Japanese Culture

Andy’s Trip to Japan 2024: Part II

Andy Japanese Culture

Tokyo is a massive, sprawling city and certainly not the only one in Japan. Kyoto, Osaka, and numerous other spots will vie for your attention. On this trip, though, we were basically in and around Tokyo. Within Tokyo, there are numerous sites to see and therefore many possible places to stay. So, I just wanted to take a brief moment to describe where we were and why we were there.

The Neighborhood

Before picking a hotel, when going to Tokyo and you’re looking for a place to stay, pick a neighborhood or a train station first that will basically serve as a convenient base of operations. Depending on how long your trip is, you might move from spot to spot.

For us, we stay in Kameido which works as a nice base for a sumo fan. It’s two stops from Ryogoku and (for me) walking distance to Sky Tree and Oshiage. It’s also well known for its Wisteria, particularly at the Kameido Tenjin shrine. There’s also a shop that’s famous for gyoza. Importantly for us, though, it’s where my wife grew up and where my mother-in-law lives.

We found a great little hotel that cost roughly $1000/week for two (small) adjoining rooms for our family of four. Importantly, two adjoining rooms meant two bathrooms. They also had a great free breakfast buffet from 6:30-9. (Not the usual pancakes, sausage, and eggs.) My wife ate onsen tamago for almost 15 days straight. Anyway, it worked really well to get us up and out of bed early in the morning before temperatures got super hot. Even my teenaged son would get up by 8:30am. And it’s not often you can reliably find good, proper fish to eat.

Our big plans for the trip included:

  • Visiting with family – mostly Kameido but also Disney
  • Visiting with friends – multiple sites
  • Ekōin visit – Ryogoku
  • Watching a Jungyo event – Tachikawa
  • Walking to sumo stables – multiple sites, clustered around Ryogoku
  • Shohozan’s yakiniku – Funabashi

That said, if you are a sumo fan and you are going to be at a tournament in January, May, or September, you will be at Ryogoku on those days. But the city is your oyster.

Ku: Ward/City

If sumo is your prime or only reason to go to Tokyo, a good base of operations would be there in Sumida or Northern Koto Ward. A quick note about Ward vs City. The wards (区ku) in Tokyo and many other Japanese cities are rather large cities in and of themselves, so you will hear Sumida City interchangeably with Sumida Ward, for example.

The 23 special wards in Tokyo have a degree of autonomy in governing and thus their “city” status actually means something. But when translating, or describing stuff for folks new to Japan, it can be confusing and a bit irrelevant. So, I tend to use “ward” because it’s called a -ku and it’s a subcomponent of Tokyo, which we in the West think of as a “city.”  But when you’re researching places to stay and things to see, don’t be surprised if you see “Sumida City” or other such cities.

(“But…” Don’t. Stop right there. You’re going to go on about how Tokyo has these extra wards and is a prefecture-level entity of itself, as a -to, is run by a governor, so it makes sense that the entities below it are cities. Just stop. Don’t. If it’s -ku, it’s “ward.” Case closed. For now.)

Sumida Ward runs along the eastern side of the Sumida River, right across from the famous sights in Asakusa, and down to Ryogoku. Just past Ryogoku you get into Koto ward. There are a number of sumo stables in the Koto and Sumida Wards, many of them major stables with top wrestlers and sizeable foreign fanbases. As of my writing, twenty of the forty-four active stables are spread out in Koto and Sumida wards.

I am working on this interactive map of sumo stables to help fans know where to go. Some of these can be a bit tricky to find. They’re often regular buildings, just like any other, with the nameplate being the most distinguishing feature, tipping you off that there are sumo wrestlers around.

Many other options

That said, there are many other sights in the Tokyo area and I am sure many of you have other interests. The Imperial Palace and the central districts by Marunouchi and Tokyo station are amazing places to see. My son loves trains and can spend hours watching the various trains and shinkansen running out of Tokyo station.

