2009 July Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament

The annual Grand Sumo Tournament held in Nagoya every July ended last Sunday after 15 days of bouts.
The winner of the tournament this year was yokozunza Hakuho who finished with a 14 win 1 loss record.















Some of the more prominent and popular wrestlers receive sponsorship.The sponsors banners are paraded round the ring before each of the wrestlers bouts.A variety of companies and firms provide sponsorship including the hamburger chain Makudonarudo,known elsewhere around the world as McDonalds.














The judges and referee sometimes confer in the middle of the ring after a bout where its difficult to see which wrestler won the bout.In such instances one wrestler is usually awarded the win or if a clear decision isnt possible then the wrestlers will have another match.















One of the bentos available at the sumo tournament.There are a number of stalls selling bentos and a variety of food,drinks and souvenirs.Some of the more expensive seats include bentos and drinks in their price.A cheaper alternative is to purchase a 300yen bowl of chanko nabe which was served up to long queues of spectators each day from 1pm.
















One of the lower ranked wrestlers awaits his turn to compete.Despite their apparent size and bulk many of the wrestlers are surprisingly nimble and flexible.

Lets Go Home....

Im in the midst of leaving Japan and moving back home.
Hence the long break between posts.
Having resigned from work ive been busy making preparations to leave by the end of July.
Arranging to get my possessions back home or sold.Arranging the electricity,gas and water to be disconnected and the accounts closed.
Arranging for my apartment to be inspected so I can claim back some of the deposit.
Arranging airplane tickets and travel.Arranging final visits and farewells.
Arranging to get tickets to the grand sumo tournament that starts this Sunday in Nagoya..
The following photos below come from one of the practice venues dotted around Nagoya.






















This particular beya or stable training venue was near Ichinomiya about a 45 minute train ride from Kanayama station.It was set up in the grounds of a small kindergarten.In fact the early morning high pitched chatter of the pre-schoolers was in stark contrast to the dull thud and thumping of the wrestlers as they practiced their moves and charges.






















There were three higher ranked wrestlers at this stable.They can be distinguished by the fact that they wear white or lighter shaded loincloths.They also start their routines later than the lower ranked wrestlers who begin around 7am.
We arrived about 7:45 am to find a small crowd had already gathered.This crowd swelled as the morning progressed.Parents dropped their offspring off at the adjacent kindergarten.Jostling,elbowing elderly Japanese men and women tried to burrow their way through those who had arrived earlier to get a better view of the proceedings.




















The heat and humidity built up as the wrestlers exercised.The practice formally ended at around 10:30am so it was a long and strength sapping session.
















The coaches and stable masters offered advice and encouragement to the wrestlers as they grew tired and weary.

Friday Flash..Sumo GuideBook Cover

Every year I go to the Nagoya Sumo Tournament Im given a booklet from the Japan Sumo Association along with my ticket and a small gift such as a phone strap.The booklets cover is shown above.The booklet is written in English and not only does it explain the rules and traditions of sumo,the booklet itself makes a good souvenir of the sporting occasion.
As predicted on Monday the Japan Sumo Association promoted Kotomitsuki to the rank of ozeki.He's the first Japanese wrestler to be promoted to ozeki since 2001 and also the oldest wrestler to reach the second highest rank since the start of the six big tournament system in 1958 at the age of 31.It will be interesting to see how he goes as an ozeki and whether he can aspire to the highest rank of yokozuna in the next few tournaments.

Samu-i Sumo

The Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament ended yesterday.Asahoryu claimed another Emperor's Cup victory finishing ahead of Hakuho,who was trying to get his first Emperors Cup as a yokozuna.
As noted already I made it to the third to last day on Friday.I thought I was running late when I arrived at 10am as most days the bouts begin around 8:30.I was in luck as the first bout began at 10:20.I purchased one of the cheaper nose-bleed seats at 4,700 yen and found my plastic seat near the back of the gym.

