The Least Useful Guide to Fukuoka

Sumo wrestlers have come to Fukuoka for the annual year-end sumo tournament taking place in this town.

Before the formal  match starts, there is a promotional event, “Sumo Eve Show,” in which we can see some shows and exhibitions performed by professional sumo wrestlers for free (no donation is required) if you apply for the ticket beforehand.

 I went to the show for the first time.

The atmosphere was unexpectedly relaxed.

No wonder, because it was not a formal match, but I guess, compared to other sport events, sumo viewing itself does not require the audience much tension. You are not supposed to give a standing ovation at all. Although you are asked not to take a photograph with flashlight, many (probably most) audience flashing it with no hesitation, but no one got their camera taken away.  And you are not supposed to be seated while something is going on the ring. Even in the middle of the show, people are hanging around, and some children were running and screaming around, but no one was taken away, too, or even asked to be quiet (very different  from tennis matches).

However, when the Yokoduna Hakuho appeared for his Dohyo-iri (getting in the ring) performance, the air of the whole hall suddenly changed.  

I could hear the audience gasping in admiration. I, too, was awe-stricken by his divine aura—I could see golden halo enveloping his entire body. 

By the way, Yokoduna wrestlers put on Shimenawa, a rope which is used to indicate boundaries between something sacred and the rest of the world, around their waist.

You will see the rope at shrines, some natural wonders, such as big and old trees and sacred rocks. Our gene will automatically recognise something sacred and divine when we see shimenawa. In this sense, Yokoduna wrestlers are likened to be gods or something divine…I can’t imagine how it would feel to be a god in a foreign country (Hakuho has been naturalised but was born in Mongol and came to Japan when he was 15 years old).   Is it like a Japanese becoming an American footballer in the United States, or the master of Tai Chi in China? But they are not naked in public...

I almost forget to tell you that the main attraction of the show was Kotoshogiku, a softly spoken Ozeki with magnificent eyebrows from Yanagawa City, Fukuoka Prefecture. 

He gave an “on-the-ring” interview in which he talked about his recent engagement and his strong will to win the coming match. The show impressed how big he was and how good and normal he was.

Though I don’t think the latter is not necessary for a sumo wrestler…How would you think?

Incidentally, the average age of the people came to the show was, I guess, over 70 (I felt very young there), which worried me about the future of the sumo as a show business (The audience are on the way to extinction), as well as Japan as a nation (the reality of our public pension and medical care system!).