This sport is just that.. a sport. I want to preface what I could possibly say with that information. Wrestling and even the Sumo subcategory is a sport at the end of the day. I’m not a fan of sports. So I needed to take this with a different head on my shoulders. Interpret the scene with a different set of eyes. This needed to be a cultural experience. Another fragment of Japanese experiences that can only be had in the country itself. That is what I did. That is also what others did too. Some did seem to go crazy and couldn’t wait for this to happen, so I’m happy it wasn’t cancelled for them.

As the video will showcase the general vibe of this event, it needs to be said that not everyone will enjoy this type of wrestling. It is an art, older than most of the other activities that you can be apart of while in Japan. Observe the settings, the ritual, the process as if it was a fine wine or a gallery painting. Ask why it is a thing, ask when it started instead of asking when is it finally over. I found that this event was a specific scenario where you really, REALLY needed to comprehend that you are IN Japan and need to appreciate that opportunity you currently have in your possession. In the off chance this was my finally moments in Japan, being 25 some days, that this needed to be relished. Remembered. Cherished.

The location is beyond my memory and google is not the easiest to configure for a location in a country that I don’t have the best lay down of geographic landscape. I’m stuck needing to do a larger amount of research for this building and I just can’t be bothered. The geo location that my phone is suppose to have for a photo and video died on this day. There may have been a data issue with how we had to manage our phones while over seas. Regardless, we reached this building in a very themed part of Tokyo that seemed grand and amazing. We entered the building to find our seats and begin watching.

The snacks might have been available, some had a ice cream fish-shaped pastry, but I couldn’t be bothered while watching and being concerned about my wallet which I might have been at this point in the month.

The sumo guys were powerful and the whole match to round was fast and exciting. I could really watch it for about half an hour before getting a little bored. We weren’t there all that long if memory recalls but it was something to ‘do’ according to the rule set of this trip.

You see, we have to hit cultural experiences while we are abroad to appease the school system, I can only imagine. We did that, and this was in the same book as the other scripted events that had to be covered. It’s not a bad thing. The same day, I believe, we went to a museum of Japanese history. I have some photos but the experience was subpar. The only reason I can say that if because it was a museum. I don’t really care to visit them in the United States, so who cares while being in Japan? Well, that’s just the thing… You need to care, I needed to care. I don’t remember having a horrible time at the museum but I remember jumping from exhibit to exhibit trying to reach the end as ‘comfortably’ fast as possible. Meaning that I didn’t BOLT to the door and didn’t WASTE my money on a ticket to get in. So besides the museum photos and the experience of wanting to leave it, that was all there was to that story. Then we went to Sumo.

I feel like we went to the Kabuki theater too but that will be another post regardless.

Anyways, it was something to do and I don’t regret it. Here is a little video.