Toudoukan

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Toudoukan
Company typeStore
IndustryProfessional wrestling and fighting sports
Founded2001
FounderTakashi Izumi
Headquarters
Tokyo
,
Japan
Area served
Japan
ProductsPro wrestling and fighting sports memorabilia
WebsiteToudoukan.com
The side of the store

Toudoukan (Japanese:闘道館), is a professional wrestling, MMA and fighting sports memorabilia store and event space in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan.[1][2] The store is known as the mecca for pro wrestling goods.[3][4]

Information[edit]

The shop was opened in 2001 in the Bunkyō ward of Tokyo by Takashi Izumi. The location is notable as the area has other professional wrestling landmarks including the Tokyo Dome, Korakuen Hall and New Japan Pro Wrestling's Toukon shop within walking distance. The shop was initially opened as a professional wrestling version of a manga cafe where you could drink, eat and either read wrestling books or watch wrestling videos.[5][1] In order to build a large enough collection for a library, the store started to collect various wrestling items from around the country. During this process, Izumi realized that there was a need for a used pro wrestling items store and started selling excess items.[1] Customers found the manga cafe concept confusing and the store became a pro wrestling sports memorabilia store.[6] The shop saw more success after their rebranding and were able to expand to the floor above. The shop moved to a larger building that said to be almost double the size of the original location in 2018.[7][8] A Japanese Kūdō champion named Kiyohisa Kato, helped commemorate the store's new location by appearing for an event there.[8] The shop hosted a press conference for a Shuji Ishikawa vs Atsushi Onita match in 2019.[9] The shop hosted pro wrestler, Kenoh on October 19, 2019.[10] The shop co-hosted an art exhibition for "Welfare and Pro Wrestling" in 2021.[11] Tiger Mask made an appearance at the shop in 2022 for a memorial Q&A session on Strong Kobayashi.[12] On January 9, 2023, the store hosted a Q&A session with former Japanese women's wrestler, Megumi Kudo.[13]

Notable items[edit]

Wrestling masks unexpectedly became a hot item at the store and over the years, the store has become known for its rare mask collection. The store had a Tiger Mask ring-worn mask from 1981 that has been appraised at ¥5,000,000 ($37,931 USD).[6] Later, blood stained Tiger Mask masks were sold for ¥2,000,000 and ¥3,000,000.[6] The store also has a ring-worn Antonio Inoki robe that was valued at ¥4,400,000,[14][15] a World Boxing Council official championship belt and Yoshio Shirai's boxing gloves that were worn during a world title fight against Dado Marino.[6] The store also has an electrified, barbed wire Japanese rice scooper that was used by Atsushi Onita in a match in 2015.[7] The store also recently acquired a prized trophy awarded to the legendary Rikidozan in 1962 and kept in his family home after his death, honoring his winning the Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance tag team championship with partner Toyonobori.[7]

In popular culture[edit]

