Temples and Waterfalls: Wakayama Road Trip Part II

As I drove us out of Koya-san on March 20th, we went along even more exciting/treacherous roads. Unlike mountain passes in the US, large portions of these roads were built along the ridge-line of these mountains. I recall at one point driving on the single lane road with 70 degree slopes on either side of us. Throughout the drive there were some beautiful sights, We stopped along the way at a remote town for some snack food. We bought some baked sweet potatoes, which could very well become my next favorite snack.

The road ran along Totsukawa River, which was a strong jade color. We followed this striking river out towards the coast, still winding on narrow roads. Along the way we began to see massive construction projects building bigger roads, the kid in me had too much fun looking at them. The scale of the project was impressive, and the new roads completely ignored the geography, instead cutting through the valleys and mountains, suspended on pillars hundreds of feet in the air and burrowing through mountains for miles.

As we followed the river we arrived at Hongu Taisha shrine. This is one of the three Kumano shrines, and James bond fans will recognize it from the movie You Only Live Twice. This shrine is home to Japan’s God of War, and has two other shrines in the complex for his parents and daughter. They are the guardian deities of this region of Japan, representative of three famous mountain peaks. It was a bustling area, yet the crowd was very different from the main tourist sites in I have visited in Japan. It was mostly Japanese people, some were presumably locals, but there were quite a few biker gangs on the grounds. The weather was perfect for riding, so a following a pilgrimage route to shrines seems as good of a reason as any to take the bikes out. The shrine's 'mascot' is a black crow, which is a symbol of the regional gods. It is also the logo for the it's professional soccer team. They even had a black post office box with a crow, which apparently was quite a novel sight since there was a line to pose with it.

Japan's best taxi driver - unparalleled service

Down the hill in town, about 1km away, there is the biggest tori gate in Japan, and it is really ridiculous. Pictures don't accurately present the scale. The gate stands on the confluence of two major rivers. The area is called Oyu no Hara, and it was where the Hongu Taisha shrines used to be located until a flood in 1889. Now only the foundation remains, and even one hundred years later it is easy to see how the flood had changed the landscape. As we left we saw a taxi drive up on the walking path towards the gate. Baffled by this sight, we stopped to watch. We are still not entirely sure how the driver got the car onto the walking path in the first place. We spent our time joking about the situation. Clearly he must have been the best driver in Japan, for nothing could get between him and his destination.

Nearby we stopped at Yunomine Onsen, a remote onsen village and with the Tsuboyu bath - a designated world heritage site. The 'bath' is a small stone basin next to the river, which pilgrims bathed in long ago and were cured of various illnesses. Unfortunately the wait to bathe in this tiny bath was over three hours, so we hopped into the medical onsen right next door. It is probably sourced from the same water, without the myth and history of Tsuboyu.

After refreshing ourselves we drove towards the coastal city of Shingu. Within the nearby mountains is Japan's biggest waterfall Nachi no Taki, and the second of the three Kumano shrines, Nachi Taisha. This bustling religious complex resides on a steep hillside, sporting a great view of the waterfall, valley, and mountains. It contained both a Buddhist temple as well as a Shinto shrine side by side, a model presentation of the harmonious relationship of both religions in Japan.

A unique ritual within the grounds involved wandering under the roots and through an old tree with a wish on a stick. I appreciate that many of these shrines build in unique rituals for visitors, much like rock at the Tainai Meguri temple in Kyoto. The pagoda offers a stellar view of both the waterfall and the valley leading to the sea. The geography of this area is truly majestic.

After wandering around, we grabbed some much needed food in the area. Fun fact, egg and chicken rice bowls are called parent-child bowls in Japan, which is an amusing, abet a bit morbid, metaphor. I then stopped briefly at the waterfall. While viewing it from afar is impressive, seeing it up close gives a totally different sense of grandeur to the fall. After this quick detour we went back into Shingu.

Just off the main road through town sits the last of the three Kumano shrines, Hayatama Taisha. While it feels odd to have such a complex within the suburbs of the city, I have remind myself that this shrine has been for thousands of years, and the town has probably only recently expanded towards it. The shrine complex had a small armory on the grounds, which contained unusually elegant artifacts as well as some rather interesting ones, including an ancient boat! While the site itself is a fairly standard affair, it was notable on how tranquil and removed it was from its city surroundings in a completely unexpected way.

At this point we started our return trek to Osaka, a four hour drive away. Both the drive to Shingu and back were spectacular. The roads are fun, and the scenery is great. I keep going on about how much I enjoy the drives in Japan, and for good reason. I hope to one day be able return to Japan just to road trip around the country.




As we neared the sweet potato shop area, in the very middle of the mountains, we heard a clank. Stopping the car, we noticed that the muffler had snapped at a point, completely rusted through. Unfortunately the way it broke made the car impossible to drive without dragging metal across the road. So in the dark we sat looking to what to do.


I managed to flag down a Jeep, and thus began an interesting cultural experience. The young couple who stopped was unjustifiably friendly. While Maria's Japanese is amazing, the technical aspects of a car issue were somewhat difficult to convey over the phone. So the couple helped talk with the rental car company for us to explain the situation. The car is a long term rental, which is something many ALTs commonly use in Japan.

