week. Before the end of 2024, we can expect performances from more than a dozen music acts, including M.S.S Project (September 9), Tempalay (October 3), Journey (October 23), and Zazen Boys (October 27). You can purchase tickets to any of these concerts using the appropriate online vendors. Many of the vendors also offer seat reservations at the arena.

The best way for visitors to get to the stadium is via public transport. This is because there is no parking space at the main location. We recommend that you stop by Kudanshita Station, which is only a short 5-minute walk to the Budokan. The station is connected to several train lines, including the Tozai Line, the Hanzomon Line, and the Toei Shinjuku Line.

Celebrating 50 Years of Music: Major Milestones at Budokan

Since 1964, Nippon Budokan has hosted many exceptional events. It has also seen significant milestones that have altered its reputation for good. To celebrate the arena’s 50th year of existence, let’s take a look at its most significant musical events and milestones.

• October 3, 1964: The grand opening of the Nippon Budokan.

• October 20, 1964: The first Judo gold medal event at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games.

• June 30, 1966: Western pop group The Beatles perform the first of a series of five shows.

• June 26, 1976: Muhammad Ali fights Antonio Inoki in a boxing match with hybrid rules. Many consider this to be a major inspiration for mixed martial arts.

• December 19, 2017: Eikichi Yazawa breaks the record for the most concerts at the arena (142).

• July 4, 2018: All-female rock band Chatmonchy had their last concert as a group in the arena. Many claim that this was the concert with the largest crowd at the arena.

• August 5, 2021: The first ever karate event at the Olympics.

Conclusion:

As a multi-purpose arena, Budokan has solidified itself as a major part of Japan's cultural and entertainment events. Many people outside the country are familiar with the arena, thanks to concerts and recordings by their favorite superstars. If you’re ever in Tokyo, you should stop by to experience its historic and vibrant atmosphere.

You can also experience Japan through snacks and sweets from the comfort of your home. Simply get a Bokksu Snack Box Subscription and we’ll send you a box of Japanese treats every month.