Izumi and Toudoukan have been featured multiple times on Japanese television. The store has been featured in Nippon TV's, Black Wide Show in 2003.[16] The store was featured on TV Tokyo's, Good luck! appraisal variety show several times between 2006 and 2016.[17][18][19][20][21] The store was used in TV Tokyo's serial drama, Walkin' Butterfly in 2008 and was featured on Amazon Prime's Arita Pro Wrestling International in 2020.[22][16]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Inoue, Yasushi (2021), プロレスグッズ一筋20年　世界最強への道 [20 years of professional wrestling goods] (in Japanese), web: Tokyo-NP, retrieved 13 March 2023
  2. ^ 開館20年、「過去」売る闘道館の「未来」 [Twenty years after opening, the "past" sells the "future" of Todokan] (in Japanese), web: Nikkan Sports, 2021, retrieved 13 March 2023
  3. ^ アントニオ猪木「プラチナフィギュア」が店頭に！格闘技・プロレス買取販売専門店「闘道館」をご紹介！ [Introducing Todokan, a store specializing in buying and selling martial arts and professional wrestling!] (in Japanese), web: Newscast, 2021, retrieved 13 March 2023
  4. ^ Inoki, publisher: Tatsumi Publishing, published: 2022
  5. ^ How e-commerce logistics helped Japan’s Toudoukan grapple with Covid-19, web: DHL, 2021, retrieved 13 March 2023
  6. ^ a b c d 闘道館 [profile of Takashi Izumi] (in Japanese), web: Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shimbun, 2022, retrieved 13 March 2023
  7. ^ a b c 【プロレスTODAY番外編】プロレスグッズの聖地『闘道館』に潜入！館内を巡れば"闘道館ハイ"になる！初公開の超秘蔵グッズ登場に柴田編集長も大興奮！ [Infiltrate the Holy Land of Pro-Wrestling Goods "Todokan"] (in Japanese), web: Puroresu Today, 2019, retrieved 13 March 2023
  8. ^ a b 闘道館移転並びに拡大移転トークライブのお知らせ [Announcement of Todokan relocation and expansion relocation talk live] (in Japanese), web: Miruhon, 2018, retrieved 13 March 2023
  9. ^ 大仁田厚、４・２９ＦＭＷＥ大会で全日・石川修司と電流爆破デスマッチ決行「新しい爆破アイテムを考えてます」 [Atsushi Onita will hold an electric current explosion death match with Shuji Ishikawa at the 4/29 FMWE tournament "I'm thinking of a new explosive item"] (in Japanese), web: Yahoo Japan, 2019, retrieved 13 March 2023
  10. ^ N-1覇者・拳王10・19闘道館トークイベントは9月19日（木）正午から受付／無料公開された1年半前の連載第1回にみる拳王の信念 [N-1 Conqueror Kenoh 10/19 Todokan Talk Event will be accepted from 12:00 on Thursday, September 19th / Kenoh's convictions as seen in the first serialization a year and a half ago released for free] (in Japanese), web: Kakutolog, 2019, retrieved 13 March 2023
  11. ^ 板橋のギャラリーで闘道館共催のアート展　「福祉とプロレス」テーマに [Art exhibition co-sponsored by Todokan at a gallery in Itabashi with the theme of "welfare and professional wrestling"] (in Japanese), web: Itabashi Keizai, 2021, retrieved 13 March 2023
  12. ^ 初代タイガーマスク、ストロング小林さん追悼会に出演…伝説のアントニオ猪木戦を上映…４・２９闘道館 [The first Tiger Mask, Strong Kobayashi's memorial service will be held... Screening of the legendary Antonio Inoki match... 4/29 Dodokan] (in Japanese), web: Hochi, 2022, retrieved 13 March 2023
  13. ^ 【ZERO1】1/9巣鴨闘道館で工藤GMイベント開催決定！ [[ZERO1] Kudo GM event will be held at Sugamo Todokan on January 9th!] (in Japanese), web: Puroresu Today, 2022, retrieved 13 March 2023
  14. ^ 闘病中のアントニオ猪木 「現役時代のお宝グッズの値段」を闘道館館長が解説 [Antonio Inoki, who is battling illness, explains the price of treasure goods during his active career] (in Japanese), web: Nikkan-Gendai, 2021, retrieved 13 March 2023
  15. ^ プロレスショップに猪木関連グッズの注文殺到　最高値は４４０万円のガウン　ファン「生きる原動力だった」 [Pro-wrestling shops flooded with orders for Inoki-related goods The highest price was 4.4 million yen Gown fan "It was the driving force to live"] (in Japanese), web: Yorozoo News, 2023, retrieved 13 March 2023
  16. ^ a b メディア掲載情報, web: Toudoukan, 2022, retrieved 13 March 2023
  17. ^ 徳川家康＆西郷隆盛＆武田信玄戦国お宝...モハメド・アリ伝説＆水玉！草間彌生秘宝が登場！：開運！なんでも鑑定団特別編｜テレ東プラス [Ieyasu Tokugawa & Takamori Saigo & Shingen Takeda Sengoku Treasure... Muhammad Ali Legend & Polka Dots! Yayoi Kusama Treasure Appears!] (in Japanese), web: Livedoor, 2022, retrieved 13 March 2023
  18. ^ 「開運！なんでも鑑定団」で紹介された情報 [“Good luck! Anything appraisal team” Broadcast content on Tuesday, October 4, 2022] (in Japanese), web: Kakaku, 2022, retrieved 13 March 2023
  19. ^ 開運！なんでも鑑定団 [Good luck! appraisal team] (in Japanese), web: BS TV-Tokyo, 2023, retrieved 13 March 2023
  20. ^ 開運！なんでも鑑定団光輝く＜宇宙秘宝＞にド級鑑定額＆新庄ビッグボス宝 [Good luck! Anything Appraisal Team Shining Light] (in Japanese), web: TV Osaka, retrieved 13 March 2023
  21. ^ 泉高志, web: TV-Tokyo, 2006, retrieved 13 March 2023
  22. ^ プロレスショップで買い物するも…揺れ動くプロレス愛！ [at a wrestling shopI will shop...Swaying professional wrestling love!] (in Japanese), web: Arita-Inter, 2021, retrieved 13 March 2023
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