So I finally saw SUMO!!!! I had initially planned to go early in the early morning and watch a practice in a sumo stable, but had the opportunity to attend an actual sumo tournament! The event ran all day, from 10am and ended at 6pm. Note, YOU MUST get there early to get the cheapest tickets, which are only sold the day of - each individual day of the 15 day tournament. These tickets are the farthest away and up from the ring but since the stadium {2 mins walk from Ryogoku station} is so small, the seats are still amazing! Actually, the most expensive seats didn't even have chairs, so they were not even as comfortable as the cheaper seats! Also something I did not understand was why this one overweight guy STAYED sitting right in front of the ring after a sumo was TOSSED ONTO HIM (DO YOU KNOW HOW HEAVY THOSE GUYS ARE???). If that wasn't enough, it happened AGAIN to him and he STILL didn't move his seat! Why would anyone want to sit so close that they would risk their life being smushed by an enormous guy??
The less well known and unranked sumos began in the morning, and it was not until around 3:15 when the higher ranked sumos came in and did the ceremonial dance, and then the lower ranked wrestlers started, going up to the highest ranked. There were about 40 of these bouts which lasted all of about 10-15 seconds on average. The two wrestlers sometimes tried to psyche one another out by getting into position and then standing and sometimes doing a cheer for the crowd before the referee started the actual bout. The match goes until somebody is tossed outside of the outer rope lining the stage or until someone falls.
The thought of concluding this 14.5 month extravaganza was quite strange. What would be next? What would I do? Where would I go?
Upon Arrival into New York, I took time to see friends, family and then be a tourist in my own state! I explored Chinatown, Little Italy and Wall Street! I still want to check out some more areas when I return in a few days!
I have a return ticket to Tokyo for one week later - it's time to get focused now, let's go ;)
The less well known and unranked sumos began in the morning, and it was not until around 3:15 when the higher ranked sumos came in and did the ceremonial dance, and then the lower ranked wrestlers started, going up to the highest ranked. There were about 40 of these bouts which lasted all of about 10-15 seconds on average. The two wrestlers sometimes tried to psyche one another out by getting into position and then standing and sometimes doing a cheer for the crowd before the referee started the actual bout. The match goes until somebody is tossed outside of the outer rope lining the stage or until someone falls.
The thought of concluding this 14.5 month extravaganza was quite strange. What would be next? What would I do? Where would I go?
Upon Arrival into New York, I took time to see friends, family and then be a tourist in my own state! I explored Chinatown, Little Italy and Wall Street! I still want to check out some more areas when I return in a few days!
I have a return ticket to Tokyo for one week later - it's time to get focused now, let's go ;)
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