A Sumo Experience; A New Sanctuary

A couple of years back, I had a rare opportunity to watch a sumo tournament in Kokugikan as I got invited by a former student along with some of my co-workers. It was indeed a wonderful experience not only for me but also for my fellow teachers. The only problem was that despite being interested in other things related to Japanese culture, I was not into its traditional sports. However, it was probably just because I was not into sports in general to begin with.

Now fast forward to 2023, Netflix just released the series “Sanctuary” that consisted of 8 episodes in total. I just mindlessly chose to watch it since I thought I might be able to relate to it somehow because of my experience watching a sumo tournament a few years back.

Lo’ and behold, I got hooked before I knew it. I binge-watched it and lost hours of sleep because I couldn’t stop clicking the “Next” button. And if I find something new that catches my attention, I would automatically recommend it to my husband. 

 Amid a busy work week, the only constant thing is watching our “One Piece” episodes and shows and movies that Netflix has to offer. The same goes for “Sanctuary”. I just knew he would thoroughly enjoy it as much as I did. 

And enjoyed it, he did! I have to say, it was also satisfying watching it all over again. I got curious about the sport since it has strong ties with Shintoism. I studied the different sumo ranks and watched videos about it on YouTube. I realized I was hooked and couldn’t wait to watch another sumo tournament.

So, my husband and I decided to target getting tickets for the January tournament this year. We didn’t want to spend so much so we bought the cheapest tickets. Then, after all the trouble I had with the online booking, I finally got them!

 After months of waiting, we were finally going to be in Kokugikan! In my case, it would be my second, but this time, I weaponized myself with the knowledge of sumo compared to my last visit. All this information made us both feel more giddy as we got inside. We arrived at the venue in the afternoon just in time for the “Makuuchi” (higher-ranked) division bouts. We also saw the lone Yokozuna Teronofuji’s entrance, which was pretty cool!

 The arena was jam-packed, and I have to say I truly regret getting the cheapest tickets. We sat at the farthest seats, and there was nothing behind us but the walls on the second floor. I had to squint my eyes to see the wrestlers. It got tiring after a while. However, this did not stop me from enjoying the game. 

 I swore that in the next grand tournament in Kokugikan, I would step up my game and get better seats. By the way, for those interested, you can check out the annual schedule and the ticket information here.

 Now let me share with you my takeaway from this experience! First, give yourself a chance to explore things you did not like a few years back. The result might surprise you. 

Second, if you are in a relationship, it would be best to try and learn new things together that you can both potentially enjoy. This way, you can add something that you both appreciate together. It will be great for your relationship. Lastly, don’t be stingy on the tickets!