Look what I have! I'm going to my very first Sumo tournament!

見てください！ 相撲を見に行きます！

And Aya's going to be our Sumo guide.

アヤが案内してくれます

Yeah!

相撲ガイド！

Sumo guide, teach us!

何持ってるの？

[Life in Japan Theme Song]

着けてみて

Let me see—what did we find?

マリオの完成だね！

Can you put it on? Let's see.

楽しみだね

Alright! Mr Mario, all set.

スイッチとリュック

We're going to have fun, huh?

マリオの衣装

You got the Switch, you got your backpack,

ポールとプリに会いに行こう

You got your Mario outfit

ジョシュアをポールとプリに預けます

And we're going to go to Uncle Paul and Tia Pri's. Alright, let's go.

相撲に行く間 お留守番です

We're dropping Joshua off here at Ruth's brother's house, Paul, and Tia Pri.

来日して7年ですが 相撲は初めて見ます

And he's going to hang out here while Ruth and I go to Sumo— YES!

ルースの友人のアヤが 案内してくれます

We've lived in Japan for seven years, but this will be our very first time to a Sumo tournament.

相撲は日本の伝統的な国技です

To help us navigate it, Ruth's friend Aya is going to meet us at the stadium and be our guide.

友達に解説してもらえて 心強いです

Sumo is the official sport of Japan, full of tradition and ceremony,

駅に着きました

so having our friend with us is a huge benefit to understanding the overall Sumo experience.

- 正しい駅で降りれたね - そうね

We arrived at the station.

両国駅を出て 国技館に向かいます

I think we found the right station. We did.

試合の日は 太鼓と旗で分かります

We exited the station at Ryougoku and headed towards the stadium or Kokugikan.

相撲の場所は15日間です

The drums and the flags tell you that it's tournament day.

通常 大阪で開催される場所ですが 今年はコロナの為 東京で開かれます

Sumo tournaments last for 15 days and are full of matches all day long.

相撲を初めて観戦します

This tournament, called the Grand Tournament, is typically held in Osaka, but due to the pandemic was moved to Tokyo this year.

案内です

It's a perfect chance for us to check out Sumo for the first time.

- ステッカー！ - いいね！

We've got our papers here

よし！

The stickers. Oo stickers, very nice!

力士別にお土産があるの？

Alright!

力士のお土産？

So you can get different omiyages (souvenirs) for the different players?

有名よ

So each player has their own omiyage?

これまでの優勝者達です

The famous... The famous ones?

お気に入りの力士？

So all of these are the champions from previous years.

千代の富士

That is your favorite of all time? Yeah, yeah!

69代と71代横綱は現役

Chiyonofuji

今場所は欠場よ

So 69 and 71 are still Yokozuna, so the top notch...

彼は昨日怪我したの

And they're still working, but they're absent today.

ハワイ出身だね 彼もそう

He got injured yesterday. Oh! Bummer!

彼もハワイ出身

This guy's Hawaiian. So is this one.

サービスは縮小されてましたが 相撲カレーは試せました

And he's Hawaiian also.

相撲カレー！

The stadium was operating at limited capacity, but I was still able to try something I had been wanting to try: Sumo Curry.

沢山食べたら 力士になれるかな？

Sumo Curry! Sumo curry.

どうかしら

If I eat enough of this, do you think I can get their size?

満腹になり 相撲取りのような気分

I hope not.

試合が始まります

With a belly full of Curry, I felt a bit like a sumo wrestler

トロフィーが勝者を待っているようです

and it was time for the main event: the sumo match itself.

席まで上がっていきます

The trophy was awaiting the winner, so it was time to see who would fight for the win.

力士には6つの番付があり 勝敗によって上下します

We're going up up up to our seats.

成績が良ければ昇格し

There are six different divisions in sumo.

悪ければ降格します

Wrestlers move up and down between divisions based upon their record.

序ノ口の試合から開始し 幕内が最後です

If you have a winning record after the tournament, you move up.

次の力士を呼んでるの？

If you have a losing record, you move down.

行司が力士を呼び 試合が始まります

The day starts with the lowest division competing first and moves up in prestige as the day goes on.

上位の番付になると 細かい儀礼があります

So he's calling the next player? Um hum.

コロナの為 入場者の数が制限されています

Each wrestler is called into the ring and stretches and prepares for the match.

試合のルールは？

As you move up in divisions, this ceremony becomes more and more elaborate, as we will see.

勝つために

Normally a stadium is full for a Sumo tournament, but the restrictions due to the pandemic keep the attendance and cheering to a minimum.

押し出すの

What is the goal? What are they trying to do?

足だけが土俵についていいの

To win the match, to win the point?

足だけが土俵についていいんだね

Going outside... Outside of the ring?

手や膝をつくと 負けだね

They have to put only here, the bottom of their foot.

お気に入りの力士

So only their feet — the bottom of their feet can touch.

左の人？右？

So if they put their hand down, or knee

左

Or elbow, they're out.

彼の名前は？

This is one of my favorite wrestlers.

阿炎

This is one of your favorites? The one on the left or the right?

彼は幕内だったけど降格したの

Yea, left.

彼が勝ったから 残って別の力士と試合？

What is his name?

いいえ

Abi.

まずは終了

He was the strongest level but then he moved down.

1日1試合だけ？

So since he won, does he stay there then and fight the other ones?

- 毎日1試合？ - そう

No.