Now its meant to be the Summer Tournament and outside it was a humid 26 degrees centigrade.But in Row K it was -26 degrees celsius.Someone had set the air-conditioning on the Arctic setting.The vents above Row K spewed forth a virtual solid curtain of ice.Cold currents.The whole day.From 10:20 to 6pm when I left.
Ridiculous.If you check the photo you will see an old lady is wearing a coat to fend off the cold.Others donned scarves and towels.The two skimpily dressed girls beside me wrapped themselves in the mornings paper,much like tramps to combat the Siberian like conditions.Luckily I'd bought a jersey so wore it to retain some body heat and prevent hypothermia.Uncomfortable and marred an otherwise enjoyable day.












As for the sumo itself it remains a highlight of my year.It was disappointing that Kaio pulled out that day but this was more than made for by the earlier antics of Kitazakura and Takamisakari.Kitazakura at 35years old is the oldest wrestler at the makuuchi level and is well known for his exuberant salt throwing displays prior to his matches.Takamisakari,I was reliably informed by the guy next to me is dubbed "RoboCop" given the way he walks and his prematch warmup and gestures.
The photo above shows the colorful dohyo-iri or "entering the ring" ceremony where the wrestlers display their kesho-mawashi or ceremonial aprons in a short ritual.Many different elaborate designs are on display and needless to say a great photo oppurtunity.












As the bouts progressed you notice that not only does the wrestlers and referees gear get more colourful but also the speed and skill increases.
Throughout the day the stadium fills as tour groups arrive.Herded by a flag bearing guide,businessmen saunter in with their guests to sit in the more expensive seats and hordes of schoolchildren invade and take over the cheaper ones in bulk.
This years Nagoya tournament will be memorable because local wrestler Kotomitsuki was fighting for promotion to ozeki rank.Although he missed out on a playoff against Asahoryu for a shot at the Emperors Cup by losing his last bout his winning record should be enough for promotion.
Kotomitsuki received loud support before his match and huge cheers and clapping after he won.His promotion will be considered by the Japanese Sumo Association later in the week.The last shot above shows the view from Row K brrr.

Last Grand Sumo Tournament of 2006

The last sumo tournament of the year kicked off in Fukuoka,Kyushu yesterday.
Lone yokozuna Asashoryu is odds on favourite to win his nineteeth Emperors Cup.Hakuho,his most consistent challenger,has withdrawn due to a broken toe sustained in training.

I'm looking forward to see how Kaio will fare in front of his home crowd.Having withdrawn last basho due to an injury he is again fighting to save his ozeki rank status.He needs eight or more wins or he gets demoted.At 34 years old and with recurring back problems if he fails for the tenth time to stay up some pundits are saying he will retire.
Other wrestlers I'll be watching include Baruto, who like Kaio withdrew last tourney and dropped five positions, and Kotooshu, another ozeki who has changed the kanji of his name and put on some extra weight to improve his chances.He enters the contest at 150kg still the lightest ozeki but about 4kg heavier than Asashoryu.Of course at 2.03 metres he has a height advantage over Asa who stands at 1.84 metres.

Sumo Round Up

With a final scorecard of 13 wins 2 losses Asashoryu won the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Sunday.He lost his penultimate bout to Chiyotaikai in a humdinger of a match.Slapping furiously, Chiyotaikai managed to stay on his feet longer than the lunging falling Asa.with cushions flying into the ring the four judges conferred and awarded Chiyo the match.

It was pretty academic as Asashoryu`s closest rival had lost earlier ensuing him of his 18th Emperors Cup.He is now just four Emperor Cup victories from Takanohana (22) on the all-time winners list.
Baruto ended up with a 4win 7 loss record before withdrawing with a leg injury.Kaio ended up with a 1 win 6 loss record before he retired injured as well.
Unfortunately both Hakuho 8-7 and Miyabiyama 9-6 winning records werent enough to warrant their promotion.It doesnt seem at the moment there is any wrestler,Japanese or foreign, able to challenge Asashoryu consistently.He remains the sole yokozuna....

Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament RoundUp

Entering The Ring Ceremony
Originally uploaded by pookie_san99.

Yokozuna Asashoryu won his seventeenth Emperors Cup as the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament ended on Sunday.He finished with a 14 win 1 loss record.His only loss was to Hakuho on the final day.
Hakuho finished with a 13 win 2 loss record.Unfortunately his promotion to yokozuna will have to wait.Hopefully a good performance at the September basho will see his elevation to the top ranking.Also on hold for promotion is Miyabiyama.
The other wrestlers I follow, Kaio and Baruto, both managed to finish with winning records.
The photo shows the daily dohyo-iri (entering the ring ceremony) held before the start of the maku-uchi or top five rank bouts.The wrestlers enter the ring wearing ceremonial aprons or kesho-mawashi.After performing a short ritual they depart...

Nagoya Summer Grand Sumo Tournament 2006

Nagoya Summer Grand Sumo Tournament
Originally uploaded by pookie_san99.

I had my annual day out at the sumo on Friday.For some it may be a day at Melbourne for the Cup or Addington or Riccarton during Show Week or even Ascot.For me the sporting event of the year in Nagoya has to be the annual Grand Sumo Tournament.
I arrived on Friday, day 6 of the basho, a little later than I anticipated.
Having slept in I still managed to get a ticket and found my seat by about 10.am.Many seats were vacant as the lower ranked wrestlers went through their paces.
I like going early.You can get a feel for the place.Scout out all the souvenirs.Work out what to have for lunch.Sit closer to the ring on some of the more expensive cushions.Study the upcoming bouts between the higher ranked wrestlers.
As it was a boiling,sweaty day outside I passed on the chanko nabe this year.It was just too hot and unbearable trying to digest the hearty nabe in the 35 degree heat.I opted for a sumo boxed lunch instead.
The Prefectural Gym starts to fill throughout the early afternoon.The higher ranked wrestlers fight between 5pm and 6pm.
I saw Kaio and Baruto win their bouts while also enjoying the long and theatrical pre match antics of Takamisakari who was promptly lost his.
In the last bout of the day Asashoryu showed why he is the only top-ranked wrestler or yokozuna with a powerful display coming back from injury in the last basho.
All in all, a good day out.The number of foreign wrestlers and spectators seem to increase each year while the vast majority of Japanese spectators appear to be elderly.Having said that though, I sat next to a group of four twenty-something locals,only one who had been to the sumo before yet all seemed to enjoy the experience and would, like me, be back again next year.

**FOOTNOTE**
The day after I attended the basho Russian wrestler Roho and Chiyotaikai had a "contentious" match.After Roho was pushed from the ring and had lost the bout Chiyotakai joined him outside the ring and said something to him.
The upshot appears from the news reports that Roho having lost his temper later injured his hand having put it through a door and reportedly assaulted two photographers.There was a photo of Roho in the daily paper with his right hand bound in a towel.
For his post bout performances Roho was suspended for three days from the tournament.He has since withdrawn from the basho.
At work today some of my students were critical of both Roho and also Chiyotakai for their unsportsmen- like actions.Apparently its rare for a wrestler to be suspended even more so for actions outside the ring.

** Marine Day**
Today Monday 17th July is a public holiday.Marine Day, the official start of the summer season.Or the drowning season for the cynically inclined.
The local region had a short heatwave last week.Temperatures in the mid 30s and the odd death from heatstroke being reported.This has been ended abruptly with the last throes of the rainy season and slightly cooler if wetter days.
Im still trying to work out which I like less; hot humid days with 98 percent humidity or hot rainy days when the heavens open up.Lashing and dernching you with horizontal rain that no umbrella can hope to ward off....

Its Sumo Time Again in Nagoya

sumo2
Originally uploaded by pookie_san99.

