Why Japanese Wrestling Crowds Act Much Differently Than American Fans, Explained
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Wrestling is a worldwide phenomenon, though most fans associate the sport with North America thanks to promotions such as WWE, WCW, AEW, ECW, Impact Wrestling, and the strong independent scene within the country. With America having such a stranglehold over popular promotions, it comes as no surprise that many fans see the crowds in North America as what most wrestling crowds are like. However, looking overseas to Japan, that could not be further from the truth. For those familiar with Japanese wrestling, the live audiences in Japan (even before COVID-19) are vastly different from those present in North America.
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There Is Typically Less Noise From Japanese Wrestling Fans
A clear sign of difference between American and Japanese fans comes in the form of noise. When tuning into broadcasts of shows such as Stardom or NJPW, fans are treated to a much more reserved audience. While there will be loud chants for specific wrestlers at certain points, especially for main events or big shows like New Japan's Wrestle Kingdom, there is normally much less going on with the fans. Gone are the "What?", "This is Awesome", "Holy Sh*t" and company-specific chants, with crowd chants for specific wrestlers taking their place.
Japanese audiences tend to stay quiet for portions of matches, clapping and cheering after big or impressive exchanges and moments during matches, though certain big-time bouts keep them audibly engaged all the way through. The quietness is not a sign of boredom however, in fact it is the opposite, as it has been noted by many wrestlers, including AEW's Chris Jericho, that Japanese fans tend to focus on watching the bouts in front of them instead of chanting and cheering the entire time, only reacting to moments they deem worthy. It can make for a bit of culture shock for fans that only watch American wrestling, but when a good Japanese crowd is in attendance, it can feel like one of the coolest shows around.
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Japanese Wrestling Audiences Are More Respectful
With their focus being placed solely on the wrestling in front of them instead of becoming part of the show, Japanese audiences have showcased their own way to engage with the sport of professional wrestling. While American fans may lament the fact that certain fans tend to prefer the offerings in NJPW and Stardom over more mainstream stuff like WWE, the fact remains that live Japanese crowds tend to offer the most real respect to professional wrestling in the world. For an instance of seeing this with regard to a product like WWE, look no further than the Beast In The East WWE Network Special that was taped in Japan several years back.
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Another aspect of respect comes in the form of fans staying seated for the shows. When watching a Japanese show, you will see the odd person get out of their seat for whatever reason, but there will not be moments where portions of the crowd stand up to react to moments. Instead, fans stay seated and enjoy the action from the comfort of their chairs. Signs will also not be seen in the crowd, with it preventing obscured views, as fans are instead normally seen holding smaller towels to support their favorites.
Current COVID-19 Restrictions Silence The Japanese Wrestling Crowds
Since the COVID-19 pandemic struck the world in 2020, Japan has taken the slowest route in its return to normalcy. Looking at wrestling in Japan, throughout the pandemic, fans were not allowed to cheer or chant during wrestling shows in order to try and prevent germs from spreading through the air. Audience sizes would also be reduced, with Japan's "clap crowds" becoming infamous during this period. For avid fans of Japanese promotions like NJPW, NOAH, Stardom, and TJPW, it has been rough to get through some shows where audiences literally are not allowed to be vocal, but the wrestlers have persisted.
In recent months, things have begun to change for the better as Japan has begin lifting certain restrictions, allowing for companies to not only hold bigger shows, but also to allow cheering crowds for certain events. Recently, New Japan would feature an electric crowd for a show main-evented by young star Ren Narita and NJPW Stalwart, Tomohiro Ishii, as the two would do battle in the NJPW TV Title Tournament. It was with a reduced audience size, but having the Japanese crowd able to audibly cheer for big spots and for their favorite wrestlers again made it feel like one of the best moments of the year.