But since it was a Sunday night at 7:30pm, the insurance company was closed. I have noticed many things that Americans expect to have 24 hour access to, like ATMs, doctors, and (now) car insurance companies, only operate during standard business hours in Japan. The couple then offered to not only drive us to the nearby police station to inform the police about our stranded car, but also to drive us all the way to our hotel in Sakai two hours away. They said they lived in Sakai (the city our hotel was in) as well, which was a happy coincidence.

Unfortunately, the first two police boxes closed we passed were closed. Japan is an incredibly safe company, even more so in the rural areas, but I was still surprised. The second police box had the officer's cell phone number taped to the window to call in an emergency. And so we did. Over the phone he said it was fine to just leave the car and for us to keep the keys.

This whole situation had an odd contrast. The Japanese people who helped us through the whole process were incredibly gracious and nice. Yet the Japanese services were proving to be rather troublesome, creating this whole scenario in the first place. While this is a rather extreme example, it is representative of some cultural differences I have experienced in Japan. Specifically, how people I have interacted with go above and beyond out of consideration for others, a term called "omotenashi" in Japanese, as well as how beurocratic systems complicate many parts of life in Japan.  Thankfully the fomer picks up the slack for the latter, making the country a pleasant place to live.

Koya-san: Wakayama Road Trip Part I

At 3:30am Saturday March 19th, Maria, Angie, Chelsea, and I set off from Tottori. After dropping Chelsea off in Osaka, Angie, Maria, and I continued southeast into Wakayama prefecture to visit Koya-san. This remote mountain village is home to Japan’s largest cemetery, and serves as the spiritual head of Esoteric Buddhism. There is a long pilgrimage to it, where people walk to various temples and shrines throughout the prefecture, but for practical reasons taking the car seemed to be the better idea.

As we drove further into the mountains, the roads became narrower and more treacherous. Soon we were winding through the mountains with little more than a cars-width worth of pavement beneath us. Personally I had fun driving around these thrilling mountain roads through heavily forested areas. The road to Hana pales in comparison, but it is the closest equivalent I can think of within the US. The size of the road undulated constantly, creating small sections just wide enough for two vehicles to graze past each other in between the completely blind corners.



Before arriving in town, we saw a small wooden sign for a short hike to a waterfall. We wedged the car onto the side of the road and ventured up. Along the way we saw a dead fox, who had merely passed away in it’s sleep on the stairwell. It was odd to see something die of old age in nature, and Maria and Angie had fun photographing the somewhat morbid scene. The waterfall at the end of the trail was majestic, and it’s remote location reminded me of the cheezy martial arts training montages where people meditate under the falling water.

Photo credit Maria Chaverri

After winding more roads we arrived in Koya-san. We dropped our stuff at one of the most architecturally interesting hostels I have been to. Comprised of a single hallway with a vaulted ceiling. The hostel had capsule like compartments along the walls. It had a very fun vibe and the white paint was a good aesthetic. After settling in, we walked into town.

The misty, cloudy air of Koya-san complimented the grand nature of the Okunoin Cemetery, seated right in the middle of an ancient cedar forest. Pictures can not accurately convey the grandeur of this place. I was completely taken aback by the sprawling ancient forest of trees and equally ancient graves. Dilapidated graves covered in moss sat next to pristine, newly constructed monuments. In between them all were even more tiny gravestones. Some graves were so old and weathered that they had complete collapsed. This un-ordered, eclectic collection of monuments inundated the forest, only broken up by the walkway and the massive tree trunks.

Shortly after entering the cemetery we met Takakatsu Matsumura, a doctor in Osaka who spend his weekends volunteering for the cemetery as a guide. He explained many things about the cemetery to us as we walked through, greatly enriching the experience.

The pagoda-styled, five stone monuments are Buddhist graves. These are the most common grave style since the cemetery is also home to the mausoleum of Kobo Daishi, the founder of Esoteric Buddhism. Each stone represents a different element: earth, water, fire, wind, and sky(space). The 6th element, not physically represented, is consciousness, which pervades through all living beings. I also learned the large wooden sticks in graves represent the 1st, 3rd, 7th, and 13th anniversary of death.

In many sections of the cemetery, as well as other holy places I have visited in Japan, I have seen many small stacks of stones. I learned from Matsumura this stone stacking is actually people making small 'poor people' pagodas, since only wealthy persons and royalty could afford to build the actual massive buildings.

Other things of note within the cemetery are three bridges, which represent passageways between sacred realms. The sections closer to the mausoleum and temple are considered more sacred than the further areas, so the price and exclusivity of grave sites varies accordingly. There is also a Sweaty Buddha statue, which is said to take on the stresses and worries of worshipers, and literally sweat for you (it's probably collecting condensation in reality). There is also a well, where if you look in and do not see your reflection, you are to die within 3 years, so better start thinking about that grave plot soon!

