Sumo Memories

I went to sumo yesterday with Regis. It was so exciting to see the giant men during the intimidation round where they grunt, posture and throw sacred shinto clarifying salt in order to intimidate their opponents.
Then the real battle begins....and ends in a few seconds. The train station was filled with giant pictures of old sumo yokozunas and the surrounding neighborhood sported various restaurants that specialize in "chanko nabe" a rich soup that the sumo wrestlers eat daily in order to maintain their girth. Why aren't these guys being checked for "metabo"?


A Gaijin face?


Yes......


.....and what a good wedgy-giver this gaijin is! Many foreigners are getting good at sumo and are rising through the ranks of sumodom by executing moves just like this:

"Hey guys, be nice!"



Being back at a sumo tournament really brought the memories of fighting the frail 60-year-olds of my village during the numerous sumo tournaments down in Kagoshima when I was teaching english. I bet those geriatric farmers haven't eaten dirt in quite the same way since then! I am planning a trip back to Kagoshima for fall break. Is there a chance it could coincide with the Hiwaki fall sumo tournament?! Could the former Yokozuna of Hiwaki village (a gaijin no less--que the village elders huffing and saying "eeeehhhhh?" in disbelief) come back to town and reclaim his title? We'll see!

Their only crime is being old!

Old!!!!

Guess what happened when I fought this young guy from a different village...
You are right, I lost!