Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling (TJPW) is a Japanese women’s wrestling promotion created by DDT Pro Wrestling. It was founded in 2012 and ran as part of DDT events until 2015, when it became its own separate promotion. It was founded by former booker Tetsuya Kodo & wrestler Nozomi, but when the first trainees were introduced in late 2012 Nozomi left the same day. The first events in 2013 were very small and they didn’t have rings for matches, but they began going more traditional in 2014. Their first “mainstream” event was held in February 2015. Until 2019 rules for trainees regarding conduct outside the ring were very strict and similar to those for J-Pop idols: No smoking, no drinking, no boyfriends. Those are no longer in effect. As of 2022 2 of the promotion’s original trainees-Miyu Yamashita & Shoko Nakajima-are still with the promotion. It also features pre-show performances by Up Up Girls, a group created by the promotion featuring those who want to be both wrestlers & singers. It currently has 4 members as of April 2023 and is recruiting more. While they are based and generally run events in Tokyo, they do hold occasional events on other parts of Japan.
Since 2020 TJPW has been under the CyberFight ownership umbrella with DDT, and all their events can be watched worldwide on streaming service WRESTLE UNIVERSE. They also have a working partnership with US promotion All Elite Wrestling allowing TJPW talent to compete in the US, but the coronavirus pandemic has largely put that on hold. However, in early 2022 AEW star Hikaru Shida, originally from Japan, has started making special appearances in TJPW. Other outside wrestlers make occasional guest appearances, most notably Hall Of Fame legend Aja Kong. They are not as big as other women’s promotions but have a loyal fanbase and continue to grow bigger, and marked a major milestone in March 2022 when they ran at the famed Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Hall for the first time.
TJPW gained even more mainstream attention in 2021 when Yuki Arai, a member of all-girl J-Pop megagroup SKE48, under the umbrella of world record holding parent group AKB48, began training to be a wrestler as well as being a singer. She made her in-ring debut in spring 2021 and quickly made great strides forward, even winning the 2021 Tokyo Sports Grand Prix Newcomer Award, the Japanese version of a Rookie Of The Year award. She continues to make regular appearances in TJPW while balancing her SKE48 commitments (SKE48 is based in Nagoya, which prevents her from working all events) and has become a major features attraction for the promotion.
TJPW currently has 3 titles-Princess Of Princess, International Princess, Princess Tag Team. They also run an annual singles tournament, the Tokyo Princess Cup.
Current roster:
Yuki Aino
Yuki Arai
Maki Itoh (Inactive-injured)
Arisu Endo
Nao Kakuta
Yuki Kamifuku
Mahiro Kiryu
Suzume
Rika Tatsumi
Kaya Toribami
Shoko Nakajima
Sayuri Namba (MC/ring announcer)
Neko Haruna (Inactive-injured)
Hikari Noa
Hyper Misao
Pom Harajuku
Mizuki
Moka Miyamoto
Raku
Miu Watanabe
Miyu Yamashita
Juria Nagano
Shino Suzuki
Wakana Uehara
HIMAWARI
Runa Okubo
Toga
Haru Kazashiro
Titles & history:
Princess Of Princess Championship
International Princess Championship
Princess Tag Team Championship
How to watch:
WRESTLE UNIVERSE-available worldwide for the local equivalent of 900 Japanese yen (around $7 US). Streams most events live and all events are available on demand, usually immediately after live events and 3 days after non-live broadcasts.
