Figured that might grab your attention and
that was what I was hoping for.Ý Now you can read about what I've
prepared for this whole year in Japan.Ý I've eaten the bizarre food,
slurped the noodles, bowed until I'm dizzy, conquered the train routes,
driven the narrow roads, found my window screens, freezed in the
winter and sweated pools in the summer, bathed with the Prime Minister's
brother, married a couple, sung Carpenters and "Help" in front of
hundreds of people, danced strange dances, caught oranges for luck,
saw more shrines than I like to imagine, and now...only now...am I ready
to do the ultimate Japanese experience...SUMO.Ý ÝÝÝ A couple
months ago I heard about a foreigner sumo tourny, the only one of
its kind in all Japan, so a friend and I decided what better way
to truly experience Japan than do that?Ý So what if it took 6hrs
to drive there so we would have to leave at 6am on a Saturday. So
what if the the price of the tolls would be the equivalent of $200.Ý So
what if we didn't know exactly how to get there because the map we were
using wasn't in English..we were determined.Ý Determined to wear
a mawashi...which only could be described as something a little bigger
than a thong so it actually, supposedly covers the crack in your
butt...and a little more in the front...and wearing nothing else.Ý
Determined with only this gear on to wrestle other sweaty, dirty,
guys with only this on.Ý Yes, you thought it...we're nuts...completely
crazy but believe it or not it was a great experience after the initial
shock I went through.Ý So let me take you there...to that magical
town of Anamizu...where mostly quiet, sometimes overwhelmed English
teachers become mostly naked, wrestling animals.Ý ÝÝÝ We (two
women and my friend who was to participate too..their names are withheld
to protect the "innocent") arrived at 12:30pm...start time of the
sumo lesson not haven ate anything or slept the night before...after
a 6hr drive and a couple stops for directions...we found the place.Ý
Our first sight was a guy wearing a mawashi...soon the only thing
that we, too, would be wearing.Ý My friend and I looked at each other...were
we really going to do this?Ý Went over to the main desk.Ý We paid
our 1,000yen entry fee...they gave us the program and told us where
we could get the mawashi put on.Ý We went to the place and it was
all full so one Japanese guy called us over and said he would put it
on us there...in the open...in front of all God's creation... Well no turning
back now...strip...down to nothing...quickly hold the material to cover
our essentials and the guy spun us around to make the outfit.Ý Again
it only covers the crack and front barely.Ý I was told that during
a match if the mawashi falls off you lose.Ý Talk about adding insult
to injury...not only do you lose your modesty, any sense of dignity,
but you also lose the match.Ý I think the guy putting this thing
on me kept that in mind because he made sure this thing was on as
tight as possible.Ý Comfort and freedom were not words that ever
came to mind throughout the remainder of the day.Ý ÝÝÝ So now
we looked the part...well about as much as a foreigner could I suppose
and of course the friends we came with had to make a couple jokes
about it.Ý Well I just want to say to them "Love me for my mind not
my body"..."I'm a human too...I have feelings"..."If you cut me do
I not bleed?"Ý Yes, we felt exploited...and now I completely understood
what I woman goes through when she has a conversation with a guy
and his eyes aren't quite connecting to hers...but lower...not to
mention the anxiety in trying to find a place to make sure no one
saw my butt...it was a circular arena!!! No escape...Where ever I turned
there were always people behind me...so I got over it.Ý ÝÝÝ
Next came the warmup and lesson.Ý The warmup basically was a bunch
of stretches and slapping yourself on the legs and butt.Ý The lesson
was just showing us how to push each other.Ý I kinda already knew
that much and then we were divided into teams of five and the games
began. ÝÝÝ The sumo gods were against me the whole day.Ý For some
strange reason I was put in a group of skinny tall guys when other
teams had a diverse group from lightweights to heavyweights.Ý It
turned out that I was the heavyweight though I was the same size
as another team's middleweight.Ý So I had the minor task of going
against guys who were 40 or more pounds bigger than me.Ý My first bout
I somehow won...my second I didn't...though after reviewing the video
it should have been a draw.Ý My team lost pretty quickly and now
it was time for the individual competition.Ý Single elimination.Ý
So now maybe I would be able to go against someone closer to my size.Ý
Of course not.Ý My first bout was against the 3-time champion who
is also the cousin of a Japanese professional sumo wrestler.Ý That
bout didn't last long, but at least as I was falling over the side
of the ring I did a little flip that made me stand back on my feet.Ý
If I don't have talent in winning at least I can have style in losing.Ý
That guy went on to win his 4th title, but my luck just really stuns
me.Ý Next was a little competition called the "king of the mountain",
where anyone, other than guys who did well in the individual, could
wrestle anyone else and if he wins 3 in a row he gets an award.Ý
Well once again the gods were against me because I would win 2 in a
row,Ý then after being worn out have to face a guy either equal or bigger
than me who was completely fresh.Ý But at least I won some, right?Ý
Overall, record 7-6.Ý Ý ÝÝÝ My overall experience was definately
a good one.Ý No broken bones.Ý No fallen mawashi.Ý Lots of video
and pictures...actually is that a good thing?Ý Talk about incriminating
evidence.Ý Some smiles and laughs.Ý But I'm already training for
next year, or I should say I'm going to train for next year after
the sorness, bruises, and bleeding subside.Ý Why not?Ý I didn't do too
bad for my first time and I learned that the 4-time champion won't be there
next year because he has to go home.Ý So I have much better odds
at winning it all....maybe...just maybe.Ý Ý ÝÝÝ