Sumo Tournament

In the spring I went to a sumo tournament with a good friend, who is another teacher here, Rochelle. The tournament went from morning to evening with the wrestlers starting with amateurs and progressing to the highly paid, most skilled professionals.

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A wider shot of the arena. We sat in the front row of the second level. Early in the day the arena was fairly empty so we sat on the ground floor.
Sumo wrestling is a ceremonial event packed with tradition and special customs. In fact, the wrestling ground is considered a holy space with restrictions on who may enter it. Here the wrestlers line up before their round of matches begins.
These guys didn't want me to hurt them so they agreed to take a photo
Rochelle and I eating sumo wrestler food. I think it's magic food because I felt stuffed and bloated after one bowl.
This gentleman was the biggest of the big.

Here are videos of two different matches. Don't expect packed action like a Hollywood thriller; sit back and take in the ceremony as a whole. They're only a couple minutes each - you can do it!