Sumo's Death as a Sport: a Dying Canary in a Cave?

Looking at this picture, you may think that the sport of Sumo was dying because no one wants to become this big to fight in 30-second matches over the course a few months of a year.

Well, that would be wrong. Two Russian Sumo wrestlers were recently expelled for marijuana (Read Story). In a country where you can be stuck in a dark box for 5 years for smelling like marijuana, that is quite expectable.

However, the fact that only two Russian wrestlers that happened to be pretty good were expelled is a little fishy. When I saw sumo back in 2006, I told my students all about it during our "Lobby Talk" sessions when we talked about our weekends etc. I told one older gentleman who plainly said, "I don't like sumo wrestling anymore. I don't like how foreigners are taking the sport over."

Speaking to a foreigner like that is pretty shocking in a country where people apologize to you when you make a mistake yourself (as if they were to blame for your own stupidity). But, it is unsurprising to a foreigner who has been here for as long as I have. People who are here long enough get tired of being "gaijin." Gaijin is a shortened form of the word "gaikokujin" or foreigner and is used in negative contexts such as, "that stupid foreigner talks too loudly."

Some people really want to get to know you and talk to you as a guest in their country, but others look at you with a gaze that would kill you if it could. When I sit down in public spaces, people will get up and move somewhere else or even stand so that they don't catch the gaijin cooties. (On a personal hygiene note, I bathe and brush my teeth regularly and put on lots of deodorant and eat lots of mints).

This racial prejudice is extremely dangerous in a country with a birthrate of 1.3 children/family and in danger of having an overburdened healthcare system as the population ages with no one to support it.

Still, gaijin....gaikokujin... only account for less than %3 of the total population and are located mostly in large urban areas such as Tokyo or my home here in Kyoto. Sumo wrestling may not be exciting enough for the younger generation, but I believe those that are turned off by a Mongolian or Hawaiian Yokozuna are the danger to Japan showing the larger problem inhibiting Japan from growing. Racial discrimination is a problem that Japan will need to tackle to cure it from itself and its low birthrate problem.

By the way, not only did the wrestler in the picture win his match, he was also awarded a trophy for largest man-boobs...that was until they compared them to mine.

Moving into Kyoto

Walking up the street toward school, I was committing a cardinal sin in Japan: walking and drinking.  This time, I actually felt a little bad about it though.  For some reason, this neighborhood resting in a nook between a temple and a busy thoroughfare seemed venerable.  As I sipped on my CC Lemon (packed with more than enough Vitamin C than one needs in a day), I took in my surroundings.  Every time I went up this street before, I rode my bike zipping past pedestrians and stopped cars full of goods to deliver to the local restaurants.

Now it's not uncommon in Japan to fail to recognize small shops on the side of the road; they look indistinguishable from residences in some cases.  Honestly, I don't know how some of them stay in business since they are so poorly marked and usually offer similar food products as the next poorly-marked bum a couple doors down.  When talking about perishable food products, this is not the type of place you will find me chowing down on local Kyoto delights.  You'll find me at the other, well-marked restaurant with people visibly going and coming from their doors.

So, as I sipped on my CC Lemon and all of its vitamin C goodness, I gazed down a little side street nestled between a row of shops and a large building (probably a temple) with a large wall around it.  Down the street were two maiko-san (like geisha) gazing back at me as I looked like the dumb American sloppily gulping down one of Japan's fine beverages (and all of its vitamin C goodness).  Slightly embarrassed, I put the drink down by my side as I continued on my way.

I had no clue at the time because this is Kyoto on a holiday (yesterday was a day off for the beginning of Fall...don't be jealous fellow Americans, school is not yet in service).  In fact, I soon passed another gentleman dressed in "traditional" Japanese clothing as he headed toward the temple I mentioned.  Also, this neighborhood is similar to most in Japan with political posters plastered on walls and gates.  As my new friend Hitoshi told me, Kyoto is known to vote Communist in local elections to break up the LDP's monopoly of power in Japan.  Voting Communist is like voting Green in California where Green Party officials actually make it into office.  The posters in this neighborhood struck a cord with me since the slogan appeals to the same peace clause in the Japanese Constitution I've been slaving over this summer.

However, as I returned that way at night.  My guide and new friend Hitoshi told me that this street is one of the last remaining streets where you go and have tea while maiko-san come and visit you.  If you ever saw the movie Memoirs of a Geisha, you know that they bounce from place to place not just entertaining at one teahouse.  It may interest you to know that the 21st century preferred means of transportation is the taxi.  I usually see empty cabs driving up and down that street (I had thought for no reason), but I have yet to see one with a maiko-san in it.  I will try to take a picture and post it if I can.

Tomorrow, I will go to the "Entrance Ceremony" and then meet my future thesis advisor.  Wish me luck.