Editor’s Note: Talos, a member of the National Wrestling Alliance, reached out to Slamwrestling.net recently and informed us he will be doing a tour for the All-Japan Pro Wrestling promotion. Per Talos’ request, certain names have been changed to protect their anonymity. Plus, who are we to argue with a seven-foot giant?
What follows is the first of hopefully many columns he will provide us during his stay in the Land of the Rising Sun.
By Talos – For Slam Wrestling
Day 1 – Touchdown in Tokyo
I landed in Japan just past midday, stepping off the plane into a whole new chapter. The flight clocked in at just under 12 hours, but I was out cold for most of it—so for me, it felt like a casual 3-hour nap. No complaints.
As soon as I cleared customs at Tokyo International, I was greeted at arrivals by none other than Hiroki. I wasn’t sure if he was the president of All Japan or their talent relations, but it was cool of him to greet me. No time wasted—we went straight out to eat. He took me to this wild sushi spot where plates glide out on conveyor belts like edible roller coasters. Afterward, we hit the town to pick up my new bedding, since I gotta set up the nest right.
I got to the dojo a little after 3 PM. I didn’t know what I was walking into. The place is a duplex-style building—one entrance leads to the gym, the other to the living quarters. I’m not even sure how many people are staying here yet, but I’ve already met six. All solid people. I introduced myself around and got the tour.
The vibe? Respectful, focused, ready. Didn’t take long before the jet lag started creeping back in, so I called it early and crashed—trying to reset the clock and be ready for whatever comes next.
Day 2 – Rainfall & Restraint
My first official morning in Japan began with the steady rhythm of rain tapping against the window. I woke up around 6:30 AM, moving quietly through the room so I wouldn’t disturb my sleeping roommates. With my gear in hand, I stepped outside and made a few calls back home—checking in, letting everyone know I’d landed safely and was settling in. But once the calls ended, the silence set in—and with it, boredom.
There is not much for me to do right now. The higher-ups want to keep my presence under wraps until after my debut on June 1st. No public appearances. No wandering too far. The whole thing’s a surprise.
So, I took a shower, grabbed an umbrella, and decided to explore the nearby streets on foot. The rain hadn’t let up—it’s been coming down since I arrived—but I didn’t care. I needed to move, to get a feel for the neighborhood, to soak in whatever I could.
The walk led me through quiet side streets and misty corners, eventually guiding me to a local ramen shop tucked just off the main road. I ducked in, had lunch, and let the warmth of the broth break through the chill.
Back at the dojo, I shifted gears and got my lift in while waiting for my friend Stan. At long last, around 10 PM, he showed up. After two days without a real conversation, hearing a familiar voice in person was a relief I didn’t know I needed. We greeted each other, took his bags upstairs, and I wrapped up my workout. Then we sat and caught up—laughing, talking, just letting the time pass like old friends do. Eventually, we made a late-night run to 7-Eleven for dinner and water, timing it just as the rain started to fall again. Back at the dojo, we settled in, hung out for a couple more hours, bullshitting and winding down until sleep finally took us.
Day 3 – The Road to Sendai
Day three began much like the last—early and rainy. I woke up to the steady patter of drops against the window, pulled myself together, and made my usual trek to 7-Eleven for a hot coffee and a quick breakfast.
Today marked the start of our first official travel day. The plan: hit the road for Sendai by 1 PM. Before we rolled out, Stan and I squeezed in a quick lift and grabbed something to eat to fuel up. Unfortunately, things took a turn. There was an accident near the bus—one of the young boys got hurt. I won’t go into the details, but it was serious enough to delay our departure by a couple of hours. Eventually, we were cleared to move, and by around 7:30 PM, we rolled into a town about an hour outside of Sendai.
After checking into the hotel, I was hit with a bit of a surprise—the bathroom was disturbingly small. Like, uncomfortably small. But, hey, part of the experience.
For dinner, I decided to try my first Japanese steakhouse, a place called Aritogas… or something close to that. People always talk about Japanese steaks like they’re some mythical experience—and now I get it. Wild goose chase or not, it absolutely lived up to the hype. With full stomachs and travel fatigue setting in, Stan and I headed back to the hotel to unwind. After a couple of hours of decompressing, we finally turned in for the night.
Day 4 – The Debut
Today was the day. The real beginning.
We woke up early to finish the final leg of our trip to Sendai. My morning routine was simple but grounding: a strong cup of coffee, some protein, and a long, hot bath to clear my mind.
By 9 AM, we were on the bus and rolling. We pulled up to the venue around 10:30.
Coach Hideki—my mentor and guide through all this—pulled me aside to go over the day’s plan. I was in a six-man tag match, teaming with two others against a trio of young super heavyweights.
As showtime crept closer, nerves weren’t much of an issue. The biggest challenge was the language barrier—trying to lock in the more minute details of the match was tough. But after nearly an hour of back-and-forth translation, nods, and pantomimes, I had the structure down. The game plan was clear: make me look like an absolute monster.
When it was time to go, we lined up backstage. I was set to enter last, following an introduction by one of my teammates. There was a gap between the curtain and the gangway where some fans could peek through, so I held back a little farther to preserve the surprise. Then the music hit. The lights hit harder. And when I stepped through that curtain, 2,500 fans gasped in unison.
From there, the match was on.
My size alone drew eyes instantly. We battled for twelve minutes, and in the end, I wiped out the entire opposing team and sealed the win. My first time in Japan.
Afterward, we packed up and headed back to Yokohama. We rolled into the dojo around midnight. Stan and I grabbed a quick bite to eat, then called it a night. No words needed—just a quiet nod. The mission had begun.
Day 5 – A Sunlit Detour
For the first time since arriving, I woke not to the steady rhythm of rain, but to sunlight gently slipping through my window. A welcome change.
I took my time that morning—grabbed a bite to eat, knocked out a quick lift, and got the blood moving.
By mid-afternoon, Stan and I figured it was the perfect day to explore Tokyo. Around 3 PM, we packed up and headed to the bus station to catch the connection to the train. Travel in Japan is incredibly smooth—cheap, efficient, and punctual down to the minute. Within thirty minutes, we were in the heart of Tokyo.
First order of business: food and drinks. We wasted no time getting into both. Eventually, we found ourselves at a local bar with a surprisingly solid American crowd, which gave the place a relaxed, familiar vibe. Not long after, we met up with a friend of Stan’s who led us to a karaoke bar tucked away nearby.
We stayed there for a few hours, singing, laughing, letting the night carry us. Then—reality hit. Someone mentioned that the trains shut down at midnight and don’t run again until 5 AM.
By then, we were committed.
So, we closed out the night at another bar, talking and hanging out until nearly sunrise. Around 7 AM, blurry-eyed and starving, we grabbed breakfast before catching the first train back to Yokohama.
(Note to self: Don’t do that again.)
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