What is a Budokan?

Budokan roughly translates as "martial arts hall" in Japanese. The name is derived from the Nippon Budokan, a large arena in Central Tokyo, Japan. The arena was originally constructed for judo competition during the 1964 Summer Olympics, but today serves as a multi-purpose facility that caters to sports, entertainment and other activities. Currently in the United States, there are numerous budokans which serve as multi-purpose centers for martial arts, team sports such as basketball and volleyball, community activities and other special events.