September Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo

We had already bought our tickets from the Loppi machine at Family Mart but still got to the sumo early by train. We got to the Kokugikan for the 8th Day of the September Grand Sumo Tournament around 8.30am. Drummers high on a wooden tower drew people into the arena where we watched some of the low ranking sumo compete.

Before each match a singer calls out the names of each competitor in a high pitched, poetic voice while opening a fan single handedly. Then the sumo wrestlers climb onto the dohyo (the clay stage), clap, lift each leg, stare each other down (for up to 4 minutes) before they start the fight. Some of the fights were over quickly, with the opponent being pushed out of the ring without any dificulty. Other matches were longer as the opponents came to a standstill, trying to get a grip on the other’s arm or mawashi (belt). A few fights were very impressive, with the winning sumo throwing, lifting or flipping the opponent.

The arena was fairly empty from 8 until 1pm so we were able to sit down the front in the first few rows or in the first row of the balcony. We also looked through the sumo museum, had our photo with a wrestler in a cotton robe and ate our gyoza bento for lunch. After 2 it started filling up a little more as the Juryo ranking sumo competition started. By 4pm it was packed (it was a sell out night) full of people watching the Maku-uchi ranks enter and compete.

There didn’t seem to be too many Japanese sumo in the Maku-uchi ranks. We listened to the English radio broadcast from 4-6pm and the commentary told us that the sumo came from South Korea, Mongolia, Russia, Estonia and Bulgaria. One Mongolian, Tokitenku, had his 300th career victory over Aran from Russia. The judges were called onto the stage when Tochinoshin and Aminishiki fought as the landed on their sides at the same time. Kotomitsuki entered his bout on a 7 win 0 loss winning streak but then lost to Kisenosato. The final match was most exciting – Asashoryu, the current leader (8 to 0), defeated Kotoshogiku after much ‘cold warring’ (squatting, standing up, throwing salt, wiping face, squatting, pacing, shouting etc).

We had dinner one station away at Kinshicho eki at a Taiwanese Vegetarian restaurant called It’s Vegetable. We had sweet and sour v.pork, v.chicken with cashews, spring rolls, v.chicken nuggets, jasmine tea and almond soy milk jelly (that tasted like marzipan).