I ran an informal little poll a few days ago to learn what options other people use when staying in Tokyo. Asakusa was right there at the top. That area is across the river from Sky Tree/Oshiage so fairly close to Ryogoku, for sumo fans. On that side of the river, Hoshoryu fans will be happy that Tatsunami beya is just a bit north of Sensoji. Nishiiwa-beya is a bit to the south, near the Kuramae area. Otowayama and Naruto are also just across the river.

Another popular response was Shinjuku which is a very central business district, home to the infamous Kabukicho. Justin pointed out Kanda, which along with Nihonbashi, are great locations in central Tokyo. Flying into Haneda also featured among responses and neighborhoods convenient to there, include Shinagawa, my old haunt of Shibakoen, Hamamatsucho, etc.

There’s Roppongi, Azabu, Shibuya (hopefully that Tower Records is still there), Ueno…and even more in Tokyo itself. Outside of Tokyo, I still enjoy the Minato Mirai area of Yokohama and like to spend time down there and in neighboring Chinatown. We’ll sometimes spend a night or two down there but home base is Koto Ward in Tokyo. Each of these places are worthy of day trips but for us, home is there between Ryogoku and Kameido.

Andy’s Trip to Japan 2024: Part I

Andy Japanese Culture, Japanese Language, Japanese Society, Jungyo (巡業)

Andy’s lightning fast, 2-week vacation to Japan is in the books. It was an amazing trip and I am already nagging my wife about when we can go back. I have proposed this coming winter but she’s pushing for next winter. We shall see. Tokyo is the same old Tokyo I fell in love with in 2003 but much has changed in the seven years since my last trip. That means new places to discover or new reasons to re-discover familiar old haunts.

This series of posts will deal with our trip to Japan. Not all of it will be strictly sumo related as a large chunk of it will be about traveling to Tokyo and hopefully suggestions for how newbies can get around, and particularly the non-Japanese-speaking newbies. I’ve got 10 pages of content so far and I can’t stop typing. There are plans of maps, data visualizations and loads of pictures. We will see what makes the final edits. But I will make this first quick post about a very simple question:

Why Go Now?

The primary reason for the visit was personal. We had not seen my in-laws, Teams and Zoom excepted, since before the pandemic shut Japan’s borders. When the borders reopened there was a boom in tourism which has been boosted by the absurd yen-dollar exchange rate. That has made flights expensive and available seats difficult to find for the past couple of years. Add in the fact that inflation has been very low in Japan over the past twenty years and it becomes a bigger draw — even with the recent 2.5-3.5% post-pandemic inflation prices over there are remarkably similar to, but just a little higher than, what I remember from the early 2000s. So, it seemed the entire planet has spent the last couple of years booking flights to Japan.

I don’t like to throw out an argument without showing a bit of data to support it. This data is taken from the World Bank and shows consumer prices in the US and Japan, based at 2010. On the lefthand side of the graph, the dramatic uphill climb for Japan illustrates the rapid inflation of the 1970s and bursting of the bubble economy but look at the remarkably flat prices from the 1990s to the late 2010s. Ultimately, I look at this and see that I can spend a little bit more on yakiniku and yakitori that I was spending 20 years ago while making with a higher salary to boot.

Anyway, the low prices may not be around for much longer, as you see that uptick over the last several years. The comparison is not meant to illustrate $1 of ice cream equals $100 yen of ice cream. It is to simply contrast overall trends in consumer prices, especially since inflation has been such a big topic everywhere. This graph gives us a look at those trends in the US versus the trend in Japan. I could add more countries but most readers seem to be Americans and that is what I know but I can definitely try to add more countries to the graph if others are interested in seeing it. The World Bank’s website has great data like this.

If you have not gone to Japan yet, and you’re still on the fence, you might want to hop off that fence soon and take the plunge. Economically speaking, your dollar will go pretty far and ticket prices for flights are starting to come back to Earth. Inflation is starting to kick in a bit over there so the time to party appears to be now, while the exchange rate is massively in our favor. It has already swung from over 160 to 147 in the past few weeks.

On the other hand…

Why Not Go Now?

