Sumo Town

We went to the Sumida Ward mainly to see the National Sumo Arena and the museum, and I was hoping to see some sumo wrestlers in the area. I had always wanted to go to a morning practice but that is expensive and takes place early in the morning.

I really lucked out as I believe I saw one famous sumo wrestler I was familiar with getting out of a cab with his wife as we were walking over to the arena. I got some stealth pictures of him over by the smoking area. His name is Tochinoshin and he’s from Georgia. He’s known as the Georgian Forklift as his signature move is picking up other wrestlers by their loincloths and carrying them out of the rink. This move would ultimately also lead to his downfall. I wasn’t sure if it was really him since he is pretty famous and it was confusing that he was not wearing traditional clothes. But I found out after that he has retired and that’s why he’s in street clothes. Most people in my sumo group believe that it’s him. I’ve even heard from another famous fellow sumo wrestler’s mother about it. The museum wasn’t very big but they did have a lot of pictures of him there and advertisements for the day he will have his sumo bun (topknot) cut off in a ceremony.

Tochinoshin, the sumo wrestler, with a poodle.

Sumo wrestlers cant really sneak up on you. I heard the pitter patter of this one’s wooden geta footwear as I took a picture of the arena.

Tochinoshin in the smoking area by the Ryōgoku Sumo Hall. A lot of people went up to him to say hello. According to another fan he is wearing a shirt that says Georgia in Georgian.

Ad for Tochinoshin’s ceremonial hair cutting ceremony in February.

Manhole cover in Sumo Town.

Statue with large sumo wrestler handprints.

In Ryogoku Edo Noren, there is a sumo dohyo and a bunch of restaurants. These are typically made of partially buried rice straw bales mounted on a square platform of clay.

The “Tsuna” lightning belt rope worn by sumo champions, built by sumo stable mates. This design is shown around Shinto shrines. The zigzag papers symbolize places or people that attract gods or have gods living within.

Pictures of Tochinoshin from inside the museum and another silk sumo belt that I liked.

I also got a chance to see a very nice garden in that part of town called Kyu-Yasuda Teien. There were many other cool places in the area that I’d like to go back to some day like the Earthquake Museum, Hokusai Museum and metabolist Edo-Tokyo Museum, which is under renovation.