Sumo

I have not written for a long time.What i am going to write about now is something I have wanted to share with everyone for along time.That thing is sumo, sumo is a type of Japanese wrestling.The set up is a ring of rope on the ground.The two sumo wrestlers start in the middle of the ring one on each side of a short line.When they start it is traditional for each of the wrestlers to throw salt on the ring.Some of the wrestlers slap their stomachs.There is a judge who says when to start,after he says to start the sumo wrestlers charge at each other sometimes knocking heads.The person who loses is either the first one to step out of the ring or the first person to touch the ground with any part of their body besides their feet.Some times it ends with one of the wrestlers throwing the other wrestler either on the ground or in to the crowd.While all this is going on the judge is shouting encouraging words to each of the wrestlers.Sometimes in the end thy both fall on the ground at more or less the same time.When that happens all the judges come together and talk,but that does not happen much.
Sumo has around 5 to 6 levels ,The highest level or the best people are called Yokozana , the level before that are called ozeki.There are 8 sessions each year.All of the levels break into 2 groups and everyone has to fight everyone in each session.At the end of each session one person gets an award.
When they are fighting they wear a big long sash that wraps in between their legs and around their waist.When they are not fighting they wear a kimono ( Japanese traditional clothes).
They all have long hair and pull it back really tight.Some of the sumo wrestlers are 6 8 (6 feet 8 inches)and when you see them walking on the street they look really huge.

When we first came to Japan there were 2 Yokozana, Asashyoryu and Hakuho .But in the spring Asashyoryu quit because one night he got drunk and started fight and that is not proper behavior for a Yokozana.He couid have gotten fired but he insted he quit.
I hope I explained it all right and I hope that all that explaining was not boring.

Lia