We very nearly passed up this opportunity because we knew that summer in Tokyo would be hot. We had heard temperatures were regularly in the upper 90s to up over 100. That sounded similar to what I had experienced 20 years ago but friends had been telling us, “this year’s worse.” As it turned out, our entire trip featured highs above 90°F with lows around 80°F. Scorching!!

To combat the heat, many people would wear rings that you can put in the refrigerator or freezer and wear around your neck. You can find them easily in stores. The cheap, old-school, “ojichan” method that I saw in use was to wear rolled up tenugui around the neck. Tenugui are hand towels, basically what you wave around at sumo tournaments. They can be used to simply block the sun or to hold the ice/cooling packs. Or, as Daieisho demonstrated, you can use the tenugui to just look cool. I would not advise going out on the town in only a towel, though. As tempting as it may be.

Popular consumer electronics this year seriously include portable fans to wear around your neck. When we were at Disney, I saw some people walking around with full-blown desk fans. Recently there have been consumer warnings that damaged fan batteries might explode while the user is wearing them. I like to beat the heat in edible, and non-combustable, fashion. Many vending machines on train platforms were selling ice cream! Those out in the sticks near Nishonoseki-beya were unfortunately sold out.

I enjoyed this one on the Tachikawa monorail while heading to the Jungyo (more of which in later posts). As you can see from the picture of the vending machine below, it cost me 200 yen, or roughly $1.35. Most were 180. There were a bunch of good choices.

A buck-and-a-quarter for ice cream in the heat. It is not exactly a massive pint of Breyer’s but an acceptable option in the heat. A pint from the grocery store back home would set me back $5.50 so I could buy four of these. I should have bought four of these. Damn it. Ah, we have to live with the decisions we make. Anyway, I swear, this country is magical. Why can’t we have ice cream vending machines?

Bottom line, I have successfully turned one reason NOT to go to Japan into a reason to go. So, what’s next? As a sumo fan, there’s no sumo tournament in August…well, at least no hon-basho. Our trip would begin as the Nagoya tournament ended and only last for two weeks. So that’s another major strike against going in August.

There is the Jungyo, though, so I wanted to check that out for myself. I did that, and the proof is in these pictures. There was also amateur sumo to enjoy, in the form of a middle-school championship at Kokugikan and a women’s high school tournament in Tachikawa, which I unfortunately missed.

I wanted to actually discover as many of the heya as I possibly could, as well as possibly meet sumo wrestlers. Check! I was also determined to support Shohozan and his yakiniku restaurant – and support many other suppliers of delicious sustenance. Check!

Lastly, I had an interview set up with the head priest at Ekōin Temple. Check! And that was a very interesting conversation. Mr. Honda is a lovely fellow and I hope you all will enjoy learning what I did about the temple and its role in the history of Grand Sumo.

Summary

So, in spite of no hon-basho, I felt that I peppered my trip with enough sumo for a two-week visit. Much more on these in future posts. Clearly, for us the yays outnumbered the nays with regard to going to Japan. If more of you are there now, or planning to go, or have been recently, feel free to share your experiences in the comments…especially those that are along the lines of, “I wish I knew this before I went.” My lessons learned about Jungyo covers an entire post in and of itself.

Sumo and Sushi DC, Year Two (Part II)

Andy Japanese Culture ,

Justin and Andy were able to experience Konishiki’s Sumo and Sushi event for the second summer in a row. Justin’s write-up about his experience is here. Andy’s review of last year is here. This post is Andy’s experience from this year.

Andy’s VIP Experience

My wife and I had the pleasure of going to Sumo and Sushi again this year (2024). Frankly, my wife was skeptical of it last year but we had such a great time AND we were able to meet Justin and Heather, so it was a no-brainer to go again this year. Though, regretfully, I did not repeat my “in-the-ring” experience.

The Venue

The venue this year was the DC Armory which is very convenient to the DC Metrorail System. If you’re not familiar with DC or the Armory, you may remember the old RFK Stadium where the Redskins used to play during the hayday of the Hogettes. The Armory is across the street and basically right at the Stadium-Armory Metro stop. My wife and I were shocked that it only cost us $2 each way to get there from Bethesda. Usually during the weekday it would be quite a bit more expensive. Last year, the venue was nowhere near Metro so we drove…and paid about $30 to park. The free weekend parking at the Metro Station and cheap Metro rides were greatly appreciated.

