GaijinPot In Japan Blogs » Sumo

The Ancient Art of Sumo

Jessica Korteman — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 08:08:08 +0000

The final stages of a bout at the 2009 September tournament at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan Stadium.

It’s almost that time of year again for another sumo tournament in Tokyo. If you haven’t yet experienced sumo in Japan, get down to Ryogoku Kokugikan Stadium this January for a unique and interesting day out.

Ringside seats are almost impossible to get and seem to be reserved mostly for connections of the wrestlers themselves. If you can afford it, a box seat on the first floor will bring you the best views and an electric atmosphere. However, the arena seating on the second floor can also afford great views from above, all be they from further away, and a lively atmosphere. There is also even cheaper general admission seating available only on the day itself.

Arrive early when the stadium is practically empty and you can sit right up where the action is. Most people don’t start arriving until around lunch time so you are free to sit in these seats and get some amazing photos until the crowds come. While these are the lower-ranked wrestlers, this is an opportunity to see the skill of sumo up close and, who knows, you could be watching the next rising star in the making.

Once you retreat back to your allocated seating, you can get comfortable in preparation for the big action. Pick up the English information booklets in the halls for some interesting reading about the history of sumo, the rules, the rankings, and the day’s schedule. There is also live radio commentary available in English which gives you information about what is happening during each bout and statistics about the wrestlers themselves which really assists in understanding this ancient sport in its modern context. You can rent a radio at the stadium itself but they will whack you 4000 yen for it. The commentary is free to air (the station frequency is printed on English documentation at the stadium) so you can bring your own from home or purchase a cheap one from elsewhere and keep it for future use. I have seen these available at convenience stores for around 1000 yen or, of course, at any of the major electronics stores. Remember to get one with headphones or bring your own from home. The convenience stores around the stadium, however, seemed to not stock or perhaps be out of stock of radios when we went so if you are keen on getting the commentary, it might pay to organize one before arriving.

From about 4pm, the really big names start. Keep an eye out for the bad-boy of sumo, Asashoryu. Love him or hate him, he is certainly a showman that can get any crowd fired up. If you don’t know the history of Asashoryu’s fall from grace, you might want to research it before you go. You will probably notice a remarkable difference between the money sponsors are willing to offer him these days compared with some of the other popular wrestlers, despite still being undoubtedly the dominant wrestler at this time (sponsorship is marked by the flags paraded around the outside of the ring before sponsored bouts). Fellow countryman and yokuzuna, Hakuho, is also a force to be reckoned with. And don’t forget about Kotooshu, a crowd and sponsor favourite tipped by many to become the next yokozuna. If you are lucky, you can also catch wrestlers as they arrive at the stadium. You can see junior ranked wrestlers around the stadium in the morning. For a chance to glimpse the bigger names up close, check the schedule available on the website or at the stadium to get an estimated time of their arrival.

The 2010 January Grand Sumo Tournament will be held at Tokyo’s Ryogoku Kokugikan Stadium for 15 days from Sunday, 10 January – Sunday, 24 January. From Yoyogi (on the JR Yamanote Line), take the JR Sobu Chuo Line to Ryogoku station (19 min, 160 yen). The Stadium is right by the station, just follow the exit signs. For further information and ticketing, visit http://www.sumo.or.jp/eng/

For a chance to win free tickets to the January tournament, check out GaijinPot’s competition at http://livinginfo.gaijinpot.com/entertainment/live-japan-win-2-tickets-to-the-sumo/2896 But hurry, entries close 6 January!

3 Lessons Learned from the Summer Basho

1Rick — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 15:02:10 +0000

Harumafuji is Damn Good

Like, really good. It was great watching him work his way through the competition on the way to his first tournament win. As fellow Mongolian Asashoryu seems to be declining, Harumafuji looks to poised to fill the void. To go along with this impressive victory he is also keeping us entertained on his blog posting a photo after each win holding up fingers corresponding to his win total. Apparently blogging is a more acceptable hobby than soccer.

Hakuho is Mortal

After 33 straight wins Hakuho finally slipped up against Kotooshu on day 14. Granted he did post an impressive follow-up win versus Asashoryu the day after, but dropped another match in the subsequent playoff with Harumafuji for the championship. He’s still the best though no matter how boring and plain. And he’ll likely remain the best for the foreseeable future.

Chiyotaikai is a Jedi Master

Thanks to the guys over at Sumo Forum for pointing this out. But it looks as though Chiyotaikai, who was in danger of demotion in this tournament, has bounced back from the brink stronger than ever. His right hand seems to now wield a force that the sumo world has never before. Check it out for yourselves and let me know what you think. Nice dismount, Baruto…

http://www.2JPN.com

Economic Down Turn, Art Up Turn

Syrbastyian — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 21:02:52 +0000

The world is in an economic down but art or more specifically the exhibiting of art is in an up turn turn.

This is especially true in Tokyo as shown by the popularity and financial success of the Vermeer exhibit, Roppongi Art Night and now the Louvre exhibition.

