Sumo Wrestling

I never was interested in Sumo until I watched it live in Tokyo. I couldn't believe how hard the wrestlers slam into one another. Actually what I loved the most was the man who called the wrestlers out. He kind of sang their names, one to the west and the other to the east. It made me feel the history, the traditions. It was amazing. I am not sure if I'll watch it on TV, but I would definitely watch it live again.

I wasn't able to make it to the live matches because unfortunately they were a little expensive and work pretty much got in the way of any attempt to go. But while I was eating lunch or when I had a moment I did enjoy watching a few matches on TV. I noticed there were quite a few European participants as well which was interesting considering what an old-school Japanese tradition it is. You're right Goldie, sometimes they really just try to steam-roll over one another and they butt heads pretty hard, quite brutal. A lot of the ones I saw walking around downtown had caulifowered ears, a scarring which boxers and other grappling sports participants develop over time, so they definitely train hard and fight hard.

So as an athlete I give Sumo full respect, I definitley don't think of these guys as being just overweight, lumbering livestock. I think it goes without saying that despite how simplistic and brutal it seems and how unathletic the participants may appear to the untrained eye, there is quite a lot of skill involved and a lot of these dudes have a serious set of muscles going on beneath the bulky exterior.

I think there was a related topic about this recently. It was something about the manager of a Sumo training facility or some kind of coach being extremely hard on his fighters. Wacking them with bamboo sticks, making the junior fighters clean up after the senior ones, a lot of hazing and initiation which usually involved various forms of humiliation and suffering for the newcomers, etc.

In a way its kind of like hockey in Canada, to use a crude analogy, or football in America. There are certain things that occur with the blessing or tacit approval of those in charge which in most cases serve to solidify bonds and develop team spirit, but leave some participants upset. The trick is to determine which elements are necessary in order to maintain the purity of the sport and which ones do more harm.

Yeah I used to watch the digested version late at night. I like watching all combat sports. I also like to watch the Judo World Championships. K-1, the now-defunct Pride, Shooto, DEEP, Kyokushin Karate World tournament.

I think it does take skill to do Sumo. I you have done any kind of grappling sport you would recognize some of the techniques. Asashoryu is one ridiculously strong human being, picking up 150kg opponents and slaming them down.

I don't agree with the hazing and total lack of freedom wrestlers have though. These are a couple of reasons less and less Japanese are going into the sport.

Has anybody read Freakonomics? The author makes an extremely compelling case for match rigging in Sumo through statistical analysis. Interesting stuff.

otoko said:

I think it does take skill to do Sumo. I you have done any kind of grappling sport you would recognize some of the techniques. Asashoryu is one ridiculously strong human being, picking up 150kg opponents and slaming them down.

I don't agree with the hazing and total lack of freedom wrestlers have though. These are a couple of reasons less and less Japanese are going into the sport.

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It certainly looks that way, possibly similar to Judo in many ways..

He is fantastic and he must put up with a little bit more than the Japanese wrestlers behind the scenes I would imagine.

The lack of freedom must be a nightmare.. Japan is a group orientated society and Sumo takes the icing off well and truly with it..

Sumo is still my all time favorite sport and I very much enjoyed watching it live as well as the digest late at night. When I return for my visits and it is on I watch it each day from 3pm.

During my visit last April, my wife and I bought a "box seat" on the bottom for us and two of our friends as we wanted to be close to the action for once. The tickets were very expensive and it was nice to be so close, but I would not do it again. Why? Because the area for 4 people was so small that we were quite cramped and we are average height and weight. It was quite uncomfortable to tell the truth and I would not do it again nor would I recommend it. I'd sit upstairs in the middle and enjoy the action from the view of the TV cameras in a seat. Seeing it live is a great experience.

Yeah, watching sumo on NHK is definitely one of the things I miss about life in Japan. I only got to see it in person once at the haru basho in Osaka....which was great. I'm coming back to Japan this October and hope to see the Fukuoka Basho while I'm there.