Each time Konishiki’s crew is in town it has been around my birthday, so I treat the two of us to the VIP upgrades so we can avoid the lines. And believe me when I say there are lines. When you get to the venue, there is a line to get in. And when you are inside there are lines at the bar and merch stand. Since seating for each section is “first-come, first-serve” it is important to get in early to claim the best seats.

Doors open an hour before the show and the VIP entrance meant that my chronically late butt was able to avoid the line, get inside and have a great seat with no hassle. While we haven’t gotten the best VIP seats — like right in the middle — even the not-so-great VIP seats are still pretty good. We do not have some tall person’s head in the way, we’re not tucked away in a corner, food and drink are a few steps away. Last year, the VIP section felt a little cramped but there was a lot more space this year. The Armory was a lot bigger to accommodate a crowd that seemed easily two or three times as large as the audience in 2023. But I do concede that the VIP section is too far away from the dohyo for my phone to get the same amazing pictures Justin got from the Front Row. I think I will be doing the Front Row experience next year.

The Show

The show was broken into three “Blocks”: an introduction to sumo and the exercises and training, a more detailed description of rules, tactics and strategy, and lastly the exhibition bouts. As Justin said in his review, this year there was more of a focus on sumo and less on Konishiki’s personal back story. This allowed Konishiki to go into a bit more depth and explain more advanced kimarite.

There is so much material left to cover that Justin’s idea of a more advanced, “expert” session could be interesting. The roles of the yobidashi, gyoji, and shimpan are never really explained so maybe there is some room there? Konishiki made a couple of jokes about how the guys loved Five Guys burgers so my wife had the idea that having actual kensho-kin on the bouts would be a good addition and might make the bouts more competitive. They’re exhibition bouts and it would be really bad news if one of the guys got hurt. It’s not like Konishiki can call someone up from Juryo if Otani has to go kyujo. But it would be a good way to demonstrate what is going on in the ring.

The first two blocks were a bit of a lecture where the crowd was kind of just watching the demonstrations and listening to Konishiki. The crowd really got into the bouts. As far as the exhibition bouts go, Justin is right that it seemed to have more structure last year. Then, the bouts were a bit of a round-robin tournament. This year, they just seemed to be randomly taking turns and alternating between winning and losing. Not a big deal at all. It was just a little odd that “Osaka Joe” was declared the winner rather suddenly.

The interactive portion of the show was what really got the crowd going, though. The MC called several folks forward who had paid for the “Get in the Ring” option. Each participant got a big hand and a lot of support from the crowd. I would really encourage folks to go up and get in the ring. It was an amazing experience last year. I really wish I had done it this year, too. Maybe next year I will bring my own mawashi like the guys from the NYC Sumo Club. If you do not get in the ring, you are missing out. It is that simple.

How do you get into baseball? Watching a game, or by picking up a bat and ball? I say the latter. How do you get into football? Watching commercials during the Superbowl, or by tackling your brother-in-law at Thanksgiving? I say the latter. How do you get into sumo? Watching Higohikari get steamrolled each tournament, or by stepping onto a dohyo and getting thrown by Tooyama? I say the latter.

The Food

Since the event is called, Sumo and Sushi, I would be remiss if I skipped over the food. Last year, my wife and I were really impressed by Takara 14 because they did a great job — they actually had a real sushi chef making fantastic sushi to order. Also, the VIP section had table service last year. But this year, the food in the VIP section was really disappointing and we had to line up to pick from what was available, which was of poor quality and ran out quickly. If I had known, I would have opted for the Front Row with the “Love, Makoto” bento in a heartbeat since that restaurant is at the top of our regular rotation. That will probably be our option for next year.

