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So, We Talked to That Joshi who Wrestled on a Train in Tokyo

2 years ago

So, We Talked to That Joshi who Wrestled on a Train in Tokyo

So, We Talked to that Joshi who Wrestled on a Train in Tokyo

While Mercedes Moné’s hand was raised for the IWGP Women’s Title in San Jose, this university student fought a different sort of battle

by: Thom Fain

As attention stirred around KAIRI’s IWGP Women’s Title defense in California, a curious spectacle took place over in Tokyo with a Joshi wrestling upstart by the name of Kasumi Nashimura – you might remember her from our report in November, when members of STARDOM’s Queen’s Quest visited the prestigious Keio University in celebration of its Keio Wrestling Association (KWA).

Read: Queen’s Quest Visit College Wrestling Club and Beat Up Student

A semester later, and Nashimura seems to have found her way into DDT Pro-style wrestling shenanigans on a moving train.

And let’s face it, her club activities are just way cooler than that game of beer pong you played as part of house party #54 back in college.  It was about 25-minutes worth of madness, all the way from Ekimae to Kawaguchi – and as more photos of the event surfaced on SNS, we decided to find out just what was going on with the Joshi wrestler who fought on a moving train.

Monthly Puroresu: Whose idea was it to wrestle at the station on the weekend?!

Kasumi Nashimura: This was the brainchild of Macho Gallows, a wrestler in the Aichi University Wrestling Association (AWA).
He’s organized two wrestling events in Aichi Prefecture so far. This event happened to be his retirement match, so it was an interesting idea to bring his journey to an end.

Monthly Puroresu: You are a member of Keio Pro Wrestling, a pro wrestling club with a history of over 50 years at the university. Were you always a fan or did the group get you into pro wrestling?

Kasumi Nashimura: I originally joined the club because I knew about wrestling, being one of my interests. But to be honest, I had only seen a little bit of it… so, I started watching a lot more wrestling after joining. I also learned about the student wrestling industry for the first time after joining the circle. I didn’t know that fans existed or that other university clubs existed, so I was surprised to learn about it.

Monthly Puroresu: A few months ago, Queen’s Quest from STARDOM came to Keio University and not only gave a talk show, but also took the time to perform wrestling moves. Is this a kind of initiation? Is Kasumi a future “Queen’s Quest” member?

Kasumi Nashimura: The invitation for QQ to come to the university event was made possible by STARDOM’s sponsorship. I don’t know if this was an “initiation” or not. As it stands, I have no plans to join STARDOM in the future as a wrestler.

Monthly Puroresu: You even defended your title on the same day. Did their blows prevent you from having a chance, or did they motivate you to do more?

Kasumi Nashimura: They were a good stimulus for me. The attacks by STARDOM’s wrestlers were very hurtful, but they motivated me to defend my belt. Any pain I suffered was fully recovered by the time of my title defense, so it didn’t lessen my motivation.

Monthly Puroresu: You mentioned that you’re a law student. We know it’s very important for wrestling applicants to have a backup plan in case wrestling doesn’t work out… is that the case with you or do you plan to throw yourself into wrestling with all your might?

Kasumi Nashimura: I’m majoring in law, since I’ve been interested in studying law ever since middle school. I actually like studying law very much! I’m studying hard to become a lawyer every day. I’m only a wrestler as a club activity, and don’t intend to become a professional wrestler in the future. After graduating from college… I’d like to support entertainment – including professional wrestling – from the standpoint of being a lawyer. This is my goal and full focus, since I’ll be finished as a wrestler in a few years.

Monthly Puroresu: What do you enjoy doing in Tokyo besides studying and attacking people in JR Rail?

Kasumi Nashimura: I enjoy a lot of entertainment in Tokyo… I like music, so I sometimes go to concerts of my favorite bands. I also go to see All Japan Pro-Wrestling and STARDOM matches. Tokyo’s various subcultures keep me entertained.

Monthly Puroresu: Speaking of STARDOM, what do you find interesting about women’s pro wrestling at this moment compared to All Japan Women’s in the 1990s?

Kasumi Nashimura: Joshi wrestling today is more of idol-oriented than it used to be. The wrestlers are all beautiful, and their costumes are gorgeous. In addition, the variety of techniques has increased and the level is high. It’s also so popular because SNS allows wrestlers to communicate with each other. Each wrestler has a story to tell, which can be enjoyed. It is a good environment to attract new fans.

You can follow along with Kasumi Nashimura’s journey on her Twitter, and if you’re nice about it, she might even send you a checki.

Date:

February 22, 2023

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