Tokyo is the place to be for art. The sheer number of galleries and museums and the relative closeness to each other makes venturing to these places, a wonderful day out. So matter what your tastes or interests Tokyo will have a gallery and, or museum for you.

Many galleries and museums have some free exhibitions. Of course for the best exhibitions there is an admission fee. Prices range from 400 yen to 1,500 yen the average being 1,000 yen but for the art you will see and experience the prices in Tokyo could be considered cheap.

Due to the sheer number of galleries in Tokyo and the limited space I have here, I include this link: http://www.art-it.jp/e_link.php here you will find all the best galleries in and around Tokyo with links and maps plus the exhibition schedule of each of the galleries.

If you are looking for some unique museums for example; Rice, Salt, Tobacco, Japanese clocks, Japanese Swords, Japanese Baseball, Sumo, Currency, Perfume Bottles, etc. Here a link for you:

http://www.jnto.org.au/pdfs/UniqueMuseums.pdf#search=’ArtGalleries,Tokyo

It is a PDF file but it has the website link for each museum, which is clickable. Almost all of the museums have an English page(s).

And may the art take you to wonderful places.

http://syrbastyianvzampfyier.blogspot.com

Sumo and Sakura

1Rick — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 23:59:57 +0000

The Osaka Basho has begun and sakura are beginning to blossom as if to mark the occasion. For any fellow gaijin readers out there making an effort to figure out what all this sumo fuss is about, I’ve put together a few English language resources that should make things a little clearer as you watch. I especially urge you to browse the banzuke, which is a list of all rikishi (listed by name, rank, and hometown) that was released prior to the tournament.
If you have any resources that you’d like to suggest, please add them in the comments.

Personally, I’ll be watching this basho very closely since I have a bit of a bet going with my father-in-law. He’s a huge Hakuho fan, which is understandable because he’s very much in favor of keeping the old traditions of sumo. As such, he doesn’t especially like the eccentric badboy Asashoryu (see my last post for more on that). Now I enjoy watching both of these guys, but I find myself strangely rooting for Asa because I think it’s kind of a shame that so many people hate him. Sure, he’s a bit of a spectacle (a cruder man than me might even call him a jackass), but you gotta admire anyone that continues to succeed in the midst of so much hating. I hear he has some fans down in Osaka though, so this might bode well for Asashoryu in this particular tournament.

Having said all that I have to admit that Hakuho, at 24 years of age, is likely the future of sumo. He’s a little bit of a leaner model of sumo machine and, even though he’s had a ton of success so far, his best days are likely ahead of him if his body type is any indication. Fatter wrestlers tend to burn out earlier, while “fitter” sumo (like the legendary Chiyonofuji for example) can perform exceptionally well even after hitting the age of thirty.

So I’ll root for the older Asashoryu (28) for now, even if it puts me at risk with the in-laws. I expect I’ll have plenty of time to catch the Hakuho bandwagon in the years to come.

http://www.2JPN.com

Sumo Celebrations: Nothing to get excited about

1Rick — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 22:18:50 +0000

When Asashoryu beat fellow Mongolian yokozuna Hakuho in the last sumo bashi, his delight was plastered all over his face. As he walked away from the dohyo he raised his arms in victory, obviously overcome with the emotion of such an important and hard-fought win. Such overt celebration is new to sumo, where rikishi have traditionally been expected to keep their emotions in check. Not surprisingly, there are many who say that Asashoryu’s celebration was inappropriate and offends the two thousand-year-old history of the sport.
It was a brief flash of humanity in an other wise stoic battle. Yes, sumo is about respect, and participants should make every effort not to disrespect their opponents after defeating them. That said, if a great champion like Asashoryu wants to raise his arms in victory after all that he’s been through, I suggest that sumo fans also make an effort to show some respect themselves and let him enjoy the moment. Luckily there are many in Japan who agree with me and feel that such emotional displays might actually be good for Japan’s national sport which has been waning in popularity in recent years. Hideyuki Yamate, of Mainichi Shimbun, wisely says that “As long as a wrestler takes the spirit of sumo to heart and does not forget to respect his opponent, it is refreshing to see an honest expression of delight.”

Refreshing indeed. Such excitement might be just what the doctor ordered to help overcome a number of daunting challenges that sumo currently faces. A recent marijuana problem has prompted the JSA to approve new drug testing regulations for the ancient sport. But far more serious than a little pot, of course, was the recent killing of a young wrestler by his stablemates. Such a tragedy certainly puts trivial stuff like celebrating a win or a smoking few Js into proper perspective.

Now from the point of view of a gaijin like myself, one can’t help but be think that Asashoryu’s celebration pales in comparison to some of the antics of American athletes. It’s not even close to a Tiger Woods fist pump, let alone some of the more notorious show-offs like Terrell Owens or Chad Johnson in American Football.

Take it from me, Asa is doing just fine for now. Call me when he celebrates a victory with a Beyonce dance like Warren Sapp did. Then we can all start worrying.

http://www.2JPN.com