One Suggestion for Next Year

I have already said that I will bring a mawashi next time. But frankly, I think that they should give a genuine mawashi to the folks who sign up for the “Get in the Ring” option. The crew could even work it into the routine by demonstrating how to put it on. If it was a genuine article, that would be a hell of a souvenir. If they offer a legit white practice mawashi like what is worn by sekitori to the folks who sign up for the VIP section, I will be the first one buying VIP tickets next year…especially if I can get some signatures on there.

Sumo And Sushi DC, Year Two

hochiyama Japanese Culture ,

Andy and Justin attended Konishiki’s Sumo And Sushi event for the second year in a row. We are splitting our reviews into two posts, one from Justin, one from Andy.

Justin’s Front Row Experience

I attended Washington DC Sumo and Sushi last night and had a fabulous experience.  There were two things I changed from last year that I think helped elevate my enjoyment. 

First, I got the front row seating plan. Last year, I just got the “Sushi and the Show, which did not include the front row seats.  The front row seats were fantastic. Not only did I get a better view of the sumo – but I was able to interact with the wrestlers (lock eyes, give thumbs up, cheer to support them, etc.).  Stoic as the wrestlers are, they still react when they hear their old ring names (not their American friendly nicknames).  When they were first introduced and I flashed them the rally towels, their reactions were of shock, surprise, and delight. 

The front row also offered a higher quality bento, plus one free drink.  They did not skimp on the sake.  The bento was from “Love, Makoto” and had a premium piece of fatty tuna in the sushi, as well as a good mix of seaweed salad with seared tuna, other nigiri and rolls, karaage, and shrimp tempura.  It was a major upgrade from last year’s provider (who was not so memorable that I cannot even recall the name). 

The seats were great, the food was excellent, and the sake helped make the ticket selection a major upgrade from last year’s experience.  The Front Row package also included a picture with the wrestlers afterwards, something I did not get to experience last year.

The other thing I changed from last year was that I did not purchase a “get in the ring experience”.  I am a little sad not to have done this again – but I have lost 45 pounds since then and want to retire with an unblemished career record.  So, instead of being on the stage – I brought some fire to the stage.  I made rally towels with the individual wrestler’s shikona and waved them around whenever they were on the dohyo.  They were a bit surprised, honored, and humbled to see this and to hear me cheering for them. Being in the front row and seeing their reactions gave me a more personal interaction with the troupe than other spectators. 

At the photo opportunity, I presented them with the rally towels as a little gift of my appreciation.  You can see from the photos that they did really appreciate this little boring token (tsumaranai mono desu kedo…).  I asked about Sawada’s recovery, and they were shocked to get the question and said that he was “Ganbarizing” in his recovery.  The Sumo and Sushi staff at the photo op said that nobody ever gave the sumotori a gift before!  The bottom line is that you can get close to the Sumo Experience if you just put yourself out there and do something unique.  

Looking Ahead

When they come back to DC, I will go again and will be doing the Front Row experience.  If Sawada/Chiyonoshin/Enya can make a recovery – I would love to challenge him in the ring again. I would gladly do what it takes to see him healthy enough to get back on the dohyo!

One difference in the show from last year is that Konishiki, who was kind enough to sign the rally towel I made with his shikona, spoke more about sumo in general as opposed to his personal experience as a young man with the sport.  While it was interesting not to hear the same stories twice, I believe the sumo newbies actually got more from the personal stories.

It was easier to empathize with him last year – as a child who got a strange opportunity to go to Japan and then had to adjust to a completely different way of life – with the brutal training techniques and schedule.  It was more clear to the audience to see the matawari (splits) and hear from Konishiki about his first mornings in the stable when he was made to do these exercises.  People could empathize with the pain he had to endure before achieving his success.  I think that he spoke more to the American crowd last year than this year.  

If I were to recommend one other change for the organizers, it would be to make one of the showings an “expert” show – for people more familiar with sumo – one where the sumotori could also talk about themselves and their challenges and experiences – one with more demonstrations of kimarite, and a more structured elimination tournament to determine the session’s champion – either round robin or tomoesen.  I recall that they seemed to have a more structured format last year – this year they just seemed to be taking turns until the time for the session was up and whoever won the fight was the night’s champ.