Show - 11 S F2 TRAVEL The Salt Lake Tribune - 11 1993 Sunday April '11s Whomp! Grunt! Slap! Welcome to the world of sumo Continued from III F-- - --4 1 1f neighborhood of small homes shops and factories crammed toarea bounded gether in a by the Sumida River to the west the Toei Asakusa subway line to the north and the Tozai subway line to the south The main action is centered in about a area radiating out from the Ryogoku train station If you actually want to see sumo Ryogoku is the place to try buying tickets before each of the three tournaments staged annually in Tokyo during January May and September Tickets range from about $25 for the cheapest seat to $600 for a ringside seat on the same side of the stadium where the emperor sits A day in Ryogoku starts early but you won't regret the lost hours of sleep For unknown to most outsiders several of the district's approximately 20 sumo stables allow visitors to watch their morning training for free The wrestlers themselves are up as early as 5:30 am and in the ring knocking heads from about 6:30 to 9:30 am Not quite as ambitious I don't make it to the Ryogoku train station off the Sobu Line on the eastern side of Tokyo until 7:45 am where I meet Los Angeles Times researcher Chiaki Kitada We've decided to visit the Azumazeki Stable next to the Honjo Fire Station off Mitsume Road in the district's northeast section Higashi Komagata) It's headed by the sumo world's stable master only foreign-borthe former Jesse Kuhaulua of Hawaii The jovial sumo pioneer was the first foreigner to win a tournament and recruited sumo stars Akebono Konishiki and other Hawaiians to the sport : The stable's sign in bold black calligraphy was penned by former Japanese Prime Minister Yasubiro Nakasone We enter the training room a sparse but airy walls enclosure of blonde-woobea There dirt Surrounding ring fore us like ancient gladiators are huge heaving male bodies wrapped only in brown training belts While two wrestlers face off in the ring the others jog around them do stretches lift weights Some of them shoot us inquiring looks No wonder: We are the only women in the room : The male energy is overwhelming I feel slightly embarrassed and extremely conspicuous Sumo Is a man's world where women are not allowed even to step into the ring But the Japanese manager Kokichi Karimata is extremely friendly He tells one of the junior wrestlers to get cushions for us to sit on sumo Akebono the champion who towers over every 4 :: ' - 'I 0 ' 10-blo- ' 44 4 - '' "- a " 1 : 0: '''''s 1 i ' 4 4 ' !001 i t 11:2: 7 7 )401 - I I 4 it anguage ' li40 441 011 1 4:' 'If ttAlle - t-e- -- 1 '1 1-- 7 — ?- '4' ' - ' I1 1 1413 -' i- l' - 't 3 t'k' ''' 4?414444LI 4 1 t kt 11 4 0 : il I 4 )1'14444w1 4' 4010-- - ( e10 ''' - -4' it44-4- 40144- - ( 4d --IC Chiaki Kitadatos Angeles Times Miniature sumo wrestlers are hot items at souvenir shop in sport goko district where tourists can witness enturies-old Ityoc- n vary $54 single to $96 double up to $137 The Ryogoku Pearl Yokozuna SuHotel mida-ku tel 3211) is one minute from the station Rates begin at $60 for a single In adjacent Asakusabashi the Asakusabashi BusiAsakusabaness Hotel shi Taito-ktel is three minutes ) from the Asakusabashi subway and train station Rates $60 single to $105 double Most hotels will assist visitors in calling the Japan Sumo Association for information about tickets but generally can't help obtain them IF You Go (1-2-- TIMES LOS ANGELES Getting there: Take the Japan Railways Yamanote Line to Akihabara Station transfer to the yellow Sobu Line Track No 6 headed toward Chiba Ryogoku is the second stop from Akihabara Or take a taxi from anywhere in Tokyo to Ryogoku Station From the station it's easiest to get to the stables by cab The Azumazeki stable is a $5 taxi ride away d 011-81-- u " Where to stay: If you're set on