Saturday 18th - Next morning we met up with a friend of ours who lives in Tokyo, and hung out for the morning not far from Ueno. Yuko and I then headed over to the Sumo stadium for the first basho of the year and my first ever sumo tournament. Surprising really, as I was a fan of sumo many years ago but we'd never managed to quite co-ordinate trips with the convenient timing of a basho. In the past the price and ticket availability has also been an issue, but with the recent decline in popularity, triggered in part by corruption in the sport and gaijin (foreigners) replacing the native Japanese in the higher ranks, seats are more readily available these days and at prices that are not to steep either.
We arrvied around 2:30pm just towards the end of the junior rank bouts. Walking up outside we were lucky enough to see a couple of the junior rankers strolling in their yukata away from the stadium (possibly off to grab some chanko nabe for lunch!). I managed to grab a quick video clip of them which I might try to post for others better versed to perhaps identify them. Snapped a obligatory photo with the current yellow bird sumo mascot, then took to our seats. Sat through the senior ranking wrestlers until the end of the day around 6:30pm. Although our seats were quite high up the view of the ring was fine. Using my camera I was able to get some decent photos and video clips too (when the three elderly ladies in the row in front of us weren't leaning forward and shouting for their favourites!). It was good fun but less exciting that if I knew who the wrestlers were these days! Would definitely go again, but would like to have followed a season or two before doing so to get the most out of the day.
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