Nippon Budokan

A comprehensive martial arts facility, organization, and foundation established in Kitanomaru Park, Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, on the occasion of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Prior to this, at the 58th IOC General Session in June 1961, it was decided that judo would be added as an official event to the Tokyo Olympics. In response to this, Shoriki Matsutaro, Kimura Tokutaro, and others initiated the Martial Arts Hall Construction Diet Members League, which was formed in the Diet and received the signatures of 525 cross-party Diet members, and in January of the following year, the establishment of the Nippon Budokan Foundation was approved, with the aim of building a dedicated venue suitable for demonstrating traditional Japanese martial arts. Then, in August of the same year, the House of Representatives adopted a "Resolution on a National Sports General Hall" jointly proposed by the Liberal Democratic Party, the Social Democratic Party, and the Democratic Socialist Party, and the site was decided to be within Kitanomaru Park at the Imperial Palace. The construction of the large stadium, which cost a total of 2.2 billion yen, was carried out day and night, with a capacity of approximately 15,000, a 42-meter-high stadium with a large octagonal roof modeled after the Yumedono Hall of Horyu-ji Temple, and the opening ceremony was held on October 3, 1964, one year after construction began. Since then, the Budokan has not only been used for martial arts tournaments, but also for various events and concerts.

[Ichiro Watanabe]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

1964年（昭和39）のオリンピック東京大会を機に、東京都千代田区北の丸公園地内に設立された総合武道施設および組織、財団法人。これより先1961年6月の第58回IOC総会において、東京大会に柔道が正式種目として加えられることが決定した。これを受けて国会内に、正力松太郎(しょうりきまつたろう)、木村篤太郎(とくたろう)らの発起で、武道会館建設議員連盟が結成され、超党派議員525名の賛成署名を得て、日本古来の武道を演武するにふさわしい専用会場の建設を目ざして、翌62年1月財団法人日本武道館の設立が認可された。ついで同年8月衆議院本会議において自民・社会・民社の三党共同提案による「国技の総合会館に関する決議案」が採択され、用地を皇居北の丸公園内に決定。建設費総額22億円、法隆寺の夢殿をかたどった地上42メートル、正八角形の大屋根をもつ、収容人員約1万5000の大競技場の建設が昼夜兼行で進められ、着工以来1年、64年10月3日開館式を挙行した。その後武道館は武道の大会だけでなく、各種イベントやコンサートも行われている。

［渡邉一郎］

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