Good day, readers.
I know; I know. I'm overdue in my blog posts. Let me make it up to you with this double feature: turning 21 in Tokyo and attending the Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan 両国国技館.
Sugar Buzz
"If you want to view paradise..."
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
As several of you know, I'm an advocate of temperance, trailing one of my favorite historical figures, Carry A. Nation. Due to her influence and the fact that alcohol has failed to gain my interest (since I've been told that I'm already the life of the party without a drop), I've decided to pass on joining in on the buzz. Alcohol buzz, I should say.
To celebrate my twenty first abroad, I decided to act on my inner child--yes, she still exists--and lend an ear to my sweet tooth and indulge at a restaurant called Sweets Paradise. Scattered throughout Tokyo, several Sweets Paradise restaurants cater to those in need of a major sugar buzz with its bountiful buffet of an assortment of desserts from cream-filled, fruit-lined cakes to a fountain flowing with velvety chocolate waiting to drizzle or drown crackers, cookies, and marshmallows.
At 7pm, several of my closest friends and I set out to Shibuya 渋谷 in search for a celebratory sugar rush. We arrived at 7:30, taking in the gum ball themed interior. Most of us had a light plate of salad, curry, and pasta to set our stomachs at ease before feasting on a health nut's worst nightmare: the sugar shock shelf. Cakes of every size and flavor basked in the display lighting, luring us, their prey into a feeding frenzy. Between spoonfuls of light cakes (chocolate, strawberry, coconut to name a few) and creamy vanilla soft serve, my friends and I filled the evening with delicious desserts, camera candids, and Japanese jokes.
Looking back, I can definitely say I "lived up" my twenty first and not just in the crash-after-the-sugar-high sense. I've met so many beautiful individuals here who have blessed me with their friendship, understanding, and different perspectives. The greatest gift was sharing my big 21 with them, making the birthday plate a close second.
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| Eat Me |
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| Birthday Plate |
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| Japan Family |
Sumo Butts
"I've never seen so many butts before."
Yours truly
Once through the second level doors, I held my breath. I don't what I was expecting. I don't know what I pictured. Other than a brief sumo clip I watched in my Japanese high school class, I had never seen the sport before.
I spotted the ring 土俵 located below and two wrestlers preparing for their match. Silence ensued. Not because of the suspense. Not because of the audience's respect. Only because twenty people filled the giant sumo stadium.
And we thought we were late...
My German friend, Kai, and I arrived at the stadium at 11:30am and apparently fell among the few early birds, mainly tourists. Taking advantage of this time, I climbed down the steep stairs from our nosebleed seats and sat in one of the empty 8,900 yen, or about 90 U.S. dollars, seats with only the sound of the wrestlers' leg slaps and grunts; the directions of the main referee 軍配; the singing out of the next wrestlers' names by the 呼び出し; and the booming voice of the announcer greeting my curious ears.
As I clicked my camera to capture the sumo action, I realized that sumo wrestling mirrors fencing in several respects. First, the wrestlers are limited to fighting in a ring just as fencers are restricted to a certain space. Second, while there is one main referee, there are other judges who check whether the right call was made in determining the winner. Finally, after each bout both wrestlers bow to one another just as fencers wave their weapons in the air to their opponent and audience.
In addition to trying to understand the ways of sumo, as the day progressed and the Japanese crowd grew, I became attuned to the hubbub of native, sumo fans. Women and men gathered at one of the first floor entryways, preparing themselves and their cameras for the incoming sumo wrestlers. Dressed in their elaborate summer robes 浴衣 and traditional wooden sandals 下駄, the rotund wrestlers shuffled their way through occasionally stopping to pose with a fan.
After Kai and I met up with his other American friends, Lily (Bostonian) and Alice (New Yorker), the four of us strolled down the lantern-lit Sumo Annaijo Entrance 相撲案内所入り口, standing out among the matching male ushers in their 裁着袴, or customary coats and leggings. Finding our seats, Kai and I ate the recommended おすすめ sumo snack, yakitori 焼き鳥 (grilled chicken skewered onto sticks). I also bought and devoured my first meat bun 肉まん, steamed fresh for immediate eating. To cool down a bit, we finished our eat-like-a sumo day with vanilla and mocha swirl soft serve on crispy cake cones.
In the remaining hour of sumo, we enjoyed the full bystander experience, listening to Japanese fans respond to long bouts, making their disappointment or satisfaction known to all; noticing the vibrant colors of the sumo belts 廻しof the second highest division 重量 wrestlers; and cheering for our favorite wrestlers based on their belt color or their size.
Just before exiting the arena, I stopped by a booth to inquire about a sumo button souvenir I had seen earlier. A man told me that the booth had already closed. Seeing my disappointment, he reached into his own booth and pulled out a shiny, pink button and told me to take his. I offered to pay him but he declined. After bowing and thanking him, I happily added the souvenir to my travel purse and headed home.
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| Sumo: Supermodel Status |
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| Yakitori |
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| Ryogoku Kokugikan |
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| Sumo Bout |
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| Sumo Style |
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