Kobe World Memorial Hall

Lore & Background

The venue opened no earlier than 1985, with its first notable event being the Cosmopolis Show 1985. Since 2012, New Japan Pro-Wrestling has held their annual September Destruction pay-per-view at the venue. The only other combat sports event listed is Rizin 16 – Kobe in 2019, which is MMA, not professional wrestling.

In Their Own Story

The lights dimmed over the Kobe World Memorial Hall, casting long shadows across the polished ring canvas. A hush fell over the crowd, broken only by the rhythmic thud of boots on the apron. In the corner, a veteran wrestler wiped sweat from his brow, knowing this wasn't Tokyo or Osaka—it was home turf for the company's founder. The roar that erupted when he stepped through the ropes wasn't just noise; it was history echoing off the walls, a testament to every match fought in this hall since the days of the early tours.

Reader's Guide

The hall is a multi-purpose arena with a maximum capacity of 8,000. It hosts concerts, sports events, trade shows, and meetings. Notable past events include performances by Depeche Mode (1990), Avril Lavigne (2005), Daft Punk (2007), and Guns N' Roses (2017), as well as numerous K-pop and J-pop concerts. Dragon Gate has held their largest show of the year, Kobe Puroresu Festival, at the venue since 2003.

Did You Know?

• The venue is located on the artificial island of Port Island in Kobe.
• The first notable event at the hall was the Cosmopolis Show in 1985.
• New Japan Pro-Wrestling has used the venue annually since 2012 for their Destruction pay-per-view.
• The hall hosted the official 1991 Asian Basketball Championship.