今日見れて良かったね

Just one match and you're done. Yeah

毎日練習しているのよ

Only one match one day?! Oh!! Yeah.

勝負は一瞬

So everyday, one match? Yeah.

力士は何人いる？

Well, I'm glad you saw it today.

分からないわ

They prepare everyday for just one match.

- 沢山いる - そうよ

Just some seconds.

力士の名簿よ

So how many different Sumo wrestlers are there?

すごい

How many? I don't know.

あの席が天皇陛下の貴賓席

Many of them? Yeah.

専用の席だね

So each of these is a wrestler's name.

あの壁の力士は？

Oh my! Yeah.

- 優勝者 - 毎年の？

So that brown little banana-thingy is where the emperor sits when he comes to watch.

各場所の

Private booth for the emperor. Nice.

場所の勝者

Who are the players up on the walls here?

- 1年にいくつの場所がある？ - 6場所

The winners. The winners of each year?

- 取組は直ぐ終わる？ - 大体は

Each tournament.

力士の最高位は？

Each tournament's winners. OK.

横綱の事？

How many tournaments in one year? Six.

何と言う？

Are the matches usually very fast? Yeah, usually.

ヨコヅナ

What is the highest level of player?

今日は欠場

You mean Yokozuna?

今日はいないね

Yeah- how do you, how do they say it?

今日の最高位は大関

Yokozuna. Ah, Yokozuna.

上に行くには 番付の中で勝つ必要がある？

We can't see Yokozuna today

そう

Yeah, they're not playing right now.

力士はどれ位食べる？

So today the strongest wrestler is Ozeki.

寝て 食べて 特訓

So you have to reach the top level and win at that level to win the tournament?

負傷したかも

Yeah. Ok.

負傷や怪我もよくある？

How much do they have to eat? Like, what is their diet?

自分で歩けたみたいだ

Sleep and eat and practice.

アヤ 次の展開は？

It looks like he hurt himself.

一種の儀式よ

Is it common for them to hurt themselves? Yeah.

儀式？

He says "No thank you, I'm going to walk off."

特別な衣装だ

So now what is going to happen, Aya?

上位の番付では 入場などの儀式があります

So, it's a kind of ceremony.

取組前までに時間を要し

A ceremony?

立合前に色々な準備があります

Cool, they have special outfits.

この番付の力士は 力水や塩を使います

Certain traditions are reserved for the higher levels of play, such as these entrance ceremonies.

塩まきは清めの儀式です

At this level, a lot more time is taken before the actual match,

取組までに数回行えます

with wrestlers sizing up their opponents, returning to the ring side and slapping themselves without reserve.

力士の名前と取組が表示されてます

At this level, water and salt now becomes available to the wrestlers to use.

勝者が赤です

Throwing salt in the ring is a form of purification before the match.

次はアヤのお気に入りの力士だね 名前は？

Wrestlers are able to return a couple of times to do this until the match actually begins.

松鳳山

Up on the wall here, it shows the names of the players and the matches we're on right now.

彼よ

Whoever wins, the red line stays over them.

- 左？ - 右の方

So this next one is one of Aya's personal favorites, huh? Yeah.

右の彼だね

What's his name?

- あの赤い力士は？ - 德勝龍

Him.

去年の場所で優勝したの

The one on the left? The right.

楽しみです

Right? Oh the one on the right.

今場所は違うかな？

The man in the red, what is his name?

幕内の登場です

He was the winner- he was one of the winners of last year.

あの力士はブラジル人です

Let's see how he does today.

幕内の取組前に 明日の試合の発表です

Not this time, huh?

行司が来ました

And now here comes the top level for this tournament.

幕内力士には専用の座布団があります

The first guy down there— he's Brazilian.

名前入りです

Before the top level plays, they're announcing the matches for tomorrow.

俳優が座る椅子のような物かもしれない

Now the judges are getting into place here.

取組の準備が出来た様です

And at this level, Aya said that all of the players, they get their own cushion to sit on.

アヤの相撲靴下です！

Their cushions have their name on it.

凄くカワイイ！

It's kind of like...kind of like probably a movie star gets a chair with his name on it.

本物のファンだね

And the first match is almost ready to go.

- ブラジルの力士を応援する？ - そうね！

Oh, Aya is a true Sumo fan! She has Sumo socks.

ブラジル！

Look at those! Those are awesome!

あの力士の特徴は？

That's a true fan.

沢山塩をまくの

Are you going to be rooting for the Brazilian?

塩を沢山まく？

Sure. Go Brazil!

スポンサーが製塩会社かな？

Yea, Brazil!

- 名前は？ - 照強

The short guy, what is special about him?

取組前のウォームアップです

He throws a lot of salt.

ネイト 塩まくわよ！

Oh, he throws a lot of salt? Yea.

彼だけの特技みたいです

He's sponsored by a salt company? Oh that's ironic.

スポンサーです

What's the salt guy's name?

私達からの沢山の質問を アヤは丁寧に解説してくれました

These are quite the prematch warmups.

また観戦したいです

Look at his hand of salt, Nate!

チャンネル登録を是非お願いします

That other guy's like "Don't need too much more."

応援に感謝します！ また次回お会いしましょう！

More sponsors.

We had a great time learning all about Sumo with Aya,

and even though we had a lot of questions, she was a patient teacher.

We liked it so much, we'd like to go back again.

And if you like the videos we make, then please subscribe to our channel.

Your support makes all the difference! Until next time, we'll see you Life in Japan. Bye bye!