Yup the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament rolls or waddles into Nagoya.It started yesterday Sunday at the Aichi Prefectural Gym in the grounds of Nagoya Castle.For two weeks.From 9a.m to around 6pm each day.
I plan to go to this Friday.I'll have to queue for a general admission seat at 2,800 yen as all the other reserved seats have been booked out.I plan to get there round 8a.m as there are only a limited number of these seats on sale.
It may well be the last time I get to see Kaio in Nagoya as the ozeki is now 33 years old and battling both back problems and demotion.I'm also looking forward to seeing Baruto and Hakuho, who is aiming for promotion to yokozuna, but lost his first bout yesterday.
The photo today shows some of my past tickets and sumo programs.
You can get daily reports and information at www.sumo.or.jp/eng/

Tanabata July 7th.
The Tanabata or Star Festival is held on July 7th each year and celebrates the meeting of two lovers Orihime and Hikoboshi once a year.The Milky Way as legend has it is a river made from stars that crosses the sky and separated the two lovers who could only meet once a year.This special day is the seventh day of the seventh lunar month.People generally celebrate this day by writing their wishes on small pieces of paper or "tanzaku" and hanging them on bamboo branches.Many areas also have their own local traditions and customs.

World Cup Football Finals 2006
Well what a month of soccer.I started out watching some first round games in New York and watched the final here at 3a.m in Nagoya.
Before the final,there was the mens final from Wimbledon to watch from 10pm to around 1a.m followed by the sumo highlights of the opening day and then the soccer which finished up round 6.30a.m.
Needless to say I was a little sleepy today and lacking energy and sleep.Onward to South Africa in four years time...

Sumo-Summer Grand Sumo Tournament Summary

The Summer Grand Sumo Tournament finished in Tokyo (Sunday) yesterday.Two wrestlers,ozeki Hakuho and sekiwake Miyabiyama were tied at 14-1 so a playoff was necessary to decide the Emperors Cup and tournament winner.
Hakuho prevailed over Miyabiyama in a tense bout to claim his first Emperors Cup.He's had a quick rise through the ranks.This was his first outing as an ozeki, having only been promoted in March.He's also the fourth youngest wrestler to be promoted to the rank of ozeki,the second highest rank, in modern sumo history.
After Asashoryu and Tochiazuma pulled out through injury the race for the Emperors Cup was blown wide open.Apart from Miyabiyama and Hakuho there were some other notable performances.Mention must be made of Baruto who after losing two of his first four fights I had written off.However he seemed to come right and improved to an impressive winning record of 11 wins and 4 losses.His bout with Miyabiyama on Day 14 was a highlight of the basho.Just like Hakuho, Baruto was making his debut in a higher rank,(makuchi), having been promoted in March.Although out-muscled by Miyabiyama,Baruto can only improve with more exposure to stronger competition.I expect to see him climb the rankings quickly.
I'm also pleased that ozeki Kaio finished with a winning record of 9-6.In Japanese a winning record is "kachikoshi" eight wins or more.The opposite- a losing record is known as "makekoshi".Should a wrestler other than a yokozuna post two losing records then he faces possible demotion in ranking.Last tournament Kaio was on the verge of demotion but pulled back to a winning record of 8-7 on the last day.
One wrestler who retired during the basho was the lower ranked Toki.The most memorable feature were the mutton chop side burns he sported that gave rise to his nickname of "Elvis" by some reporters.
Another character who stood out was a veteran 35 year old wrestler named Buyuzan.He has an elaborate pre-match warmup that includes throwing fistfuls of salt ( used to symbolically purify the ring ) high into the air much to the delight of spectators.Although he posted a losing record he has a fire and spirit about him that is evident in his broad smile and swaggering walk after a victory.
Obvivously I'm pretty much a raw novice when it comes to sumo.Some sites I've found useful to find more about this sport include....www.sumo.or.jp/eng/ and www.sumotalk.com Lots of information and its in English..
Cant wait for July when the annual tournament is held in Nagoya and I can see the wrestlers live in action...

Summer Sumo Tournament..Slip,Slap,Slop

sumo1
Originally uploaded by pookie_san99.