staying in Ryogoku The River Hotel Ryogoku Sumida-kfrom US teleis phones conveniently located to the train station Rates For more information: Call or write the Japan National Tourist Organization 624 S Grand Ave Suite 1611 Los Angeles Calif 90017 (213) (2-13- u kitty-corn- 623-195- 2 pours down his face heat rises from his back (In sumo the objective is to propel one's opponent out of the ring or cause him to touch the ground one else at 6 feet 7 inches strides into the ring He takes on two other wrestlers alternatively making short work of them pushing them out of the ring in seconds Sweat d 15-fo- ot some know a whole lot while some know relatively little Medical experts someone's cousin is positive will stroke victim put An back on his feet for another 30 or 40 years Doctors have a tremendous disadvantage in acquiring medi- cal knowledge in that the fools tend to dwell only on proven facts whereas the rest of us are free to explore that vast store of knowledge to be found in con- versation with neighbors in health food magazines and on call-iradio shows Sometimes that's the trouble with being an amateur doctor who is an expert in only one ail- ment You get too many uninvit- - In fact so many families have Continued from F1 gone through the cruel school of medical knowledge that you could probably find in any lay community of 10000 or so a reservoir of memorized facts rivaling the collected wisdom of a medical school faculty useful remedies that Dad must endure and pointless remedies that verge on cruelty When that happens the family's opinion is at least as expert as the doctor's And when the time comes that there is some doubt whether this form with all the tubes attached is still a person who can be humanely perpetuated then members of the family become the worlds foretnost experts in the matter And some knowledge of the ailment or condition will serve them well in making the decision However these lay medical experts have a drawback They not only know quite a bit that is so about an ailment but they often know quite a bit that isn't so They hear things from friends and other family members They learn about treatments involving large doses of vitamins or of wheat germ that barely-breathin- g : '14 ? 1 e ii ' ' Madrid o Brus'sets 0 Paris 'da- m Milan 0 Am io kfur tad1— --Lonimon ' itor u1c- 0 er Sa- I' a '74 a e to) : tIttsito IP 4 oTtOres- r tr - 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c ' ' 1 elect Aillv Departures Bill Hall is columnist editorial page writer for the Lewiston : ' Prices:1 Wholesale - (Idaho) Morning Tribune a Salt Lake Tribune group newspaper I 1:ot - ir 0 V:' ' I ' I I ' r T D ' fi IP 0 i iPM11011050' 4 'CM 7:014 (ling I tielii-POA Ilk i M 1:1 0 iTri i iril 11 r) Th- - ' i :7 ' tge I c of ' ' i b i - i A - t ' 441'' I 441 11111111115P 40- 4: 4Toi74r1:41c411111:irt!4fIT11117likileiti-'''i'1r17-iti'k'1)-- '2'b?:1:-''147- r f'!-'':l- 44 : it i s4rollit4iliiitott:4t J(ojliClielo:)41atioto' 1 rof 9 AM - 3 PM Call - - - O'It(0) 0 0 : - "11 '' 91' ' - i:i -- E 0 f 11 1'1 III fl t 1'" i 'a 11 lief 1: ' : 4 07111:14 ' e r' I i "A --—: k - 11' !II )14 Pt:T'''T)4-11!- tat! u ale 4872835 1V fon Op VI t 4 41cl -- p ArVid - A ! iv ' ti-- : i'' e :47t ' ill ii it ' ' t t tit::!!-j- - iii-- : I 1 i'l V 4 °i i eiii I ii I :1'71:rkz-- 14! - :i)iifiTi 1 : i 11 Aovftk I 1 y04- - - r if— r:- : 1 a WO i ) VEL -i t4 el'-i- I 'r-'-'- --T't:-':': : Li: Aot 10'1 a-TRA- Oki i!- I Ik(0)11)Zio-1116‘Vteit- f7 VI ! I4 ors '431(4 A914 I :cA rs1 lsse 1 41' L Piqr 111pI):!itl Special Sale Cruises Require Bookings and Deposits on Day of Sale ' f Upgrades tetst : lige ll:4 III Ship Board Credits : 0 :pi I I ' cm- f 1M6431112 cititc4474:7 6:wreak 4 - i TOUR alÉR 1298 ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES ' atit tit IiitIPtiala' I - 4 1!" li ' 4F 04010 digki 4111f 4 ' ittepIS - t''''''''' 1st Time Ever On Sale 7) 4 09 1 : 4 Illr S' ' - - - ' (2430 SO) 30 - ' ' ' 8:30 to 5:30 ' OR MORRIS 268 380 A April 14 1993 I (466-774- ' 358 It - Ii 4101 ft47004k TIT-' t :4 Taki: & it iltilfe tmoute ( 'g1t) oj I N ' :' 4E1 0 k k I f I Ino sea i '-- ' De of 4 94': ' 0 0' ' 8 '298 010 BOS 0' - CALL i i ace' '1 4 ktgo sr 1196 I tol -!