While sumo is a popular sport, I’m lucky enough to be in Fukuoka where we have one of the Sumo tournament arenas. There is a practice arena near my high school where the junior level sumo wrestlers go to prepare for matches. Apparently it’s their daily routine to practice very early in the morning, eat, and then sleep the rest of the day – or at least until they fight.
Sumo Practice Arena
I got up at 6:30 AM (on a Sunday…), met up with a friend and arrived at the area at 8AM. Completely deserted, we headed over to building nearby where they supposedly stay, and stay they did.
My friend poked his head inside. No one in sight. “Sumimasen” (excuse me), he called out four to five times. Suddenly, who should appear but a junior sumo! Awoken from a deep slumber, came around the corner rubbing his sleepy eyes, and scratching his belly… o how appealing. The wrestler informed us that practice for the day was over. Opps! Sorry, please go back to sleep!
The ring is covered with a tarp held down with car tires.
Shingu Beach
A bit disappointed that we missed the practice, we both agreed that we wouldn’t have made it any earlier if we did it all over again :P. So my friend took me to Shingu Beach, a beach that’s about a 15-20 minute walk from Shingu-Chuo station. The view was really pretty, but it was so windy and cold that our stay was probably no more than 5 minutes. However, the weather didn’t stop the many fishermen that came out that morning.
Not the greatest of beaches in terms of look, or swimming. But it can be just a decent place to sit and relax near the water.
BC Roll in Japan 