my mega adventure from 2 month ago... (part 2 SUMO))

The adventure continued to the next day. We left toyota city at 9 into morning, because everyone had arranged to meet at the sumo stadium at 10:30. Almost everyone who was coming with us also went out last night.. So no one turned up on time.

From the train station to the stadium was about 15min walk. There were a few sumo wrestlers walking to and from the stadium. I really wanted to take a picture with one, so i got my courage up to finally asked a reasonably handsome looking one. Instead of a warm smile, i got a reply in japanese 'i'm busy.' I was so shocked and taken back by the blunt reply. Oh well, looks like their ego is as big as their ass..

Our other friends were certainly wise to come late. The hall was practically empty when we got there, with only an odd few laying down sleeping in the cool hall. The hall is arranged such that people all sat on the floor, with a japanese mat as a cushion. We had booked 3 ... How should i put it.. Corporate boxes? Except each sat 4 people.. Anyone who was slightly bigger than me would struggle to sit cross legged comfortably.

We sat watching the juniors compete. It really wasn't so interesting since each match would last only 2min or so. The big night from last night was catching up, and i can feel my eye lids slowly closing in.

I decided to go for a walk. I saw a line forming along the corridor, everyone seemed to be waiting for some sort of food outside a not yet manned store. The sigh said the opening time was at 1pm, i checked my watch and it said 11:30. I was curious to see whats so special about this store that ppl were queuing up an hour for it.

I later found out that they were selling a special sumo soup called 'junko'. This is the type of food that the sumo wrestler eat. Its made from 3 layered meat, with carrot and daikon mixed in. It was delicious. The only problem was that i had to drink this hot soup in the humid boiling weather outside. I was drinking and sweating. Imagine having hot hot soup inside a sauna room. That was how i felt. But the soup was definately yummmo....

The real fighting started around 4, and that was when the people started gathering the hall. The league of fighers that was among the strongest all came out in the very last group. They were all.. very.. big sized...


The two top wrestlers are all mongolians, so the Japanese people are not too happy about it right now. There hasnt been a Japanese top sumo for a while now.

Prior to some matches where the famous sumo wrestlers are performing, there are sponsors who give special prices to that particular match. So the more famous you are, the more sponsors you will get, and the more bonus you get if win the match.


Through out the whole day, there were announcements telling the guests not to throw their purple coloured cushions cause it was dangerous. My friend Aki kept telling me that, but I never really understood why you would want to throw it.

So when the last match came, the fighting was intense. Aki was concentrating filming, and I was watching with excitment. Then all of a sudden, Aki stopped filming, grabbed her purple cushion and threw it away to the front. Then the WHOLE stadium did the same thing. I got freaked out and curled up into a ball and sat down nicely. I turned around and everyone was laughing at me. Apparently, when the black horse in the game wins you are suppose to throw your purple cushion or (zabuton). So in this very last game, the black horse won (which is apparently very rare), so eveyrone threw their cushion. But, we didnt get any of it on film cuz our photographer/camera man was busy throwing her cushion away!

More pictures of the winners..


and some more of the fighting scene...


It was definately worth the experience as the tickets are not only expensive but very hard to come by... so if you get the chance to go .. definately go.. just dont go so early like we did... =)