- sal littg-- 88 & 1:0 IS Oe fAigin iii — !10 i388 (leiItem Sa Ba tt: to 7 tOSTAleai: aa sa i 717)777:71711' th! ill'121 71-4- r I 8 as ja7LLiru — - ':11HL:41 T411114t1141-A10140 -- iow AIR FARES sa "w ONLY! Y a - 49 a rithlidlikögslitiNagiii lt al i' -- - nTallizA4414coell ' LILIWU I 14 14 ra1171110 ONE-DA- ' — i:: tclgio1iIo TIiJ - 421719(kr) 041g4 crz- I - 0'r r-'n' kl i' long-distan- ' 1 1 i f!::!':-Vii- Exclusively for 0 - 1E -- i it t - n - Y F 1440':-:-:-- ed second opinions from people as knowledgeable as yourself But you must try just the same You must do your home work You must be prepared not merely to help the doctor do what Dad would want but to give your brother and your siscall ter during that each night some facts to chew on to help hold them together while your father comes unrav- : 1- : VIMSWIOVSIAAG A LIWANK101310ElidocX1VaW0000WOMCFMZM d roly-pol- y 3865-4747- 7 111 A cross-legge- d 4 462-poun- with some part of the body other than the soles of his feet) Between matches Akebono clowns around He burps loudly and laughs He playfully spits water on a junior wrestler who doesn't flinch Befitting his rank Akebono is endlessly catered to as junior wrestlers scurry to wipe his back serve him water and tie his belt Not all sumo stables accommodate visitors Your best bet may be to call before going down Most sumo books as well as the Tokyo-baseSumo World magazine (which can be found at some hotels and most bookstores) list stables and their telephone numbers And do observe sumo etiquette when watching practice According to Sumo World publisher Andy Adams visitors should not use flash bulbs talk or approach the wrestlers during practice Always ask for permission before taking photos And in deference to the sport's male tradition women should wear pants and sit with legs folded under or to the side never After the match head back to Ryogoku station By now your stomach may be grumbling It's time to taste "chankonabe" the specialty sumo stew There are several chanko shops in Ryogoku most however are open only for dinner Wrestlers tend to eat their daily chanko in their stables but you may find them dining in local "yakiniku" or grilled beef restaurants The chanko meals are not cheap — they range from $25 to $36 a head But the ingredients are of the highest quality including crab clam salmon sardines scallops beef chicken and vegetables all cooked in a hot pot over a gas grill in the middle of your table And what's a trip to Ryogoku without stocking up on sumo souvenirs? The Hoshi no Ojisama gift sumo shop is filled with dolls in all sizes From its inception two millennia ago sumo has been closely related to Shintoism Japan's animistic native religion In the "Kojiki" Japan's oldest account of its mythical traditions and historical events the first sumo champion Nominosukune was worshiped as a god As we climb into a cab the taxi driver is listening to the sumo broadcast on the tddio Barely able to contain himself he blurts out the latest news "Kotobeppu got hurt" he breathlessly announces Then "Who do you like? Ah Akebono? He's big isn't he? Second biggest to Konishiki Really huge You saw Mitoizumi? Ah he's a round kid isn't he?" We know we are in Ryogoku English-l- 44--- 'kb1:4 ' ' 1 - - ii "-:--' —I - - - 7 4 ' 4 0 ri4k" ii 1 1 ' 4z xer : i - ' 7 - t ' I '- g " t 1 ' : '- : 1—' 1 ' 1 i t 4- 1 ito q to resw-- 1 I ' 4 ilk 1 c 41 r - 1r A I 1 1 44K - rr A L o 5: t I! I aa P rar A den ? 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