S'mo!

Yes! You are right in thinking that above is the correct pronunciation of the word - "sumo!" It is quick and lightning fast in speech and in action. It's about as fast as about 200 sumo matches take in a day. Average two minutes a match, a lot of calling out of names and breathless moments, and you will have yourself a very eventful day. Much like the one I had today. Today I witnessed a FULL day of sumo wrestling. This being the 12th match-day of the September "Sumo Banzake." If you do not already know, the sumo tournaments in Japan are separated by four month intervals...at least here in Tokyo. These are the Grand Tournaments and are flocked to by thousands of people (locals and tourists alike) per tournament. I was completely and utterly fascinated bythe whole ordeal. It is literally ( and I do mean lit'rally) like going back to a bygone age. Not so much in the audience, or even the decor which attempts quite well at making it seem as if you are outside under a shinto temple-like structure. It is the moment. Allow me to explain.

As the two grapplers entangle themselves upon the raised platform of rice bags and clay/sand, you begin to see an illumination of what this sport, or more specifically, what you once thought you knew about Japan. I have been searching, what seems like forever, on two continents to find what Japan signifies, or what it means. Not just to myself but to others as well. Trying to speak and be educated by those who know more than I ever will upon this subject has been time consuming and a little frustrating. But when I watched sumo today, groaned and yelled out Shotenro's (1-11, as of this 12th day of fighting) name out intothe stands so hopefully he wouldn't lose again (I mean we all felt bad for the guy..he was 1 win and 10 losses coming into this tournament day...geez). I witnessed those ukiyo-e prints of sumo grapplers fighting for position. These same prints are over 100 years old. Maybe I am being difficult here. How can I explain in words what I saw when it is rooted in a past that nobody living can possibly connect with? Well I guess the truth is I can't. But I am willing to try. Simply put, it is when those 300 pound, 6'5" dudes as big as refrigerators slam their heads into each other, grapple in sweat and dust for what seems like eternity, and one of those pieces of tonnage fall into the crowd!?...that it all makes perfect sense.

Am I waxing poetic? A little yes. But I am not naive as many of those people who proclaim that they "know" Japan. Well as Left For Dead told us, "you don't know shit!" You being them. Got it? Anyway, I don't know Japan and I am glad for it. Otherwise where will I get th inspiration to study and learn? Off track, off track, I know. Back to sumo...The audiences in Japan I am slowly learning love to shout out the names of their favorite persons, on stage, the pitch, or the sumo ring. When I first saw a kabuki play I never realized that certain audience members would scream out the actors name. Sometimes these people ae paid during a kabuki performance, but not the case during sumo, or during FC Tokyo matches. It is the desire for your star performer to get on with it and win! Or do something to that effect. You guys can wikipedia or pick up a book on sumo, as I slowly realized how little I actually knew about the sport, watching it with some of my Mexican friends I met in line this morning. Did I mention that I woke up at 5:30 am? Ugh...I guess my point is that even though there is much ceremony and pomp, the matches can be brutal, terrifyingly electric, and mesmerizing. I have had the opportunity to watch matches on tv and online but never had I expected that almost 10 hours of live sumo would fly by so quickly. The morning (up until tomorrow, the 13th match-day the low ranking grapplers begin at 8:50am until about 2:30pm) begins with lowest and works it's way up to the highest, the juryo-middle rank, to the big boys the maku-uchi where the two yokozuna wrestle others. Those final two matches where yokozuna 1 battles, and then yokozuna 2 battles are just absolutely enthralling to watch. They whip the crowd up. I realized that the referee, or gyoji, helps in getting the crowd worked up, as it is only when he is actually facing the two grapplers that their match can commence. Before this he kind of stand off to the side a few times, more during later matches, so the two bro's and size each other up. Then, BAM!

Finally I wanted to comment on the grapplers themselves. I saw so much muscle mixed with chub, mixed with essential oils, mixed with earth...I can go on and on. The human form when it is battling for postion, grabbling cloth, slapping and smashing face was like watching an episode of a biology show. Did I mention cracking of skulls too? When I got close-up once to take a few shots those dudes would slam their heads into each other like rams. All in all it was an experience that I had no idea how detailed and amazing it could be, and it made me think about trying to understand even more than what I thought I knew. Learning is fun. Yes, yes it is.






When the two sumo participants begin to grapple, there is usually a lot of time dictated by the referee