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Sumo Wrestling

18 Dec 2007
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Who enjoys watching Sumo wrestling on NHK Japan?
I knew absolutely nothing about it before venturing to Japan.

I became very addicted to it and just had to watch each tournament.. Around a year before leaving, Akibono had retired and gone into K1 boxing, although last I heard, he was no good..

I find the sport very exciting and very traditional..
sumogif-1.jpg

A great Japanese cultural sport for sure
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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.

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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.
 
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.

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
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

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
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.

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

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
 
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.
 
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