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Cheap Sumo Tickets
With Ray Hachey
..if you like the sound of 400 kilograms of flesh slapping together..
The best-kept secret in Fukuoka is that almost anyone can get affordable tickets
to the annual sumo tournament in the Kokusai Center. (Nov 10th - 24th) I'm not talking
about the little dog-and-pony show that is held in the Dome every year; I am referring
to tickets to the SHOW - the spectacle of huge naked men frantically bashing each
other about a clay ring for big bucks and their fifteen minutes of fame. If you are
a closet sumo fan but the prospect of cheap seats makes your mawashi itch, then read
on!
Just The Ticket!
The Details:
Time: the box office opens at 8:00 a.m. but if you want to score a good seat
you should be there by 6:00
a.m. on Sat, and even earlier on Sundays, which are special days in the tournament.
Prices. Tickets last year started at ¥2500 for the cheap seats, which
are plastic contour seats in the highest sections of the Kokusai Center.
The Wait: - Tickets are strictly controlled to discourage scalping - one person,
one ticket - an aged yet still immense sumo-like hulk stands by the box office to
enforce this rule.
the line-up is incredibly orderly; you will see very few people jumping the
line, and sumo staff arrive between 6:00-7:00 a.m. to discourage any shenannigans.
November mornings in Fukuoka can be pretty nippy, so bring a thermos of hot
coffee and two blankets (one to sit on, one to wrap around your shivering frame).
Sound too tough for you? Consider this -
Lining up in the wee hours of the morning isn't going to get you one of those little
cushions next to the ring, but:
1) Most of the people with the expensive box seats don't arrive until 3:00 or 4:00
p.m., so you can just occupy an empty one until the owner shows up. This is a great
way to get an up-close view of some major sumo action (HINT: don't try to enter these
seats from the corner entrances - they are staffed by ushers who will sniff at your
cheap ticket. You just walk over the seats in front of you, until you get to an empty
box. Trust me, no one will complain).
2) The farthest section of seat is not that far when compared to the nosebleed seats
of, say, Toronto's Skydome. The sounds and colors of sumo's superstars carry easily
up to the back seats (and trust me, you don't wanna see Konishki's thighs from too
near).
Getting There:
By bicycle: head north until you hit the water
By subway: get off at Gofukumachi station. When you reach the street (Taihaku Dori),
just go straight ahead (north) for about 500 meters and you'll see the Kokusai Center
and Sun Palace will be right in front of you. The Kokusai Center is on the left.
By car: if you have a car, you don't need to buy the cheap tickets!
Tips
1) bring your own food - there are lots of convenience stores in the area around
the Kokusai Center where you can buy enough munchies to get through the day.
2) If you are a woman, don't touch the big clay ring (dohyo) because you are considered
UNCLEAN and they will have to rebuild the damn thing
3) it's hot as hell inside (hey these guys are almost naked) so wear layers that
you can strip down and sit on (they also make handy cushions)
4) Take a look around; there is almost unlimited access for the curious so you can
enter the lower hallways and watch the wrestlers warming up. You'll also see many
fans straining to catch a glimpse of their heroes.
5) Borrow some binoculars
6) Be friendly; there are lots of drunken businessmen who will ply you with beer
and tell you all about their favorite wrestlers.
Issue 46
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