YOKUZUNA

..und hier noch eine kleinigkeit, welche wir euch auf keinen fall vorenthalten wollten!! denn kaum aus dem flugzeug gestolpert, wurde ich direkt nach Ryôgoku, Tokyo entführt:

Sumô

..sumô as in lonelyPlanet:
A fascinating, highly ritualized activity steeped in shintô beliefs, sumô is the only traditional Japanese sport that pulls big crowds and dominates primetime TV. The-2000-year old sport, which is based on an ancient combat form called sumai (to struggle), attracts huge crowds on weekends. Sumô was originally religious in nature. Toghether with dances and theatre, the wrestling matches that were precursors to sumô made up a part of ritual prayers for good harvests. Over the years, it became integrated into cultural life under the Imperial Court, evolving into the sport we know today, with its rules and rituals such as the scattering of coarse salt into the ring, the powerful foot-stomping of the colorfully be-decked rikishi (wrestlers) and the psychological staredown at the beginning of each match.
Tournaments take place over the span of 15 days, in January, May and September at the Ryôgoku Kokugikan Sumô Stadium in Tokyo.
Most popular are matches where one of the combatants is a YOKUZUNA (grand champion). At the moment, sumô's hottest ticket is Asashoryu, a Mongolian-born master who swept the 2004 Spring Grand Sumô Tournament with a perfect 15-0 record.