27 November to 28 November 2010: Fukuoka Sumo Tournament 大相撲

大相撲

There are six Grand Sumo tournaments (or honbasho) each year: three at The Sumo Hall (or Ryōgoku Kokugikan) in Ryōgoku, Tokyo (January, May, and September), and one each in Osaka (March), Nagoya (July) and Fukuoka (November). The one nearest to me would have to be Fukuoka.

Flags bearing the Sumo Wrestlers' (Rikishi) names
Each one has their own flag

   

Outside the Fukuoka Kokusai Center with Sheryna and Kiyomi



Sumo matches take place in a dohyō (土俵): a ring, 4.55 metres in diameter and 16.26 square meters in area, of rice-straw bales on top of a platform made of clay mixed with sand. A new dohyō is built for each tournament by the yobidashi. At the center are two white lines, the shikiri-sen, behind which the wrestlers position themselves at the start of the bout. A roof resembling that of a Shinto shrine may be suspended over the dohyō.

 

The Sumo Ring (dohyō)
The 4 flags at the corner of the ring represent the 4 seasons



The Rikishi on the dohyo
before the matches begin



Some of the Rikishis have lots of sponsors



Rikishi throwing of salt to purify spirits



Fight!

Yokozuna Asashōryū (Highest ranking Rikishi)

魁皇 博之 。 Kaiō Hiroyuki
A Rikishi from Fukuoka,
everyone was cheering for him.

Around Fukuoka after Sumo

Christmas is coming...Falalalalalalalala...

Reminded me of Clarke Quay

Fukuoka's open air food stands (Yatai)

Tonkotsu Ramen