LIVING LARGE IN VEGAS
Sumo wrestlers perform the ancient Shinto ritual of raising the roof
Las Vegas is the cultural equivalent of the 7-Eleven suicide drink (all fountain drinks + all Slurpee flavors mixed into one cup).
Hence it made perfect sense that my family and I would walk over Venetian canals, through the Imperial Palace, under the Eiffel Tower, near the soon-to-be Hooters Casino Hotel, and past some Elvis impersonators and "Men in Black" slot machines to see an official Shinto ritual and traditional form of combat that dates back 1500 years.
Yes, we had tickets for the final day of the Grand Sumo Championship tournament at Mandalay Bay, the first official sumo event to take place in the United States in twenty years.
I've watched sumo wrestling matches before on NHK television, Japan's PBS, with my dad, who watches them religiously. But seeing the action live helped me appreciate the strength, agility, balance, and flexibility of these wrestlers, typically mocked in the United States as fat people in diapers.
It was great to sit next to Pops; he cited statitsics and trivia about wrestlers with bizarre ease. However, it was not great to constantly lose bets to him, as he correctly predicted that the current yokozuna (highest-ranked champion) -- 25 year old, 320-pound Asashoryu from Mongolia -- would dominate the other 38 top-ranked rikishi.
The highlight, however, was watching wrestler Takamisakari -- nicknamed "Robocop" -- and his pre-bout antics, which involve the repeated Stooge-like slapping of his head and pounding of his chest. He seems to be the Terrell Owens of sumo,but with less Sharpies.
The other highlight was when it was somehow quiet enough for one guy to yell, "Konnichiwa!" loud enough to cause everyone in Mandalay Bay to chuckle.
Finally, we happened to spot and take photos with one of the sumo wrestlers, Tosanoumi, who was heading for the blackjack tables after the tournament. This picture captures the essence of how the Japanese worship the sumo wrestlers: my dad seems to be staring up at him the way little awe-struck kids do when they first see Mickey Mouse at Disneyland.
Yoisho!
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