Sumo Excitement!

Sumo is undeniably the national sport of Japan. Of course you knew that, right? But you really have to be there to feel it. There's just nothing like being in the Kokugikan. But what is it like to be in there, in that large auditorium with sumo fans, beer breath and sticky yakitori ngers...? Or better yet, ashing cameras all around while these huge men try to force each other out of a small ring. Electricity was so thick in the air it created a mood of excitement for me. It was tense!

The Ryogoku Kokugikan is a sacred sumo hall in Tokyo where sumo matches are held. Inside the hall is a ring called the Dohyo, which is 14.9 ft in diameter and 175.0Sq ft mound of clay and straw. The ring is considered sacred and spectators are not supposed to go too near it, even after the last bout is over. The best seating arrangement would be on the second oor of the sumo hall. The rst oor is where you sit on square shaped cushions on the oor in these small square shaped enclosures. If you have good knees and can sit with your legs crossed for a long period of time then I highly recommend these seats. The only negative side is that they are expensive and you can't take photos from the aisles. You also have to remove your shoes. I purchased second oor seats. Western style. You can choose from A, B, or C, seats. A seats are a bit expensive, 8200 yen, but the seats have tray tables for your beer and yakitori. B seats are one level up and are priced at about 4900 yen, but with no tray table. You have an armrest though. C seats are the cheapest at about 3600 yen and you get no armrest and no tray table. I denitely think B seats are worth the price because I feel the cultural experience you get is worth it.

Sumo is an All Day Event

Doors open at 8:00am with the beating of drums, welcoming fans to the wonderful world of Grand Sumo. At 8:40, you can see preliminary bouts between new sumo trainees who have no yet been ranked.

8:50, you have the Jonokuchi and Makushita division bouts which are the lowest ranks moving up in rank to Makushita. From 2:30 is when the big boys start rollin, and is when the ceremonial entrance begins.

The Juryo division bouts are intermediate level sumo professionals and receive salaries. The ceremonial aprons are called kesho-mawashi and are beautifully embroidered. At around 2:50 theres a very short break for a beer and yakitori run. You wont miss too much action.

Food
It goes without saying that yakitori and beer are what hot dogs and beer are to baseball. They are inseparable. Movies and popcorn, cheese burger and a coke...you get the picture. Yakitori is the food of choice for sumo. It is tradition in the sumo world to down lots of cold beer while eating yakitori. Of course there are lots of other things too, like popcorn and wrestler-shaped chocolates.

I recommend a whole six pack of beer for starters and a few boxes of these yakitori for the rst half of the day. At around 3:30, the Association Charman address the crowds. They recite some kanji, say a little prayer. A lot of people at around this time will walk around a bit to stretch the legs. Snap up a few pictures and with sumo. Freshen up a bit then head back to their seats by 3:50. Makuuchi ceremony begins. Makuuchi are the senior division. Five minutes later, the Yokuzuna enters the ring for his grand entrance and dance ceremony.

Hakuho is the Yokozuna, or the current reigning grand champion in the sumo world.

At around 4:15pm the Makuuchi bouts begin. These are the highest divisions and is where the top ranks battle it out for supremacy.

When the sumo wrestlers stamp their feet like in the picture the crowds yell and shout calls in Japanese. Then they crouch and lunge into each other.

Whoever is able to force their opponent out of the circle rst wins! At this point the crowds really go wild and I can see why. This is something I can really get into. I will be attending more of these bouts.

Closing
I didnt render any of my usual apotheosis on love and beauty in this essay. But I would like to say that I am lucky to have experienced this event. A truly Japanese sport for the ages. The sumo world has gone through a lot, and unlike the rest of Japan, hasnt bent or altered its doctrine nor its ancient practices. Women still arent allowed onto the Dohyo! No exception to that rule since ancient times out of respect for the ancestors. I like the continuity of tradition in some things. And I do believe that some things should never be changed - sumo is one of them. After the nal bout each day, a lower-ranked wrestler enters the ring to perform the bow dance. The sound of distinctive drumming also rings out at this time encouraging guest to come back again.