The Summer Sumo Basho started in Tokyo yesterday.
Newly promoted ozeki,Hakuho,another Mongolian and possible rival to Asashoryu,began with a win.As did Tochiazuma who could get promoted to yokozuna with a good winning record.
One of the up and coming wrestlers is a 21year old former bouncer from Estonia,Baruto.He was promoted after the last tournament with a 15-0 winning record to the makuchi divsion.Nor should one either forget Kotooshu from Bulgaria.Hopefully his injured knee is better and he will be able to provide more of a challenge to Asashoryu than in their last encounter.
Finally I will be watching Kaio who narrowly missed demotion from ozeki ranks with a last gasp 8-7 winning record on the last day of the Spring meet.It will be interesting what happens this time round as he began the current contest with a loss...

GOLDEN WEEK
Survived Golden Week sanity more or less intact.On the one hand it gives you a break from kids classes but does mean you could face teaching the same students three or four times a day in a class.Trying to pick lessons for such students who try to cram as many lessons in a day is impossible.Considering there are only 50 odd lessons per level at most and the students are usually with others of the same mind..at the end of the day they end up speaking gibberish mixed lessons,wrong tenses etc..

While I admire their dedication moderation seems the wiser course.Theres learning a language by osmosis or absorption and theres drowning in the quicksand of over-exposure.The students who seem to do better are those who study at home and dont overdo it,those who come regularly and take a couple of lessons a time.
Going hammer and tongs for a short sustained period followed by a lull of activity or overdoing it with too many lessons a day is to my mind the wrong way and may in fact be counter-productive.
Whatever Ive got a few holidays coming up near the end of May and cant wait...

Sumo...when Push comes to Shove....

DSC00321
Originally uploaded by pookie_san99.

There are 48 "classic" techniques consisting of different throws,trips,lifts,thrusts,shoves and pulls.Some of them are shown on this postcard.

"Rain Falls From Concrete Coloured Skies"

Monday 16th January 2006

The recent heavy snowfalls were replaced last weekend by rains and spring-like temperatures causing avalanches,house collapses and more fatalities.To date at least 90 people have died from snow and weather related accidents.
I had a cold, wet weekend.Friday and Saturday were very dark.Streetlights were on at 3pm piercing the murky gloom.Temperatures in single digits.The highlight of the weekend was watching the first sumo tournament of the year on NHK.

SUMO..THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE
The first sumo tournament or basho is held in Tokyo each year.There are 6 bashos held in various cities throughout the year.Each one starts on a Sunday and runs for 15 days.During this time each wrestler competes in one bout a day.The bashos begin at 10am with the lower ranked wrestlers fighting.The higher ranked wrestlers compete in the late afternoon and the bigger crowds arrive round 4pm to watch them.

There are no weight divisions in sumo.Instead there are 5 or so ranks.The top two ranks are ozeki and the highest,yokozuna. Currently there are no Japanese yokozuna.The sole yokozuna is Asashoryu from Mongolia.He won an unprecedented seven straight bashos and set a record for the number of victories last year.Foreigners are becoming more prominent in the sport.
As well as Asashoryu there is a newly promoted ozeki Kotooshu from Bulgaria and a number of lesser ranked wrestlers including Kokkai from Georgia.
Sumo is a simple sport with rituals that go back to its Shinto roots.There is a shrine like roof above the ring or dohyo which is a 4.55metre diameter raised platform.The referees gyoji wear colorful outfits which have their origin in Shinto.Among the rituals is one where the wrestlers throw salt into the dohyo to purify it as part of their pre fight rituals.

In fact the pre fight rituals often last longer than the actual combat.After a few false starts which involve a crouching, staring match the wrestlers lunge forward attempting to push their opponent out of the ring.The object is simply to push the competition out or unbalance him so that some part of his body other than his feet touch the ground.
Pushing,shoving,thrusting,lifting and grabbing the opponents mawashi or loincloth often follows an unsucessful initial charge.There are over 40 different holds and throws recognised as being legal.
Its midway through the current competition.Although Asashroyu has one loss he is still in the running for a record eighth straight basho win and Emperors Cup victory.Kotooshu has two losses while Kokkai has three losses to date.
NHK screens the basho daily each afternoon.You`ll often see TVs in post offices,department stores and other public buildings tuned to it often surrounded by crowds of onlookers cheering their favourite on....