The first red-light HOST sumo wrestler
After working at a hostess bar and a host club in Osaka, Yamashita Tomonori will take the 2nd inspection for new wrestlers in May.
At present, his weight, 65kg, is below the standard, heavier than 67kg, but he is eating three big rice bowls/a meal to gain weight as much as possible.
ﾅ陳ｳﾆ築ﾆ湛ﾆ暖窶堋ｪ窶氾最ｽmﾂ！ﾆ値ﾆ棚ﾆ停?愬?Xﾂ出ﾂ身ﾂ坂?堋債ｻ窶｢窶昶?ｰﾂｮ
窶佚･窶佛?窶登ﾅｽjﾂ湘｣ﾂ鞘?ｰ窶堙溪?堙?、ﾅ陳ｳﾆ築ﾆ湛ﾆ暖窶堙娯?氾最ｽm窶堋ｪ窶兮ﾂ青ｶ窶堋ｷ窶堙ｩﾂ。ﾆ鱈ﾆ槌槌弛ﾆ誰ﾆ停?ｰ窶堙姑畜ﾂーﾆ辰ﾂ、ﾆ築ﾆ湛ﾆ暖窶堙遺?堙??堙個職窶ｹﾃ??堙ｰﾅ弛窶堙?、窶啌ﾅ椎ｽ窶堋ｩ窶堙ｧﾂ坂?堋債ｻ窶｢窶昶?ｰﾂｮ窶堙?修窶ｹﾃ??吮??窶堙固ｽR窶ｰﾂｺ窶冫窶慊ｿﾂ（窶啣窶唹ﾂ）窶堋ｪﾂ、窶啜ﾅ椎ｽ窶啀窶愿ｺ窶堙娯?ｰﾃ?湘ｪﾂ焦?ﾂ新窶凖ｭﾅｽq窶佚ｦ窶啣ﾅ椎ｸﾂ債ｸ窶堙ｰﾅｽﾃｳ窶堋ｯ窶堙ｩ窶堋ｱ窶堙??堙俄?堙遺?堙≫?堋ｽﾂ。窶佚個重窶啅窶啜ﾆ鱈ﾆ陳坂?堙個催猟身窶堋ｾ窶堋ｪﾂ、ﾅｽﾃｳﾅ椎ｸﾂ湘ｰﾅ陳鞘?啅窶啖ﾆ鱈ﾆ陳才?按湘｣窶堙ｰﾆ誰ﾆ椎?ﾆ但窶堋ｷ窶堙冷?堋ｭﾂ、窶啀ﾂ食窶堙??堙ｱ窶堙披?堙ｨ窶啌窶掖窶堙娯?堋ｲ窶敕鯛?堙??堋ｿ窶堙｡窶堙ｱ窶堋ｱ窶堙??伉昶?氾岩?吮??ﾂ。
元ホストが力士！ネオン街出身高砂部屋 - 大相撲ニュース : nikkansports.com

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I don't know how Tomonori looked like when he worked for a host club and how popular he was there, but I really wish his brighter future than the neon light in Minami, Osaka.

Reference #1
Another Yamashita in Korea

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Reference #2
Japan's 'geisha guys' the latest accessory
The latest must-have item in Japan is a male 'geisha'
TOKYO, Japan (CNN) -- At first glance, the man and woman at the nightclub look like any other couple on a date. He flirts and pours champagne. She looks at him and laughs.
Japan's 'geisha guys' the latest accessory - CNN.com

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I imagine that Tomonori had the similar hair like Yunosuke in the CNN coverage back then.

What are the average prices for a seat at a sumo game and K-1 ? I'm very interested to watch them both live.

And are there any upcoming events in Tokyo ?

2008 May Tournament
Schedule: Sun. May 11th, 2008 - Sun. May 25th, 2008
http://www.sumo.or.jp/eng/ticket/hanbai_jokyo/index.html
Please be prepared to make all your ticket purchase requests in Japanese.

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So it may be easier to ask your help for a young Lawson staff.

L code: 30124
Chair Seat C: 3,600JPY
Chair Seat B: 4,900JPY
Chair Seat A: 8,200JPY

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K-1 World GP 2008 in Yokohama Arena on April 13
L code: 36300
Category A: 5,000JPY
Category S: 10000JPY
Category SS: 15000JPY
Category SRS: 25000JPY

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I went to a sumo match in Osaka and it was great. The best matches come at the end of the day when the most important wrestlers compete. The stadium was packed and the audience was really into it.