Sumo in Vancouver qoes over big

JIMMIHANADA

bout halfway through the first day's action, when the
Az had finally gotten what they came for, when

they started to catch on and enjoy what they were
seeing, there was a deep rumbling sound. It built slowly, the
sound, then gradually seemed to be on top of you. Or
beside you. Or underneath. It was like a plane, like some
freak airshow by the
Snowbirds. It rattled and
raged, the sound did, and
didn't stop until the two
wrestlers slapped into each
others’ chests with a -
palpable smack, a sound
you could almost see. Then,
as one helped the other up
from the ground, the crowd
roared their approval.

And as the two finished

wrestlers paid their respects’ and

AN

handed the next wrestlers the
chikara-mizu (water of strength),
the sound started again, the people stomping their feet on
the concrete and steel of Vancouver's old gal, the Coliseum.

 
  
   
  
  
   
   
 

The stamping was a testament to the success of the
Canada Sumo Basho, held last month in Vancouver, and was
of an exuberance to which most of the rikishi were unaccus-
tomed. Gate-wise, the basho wasn’t a rip-roaring success, the
whole city did not seem to be foaming at the mouth to
attend and the upper stretches of seats in the Coliseum were
conspicuously empty for something that had been 90% sold
out.

But there was the stamping. And the crowd began to rec-
ognize some of the guys after a few rounds, and some of the
wrestlers’ names were called out by new fans caught up in
the spirit. Granted, the names weren't always pronounced
correctly, but that didn't seem to matter much. And the
“OOOOo000” of the crowd did get pretty loud, especially
when it came time for the niramiai, or stare down. Vancouver
loved that.

The Other Press came upon Sumo Digest host Gyo Fujit
catching the action from the ringside passageway. “The peo-
ple seem very excited,” he said, impressed with the turnout.

 

  
  

“The people are certainly reacting well to the action.”

They certainly reacted well to the wrestlers, strangely
enough to the tougher-looking ones—Terao, Akinoshima,
Musashimaru and the “Fountain of Salt,’ Mitoizumi.

However, he also said that though this was just a two-day
koen, it was still a hard run for the wrestlers. “It makes for a
hard schedule. Especially Takanohana, it is difficult for him.
He needs a long time for his injuries to heal,” said Fujii.
Also amazing was

wet

the scene around
the hanamichi, the
path of flowers.
There were two
hanamichi that led
the men out of the
ring and into the depths of
the stadium, beyond the
grasping hands of the fans.
But in the stands around the
hanamichi, there was frantic activity. People, most-
i ly young women and children, were gathered at the
“ hanamichi all weekend long, once they caught on,
to call out the names of wrestlers. People handed down pro-
grams and even clothing. Terao, a charismatic and muscular
wrestler, squinted without his glasses at what the fans were
holding down for him to sign. Akebono—a malevolent pres-

‘ence on the dohyo, but a real sweet guy in real life—signed

autographs forever, only refusing children who didn't come
equipped with a pen.

Though primarily motivated by profit, the basho ended
up succeeding in a far greater way than can be measured in
dollars and yen. The real impact the tournament had was
less measurable. It was carried out of the building that day
by the people who experienced the basho first-hand.

To a person, the people were amazed at how much they
liked the sport. .

As PNE employee Claudette said, “I was working yester-
day, so I.gave my tickets to my neighbours, and when the
got home, blah, blah, blah, they wouldn't stop talking a

”

it.

   
  
   
 

Security man Alex echoed the thoughts of many, as well:

“These guys are a lot quicker than I tho ht. Their athleti-

  

cism, I must say, has really impressed me,y

at himself for getting drawn in.

SUMO. July 1998