Tokyo: Wrestle-mania

Immediately after 16 visits to Tokyo I thought I'd observed all there was to see for the reason that vast town. That was right up until a buddy created 4 tickets, having a flourish worthy of Willy Wonka's golden prizes. "Hey," he grinned, "are you curious about sumo?"

To be honest I hadn't given it significantly thought but the chance to tick off yet another Tokyo first, and see such an iconic Japanese sport firsthand, was as well great to miss. So a couple of days later on I found myself outside the sprawling 102-year-old Nationwide Fighting techinques Centre near the notorious Asakusa "downtown" section of yesteryear, in the middle of old-town Tokyo. It's a 30-minute train trip from Shibuya along with a world away from the other popular tourist landscapes of Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku and Ginza. The pace of the area - historically the border of the sacred city of Edo, contemporary Tokyo's predecessor - appears a little slower and more serene.

Inside the gigantic arena, on the other hand, that serenity provides method to an electrical ambiance. The large dohyo fighting ring sits in the centre of the arena, underneath a conventional ornate awning, and encompassed by a sell-out crowd of thirteen,000 split over two amounts of seating. The interior circumference of the ceiling is adorned with standard paintings of renowned grand champions (yokozuna) and large Tv cameras line the partitions, broadcasting live to an incredible number of viewers.

We wind our way with the curious mixture of previous and a new comer to our standard Japanese box seats (futons on the raised platform) a mere 8 rows from the front of the ring. Grand tournaments similar to this are held 3 times a year, in January, May possibly and September. Each spans 15 days, with bouts all day every day.

Our go to falls about the penultimate day in time for the Makuuchi division fights, perhaps the same as the top-tier "heavyweights division".

My buddies eagerly point out the stars among the wrestling line-up. All of them weigh in between 160kg and 180kg, though the heaviest fighter, a Georgian, guidelines the scales at 200kg.

Soon after an elaborate coming into ceremony, each bout starts with both adversaries at reverse sides from the ring, normally from two distinct heyas (Sumo teaching stables), and try to accompanied by a monstrous roar in the crowd.

Right after introductions and much more pomp and ceremony through the brightly attired referee, the fighters begin the fairly drawn-out Shinto rituals. There's the clapping from the hands followed by the famous stamping of feet they are driving away evil spirits, the slapping of stomachs and buttocks and the ceremonial throwing of salt to purify the ring, all prior to crouching recorded on their haunches and staring directly into each other's eyes.

Everything builds anticipation to fever pitch then they walk away and repeat the process. And so it goes on.

By the third repetition everyone is roaring the name of their favorite fighter. Then the wrestlers use their corners for that final Shinto ritual of rinsing their hands and mouths with "power-water" and encounter one another for the last time. The arena drops into an eerie silence for any split second before the fighters start at each other and the roar explodes once again. Your dream is fast and furious, usually in a few seconds of slapping, pushing or lifting. It ends when 1 fighter is possibly pushed from the ring or thrown to the ground.

It is not possible to not be swept away within the madness. Soon you're furiously fistpumping the air with the better of them, following the roars and laughter from the crowd as a fighter is pushed out or, in a single case, sent flying in to the front row, crashing right into a few bad ringside-seated individuals like a boulder.

Sumo wrestlers are celebrity superstars, frequently seen in tabloids dating Japanese popstars and styles. It is had a tough couple of years, with one yokozuna instructed to forfeit his title following a drunken brawl and the other match-fixing scandal, however the sport's popularity with would-be fighters and also the public is at its peak.

Ticket product sales start a thirty day period prior to a tournament, and change from Y5000 ($80) for arena seating about the second degree to Y40,000 ($600) for box seats close to the ring. But go if you're able to - it will carry a smile to the most jaded planet traveler.

Steak a claim

If your style of wrestling is a little far more Western and contemporary than sumo, you are in for any treat at Ribera Steakhouse, a little-known restaurant tucked off Tokyo's beaten tourist route in a corner of Meguro.

Unlike a number of Ginza's 40-storey restaurants, in which a sliver of sushi will set you back a day's wages, this humble New York-style steakhouse, with a large open grill along with a continuous fug of steak-infused smoke in which groups of males sit huddled over their beer and meals, has been here some 3 decades.

But it isn't food which makes this location stand out. Important exceptional may be the owner's fanatical devotion to WWF-style professional wrestling, recognized because pro-resu. Each and every sq . inch of wall and ceiling area in Ribera is filled with memorabilia, such as belts, trophies and photographs of professional wrestling's superstars of previous and existing - Hulk Hogan, Owen Hart, Andre the Giant, they are all right here, and frequently they've been within person, as well.

In each and every corner from the area are old and new pictures of each and every WWF-era and Japanese pro wrestling star you can name, plus more than a couple of you can't, all taken within the restaurant and in all their muscle-flexing glory. And most are frequent diners at Ribera. It's not unidentified for various professional wrestlers from all over the world display in the restaurant on any given night.

Recption menus is unashamedly easy; you get to choose one sirloin steak in 3 distinctive dimensions - ? pound, one pound, or one? pound, additionally sides for example rice, corn, salad, and soup; every little thing an increasing fighter needs.

And when everything wrestling memorabilia has you feeling aggressive you are able to endure the Ribera Akebono consuming problem. Named after the Hawaiian-born 233kg Sumo grand champion and subsequent WWF wrestling superstar, the challenge involves downing one.35kg of sirloin steak, three servings of rice, and assorted facet dishes in Half an hour - all for any ten,000 yen ($155) reward.

You'll likely require some of those nice, stretchy lycra wrestling outfits.

Travellers' ideas

* Ticketing and tournament schedules are located right here. The following tournament starts September eleven.

* Going for a Japanese-speaking individual with you is a good idea which means you know what's going on.

Acquiring there: By train from Shibuya station, take the Yamanote line to Yoyogi. Transfer at Yoyogi towards the JR Sobu line. Take JR Sobu line to Ryogoku station. It's a two-minute walk from the station towards the arena, which you'll see in the station.

Where to consume: Ribera Steakhouse. Acquiring there by auto or taxi is the easiest way, about five minutes from Meguro station (JR Yamanote Line). Ribera is about the major trunk line Meguro Dori, but it is a pretty big road. You'll most likely need to supply the address towards the taxi driver, and get him to make use of his navigation system

Frank Liew compensated their own method to Tokyo and visits the town frequently because the owner of Qubic style and product store in Newmarket.