Sumo

Yeah for sumo. What a great experience (despite the fact that we were sitting in just about the farthest place from the stage). We got the middle priced tickets, but I can't imagine where the cheap seats are. The only thing I can think of is outside the building.

So we arrived at the venue (not sure what it is technically called in Japanese). The tournament starts at 8:30 am for 14 days straight and ends at 6:00. Now is the Fukuoka tournament, I think there are about 6 tournaments a year. All the wrestlers fight once a day and that is how they determine who wins at the end of the tournament. Whoever wins the most out of 14 matches wins the tournament. The day starts off with the weakest wrestlers then ends with the strong one and the last being the Yokozuna (grand champion).

We arrived at about 3:00 when the strongest of the wrestlers would be going on. Poor Justin and Marko arrived at 10am! From about 4pm the place starts to fill up. It is really unique in the fact that the sumo wrestlers wander around amongst the fans. So you can meet anyone of them pretty easily if you want. We were actually able to wander 'backstage' and watch the famous wrestlers enter the ring. We got very close to them. And they are big guys, let me tell you! They weigh 200-300 pounds. There are weight and height requirements but I forget what they are. I think 179cm and 100kg. Something like that. We got to watch about 20 matches which only last about 2-4 minutes each. It was great to see them intimidating eachother and throwing the salt in the ring. A very unique experience. I was reading my program and about half of the wrestlers are foreign. From Mongolia, Bulgaria and Russia. The Yokozuna right now is called Asashoryu and is from Mongolia. I like him the best, he seems ruthless. The other girls I was with took a liking to the Bulgarian wrestler. Hannah even bought a keitai strap to remind her of him.

So after the sumo we headed to Tenjin and had a nice dinner at a Thai restaurant. We ate lots, dranks lots and talked lots. Then we headed to the Spanish bar for some Red Stripe (yeehaw) and some drinking games. After that we went to Fu bar- a big foreign party and danced a bit. It was a great night and it was wonderful to hang out with quality people! Thanks guys, hope you had as much fun as me.

The next day we went shopping. Louise, Chris and I all bought fabulous hats. So we put them on and strutted around town like it was nobodies business! (Even though Japanese city girls can out-dress us anyday!)