Sumo They Do and Sumo They Dont and Sumo its just as well

Friday 22July 2005
For 2 weeks each July Nagoya hosts one of the six big annual sumo tournaments.As usual, in the interests of cultural enlightment,a genuine Japanese experience and a memorable day out I dutifully attended.As I have each year.Its a celebration of color and calories.

This year I got along to the gym round 11am.The basho(tournament) runs for 15 days and daily from 9 am to 6pm.The cheaper seats had already sold out so I opted for a slightly more expensive seat in the nose-bleed section high above the ring and the closer more expensive seating..a single cushion near the ring can set you back about 32,000 yen.The good thing about arriving early is once you have secured your seat its possible to occupy one of the closer seats until you get evicted by its rightful tenant.I got thrown out about 5 times throughout the afternoon.I progressively worked my way back to my seat round 5pm as the stadium filled up.
The leading wrestlers in the higher ranks begin their bouts from 3.45pm each day.
Early on theres just a smattering of spectators the majority elderly Japanese with the odd loud obnoxious foreigner who gets worse as the effects of alcohol take hold.
In the last hours the place resembles a beehive with its murmuring drone and the fluttering paper fans beating rhythmically like so many wings.
As to the wrestling itself.The bouts themselves are very entertaining if somewhat brief.In fact the pre-fight rituals of stretching,bowing and glaring at ones opponent usually last longer than the actual confrontation.
After the intial face-off which resembles nothing more than a side of beef propelling itself towards another side of beef both wrestlers grapple and paw each other attempting to throw,shove,trip,bodily lift (or a combination of all these moves) out of the ring.
Before the start of the last 2 top ranks daily competition theres a kind of fashion parade as the wrestlers dressed in their finely embroidered silk uniforms circle the ring.Cameras flash and combat soon continues.
While watching these behemoths engage in these rituals the adoring hordes consume copious amounts of alcohol,sake and boxed lunches.I indulged my inner sumo by slurping down a bowl of chanko..a hearty chunky mixture of beef,fish,chicken and vegetables swimming in a thick greasy broth which forms the staple of a sumo wrestlers diet.
Theres been an increase in the number of foreign wrestlers participating and graduating to the higher ranks, notably from Mongolia and Bulgaria.Conversely theres been a decrease in the number of Japanese wrestlers prepared to commit to such an arduous lifestyle.
As a whole the sports losing popularity.Most spectators are elderly.Younger Japanese being more content to watch the more popular soccer and baseball leagues.
SuperSize Me
Speaking of grossly overweight obese humans I watched Morgan Spurlocks documentary SuperSize Me recently.I thought it was a well-rounded examination of American eating habits and the food industry as a whole.Because all of the publicity centered on his 30 day McDonalds binge I was unaware it also examined school lunches and other weighty issues.
I enjoyed watching the incredulous looks of disbelief of his 3 doctors as his health deteriorated and the glee with with his vegan girlfriend related his hampered performance.An informative amusing dvd.
I also caught Sideways about 2 friends odyessy through California's vineyards.A roadtrip.Before one of the friends gets married.One last chance for both of them.I cant say more otherwise I`d spoil it..but I do recommend it.A slightly maudlin ending it stars Paul Giamatti who's becoming one of my favorite actors with his weary hang dog look.
Last but certainly not least I watched the finale to season 2 of The Sopranos.Now Im eagerly waiting for my video store to get the remaining series.The last episode involved the execution of a principal character and several things were left in the air.Each dvd usually has some extra features.The most interesting are the commentaries by the various directors and producers involved in producing the series.They often provide a slant or insights which i wouldnt have noticed or thought important.Rivetting stuff...