Sumo!!

None of us were quite sure what to expect as we followed Charlie faithfully to the Sumo Tournament hall. Would we like it? Would it be too strange -- too foreign -- for a group of young Americans to enjoy? My interest was peaked as we exited the subway it find the station decorated with huge portraits of the grand champions.

Portraits of Sumo's Grand Champions hang in the subway station

We even saw several sumo wrestlers coming to the station or getting into taxis. And yes, they were easy to spot, not only because of their towering size, but also because they were wearing traditional kimono and sandals. I was tempted to snap a quick picture but refrained because, well, they were huge, and slightly grumpy looking. Charlie explained that the matches last all day so these are the men who have already finished -- and quite possibly lost. Perhaps they will feel better seeing the sumo-themed candy (or cookies, or crackers, I couldn't tell) for sale at the station.

Eat enough of these and maybe you, too, can grow up big and strong like a sumo wrestler

The Sumo Tournament Hall, or Ryōgoku Kokugikan (両国国技館) was a suitably huge, ornate building that can hold up to 13,000 people. Once you find your seat, the atmosphere inside is surprisingly relaxed. People really do camp out all day. You can bring in food from outside and the chairs have little tables, so people were casually talking in groups while snacking. The lower level is even more family friendly, with seating on big red cushions (more about those cushions later) that can be reserved in groups.

The interior is impressive, again ringed with portraits of previous grand champions. A massive roof in the style of a Shinto shrine is suspended over the ring, with tassels on the corners to symbolize the four seasons. The official overseeing the match functioned like a referee but looked like a priest. Many other religious elements were at play, from the round raised circle similar to what we passed through at a Shinto shrine, clapping, rinsing of the mouth, wiping of the face, and throwing of salt into the ring before each match. Before the wrestling began, a circle of ornately dressed men with water and brooms carefully cleaned the ring to prepare it for the upcoming match. Although I didn't understand everything that was going on, it was absolutely fascinating.

Because each match was preceded by the wrestlers following many prescribed steps, it was interesting to observe when and why the crowd reacted. Because so many of the steps were identical, if there was even the slightest variation by one of the wrestlers, the onlookers immediately became fired up. If one wrestler raised his leg higher than the other during the iconic stretching, the crowd gasped. While most walked regally to accept their towel to wipe their face (one of the last steps before the wrestling started), if one hurried over, the crowd began to murmur - clearly this competitor was filled with fighting spirit! One time a wrestler performed a dramatic backward stretch and the crowd went wild! I found myself absorbing this attention to detail as well -- after one match the loser did not bow, but instead stormed off, and I found myself somewhat shocked by his breach of protocol!

When the matches began, everyone's attention was riveted to the ring. After a long buildup before every match, action would explode into a fury of pushing, grunting and cheering, often over in a few seconds.

The highlight of the evening was the very last match. Charlie explained that when a Grand Champion is fighting, he is expected to win. He may have a record of something like 50 wins in a row. However in the final match there was a dramatic upset and the challenger won. The crowd went truly wild, picking up their red seat cushions and throwing them into the ring! Charlie was super-excited. Although we were all too surprised to take a picture at this point, we got to see a new Grand Champion crowned right before our eyes. I can honestly say that sumo just gained 16 new fans that night.