We also passed the founder of Kabuki theater's grave. There is some fanfare around visiting graves, much like seeing a guitar of a dead rock star. People like to come and see the memorials for famous people. Along the same line, some of the more interesting features of the graveyard are the corporate sponsored monuments. The first one is Konosuke Matsushita, Panasonic’s founder and the "God of Business" in Japan (one heck of a nickname). Yet his is not alone. In the newer section of the graveyard there are many company sites, many of which thematically display their company’s brand. The highlights were ACC, a coffee company which has gigantic stone coffee cups filled with ‘coffee’, and a tacky rocketship right at the new section entrance. Also saw people decorating graves for Ohogan, which was to happen that Monday. The Japanese equivalent to Day of the Dead. They adorn the graves with flowers and say prayers for the deceased. Many other graves were adorned with pine branches, since flowers are traditionally uncommon in the mountainous area, and the pine lasts for a long time.

Afterwards we went into town, which featured the grand Kongobuji temple full of fantastic sliding door art and the Banryutei, the biggest rock garden in Japan. The art chronicled both legends of the area, history, and natural beauty. Unfortunately pictures were not allowed. Thankfully the internet can provide.

In another complex stood more Shinto and Buddhist buildings, one hosting 5 gigantic Buddhas in a very unique art style, again no photos here either. We wandered to a few more of these historic sites, which all featured ornate artwork and unique histories.

That afternoon Angie had to head into Osaka to meet up with some friends for prior engagements. So Maria and I continued our tour through Koya-san by going to participate in Jukai, a mediation ceremony core to Esoteric Buddhism. We entered a temple into a dark room, only slightly illuminated. The monk entered after it was dark and sat down, his silhouette illuminated. During the entire ceremony we never saw his face as he led everyone through a series of chants, followed by a quick sermon. At the end we were handed a certificate of our completion.  This ritual is an important ceremony in the Buddhist tradition, somewhat akin to the Christian sacraments, so completing it is central to being a devout follower of the faith.

After a quick, delicious curry dinner at our hostel we headed back to the entrance of the cemetery for a nighttime guided tour. Led by Nobu-san, a monk, I learned even more about the cemetery. The philosophy behind Shingon Esoteric Buddhism is to look for ‘secrets’, metaphors in nature. Examples include the lotus flower, which grows through muddy waters to bloom, representative of struggling through life for success and staying strong. Another one is consciousness is like the moon, it can become eclipsed by bad thoughts, but is bright when it reflects the sun (Buddhist principles). The latter was represented on the sides of the lanterns within the cemetery, easily visible at night.

Nobu was a great guide. He informed us that there are over 200,000 graves, and anyone of any faith or background can have a grave there. I asked about the state of the graves, and he said they usually leave them, but they might replace them if after 70 years no one has come to maintain the grave within their records. 

He also mentioned the stuff from earlier about the well, but then also mentioned new information about the stairs within the cemetery. Apparently if you trip, you will only have 3 years left to live. At first I saw this as a clever superstition to get people thinking about their mortality in a place where you can buy plots, but then as we reached the steps Nobu quipped “be careful, remember, 3 years” which was hilarious. 

At the top we reached some shrines, a small river, and a bridge. Across the bridge is the most holy place in the cemetery, where no pictures were allowed and the oldest (and richest) graves were placed, at the foot of the Torodo temple and a mausoleum. At this mausoleum it is said Kobo Daishi, the founder of the area and this branch of Buddhism continues to reside in perpetual meditation. In the nearby buildings monks make meals for him every day. Apparently he entered in 835 At 62, and in the 20th century, a monk entered to find him still in meditation, but his hair and beard had grown long. After trimming his hair and beard, the monk left, and no one has entered the mausoleum since.

Before we entered the section ourselves, we needed to cleanse ourselves in the river. Thankfully, not literally. Lining the river were various Buddha statues which you wash with ladles in your steed.

Crossing into the final section, the massive Torodo temple loomed over the grounds. Within this area, a small shrine containing a rock which weighs only as much as your sins sits. Tried to lift, barely got it off the ground. Much like the stairs, this rumor seems to prompt worshipers to think about their lifestyle, and probably devote more time to religious practices.

Torodo temple is massive, covered in all sides by lanterns (hence the name Toro) giving off an otherworldly orange glow. Each of these lanterns contained names, much like the graves in the area. As Nobu explained, Buddhism is mainly focused on death, while Shintoism (japan’s religion) is mainly focused on life. This is why they generally coexist together on the same religious grounds without interfering with each other, and why many people in Japan follow both traditions simultaneously. As we proceeded around the temple, in the back stood the mausoleum. As a group we followed Nobu in a reverent chant to Kobo Daishi and made a wish. 

As we left, in the nearby corner of the temple, maybe 100 feet away was a stone. There is a ritual where you touch the stone, drop 1 yen (a penny) into the donation box in front of the mausoleum 100 times. Doing so and your wish will be granted. This is meant as a metaphor for the work involved in making a wish come true. According to the Buddhist and Shinto philosophies, you can make a wish, but the Buddha and gods will only help you after you have made the effort to make that wish come true under your own volition. This is a teaching I greatly respect.

Generally speaking I have been quite impressed with the principles and logic of Shingon Buddhism. They encourage thoughtfulness and dutifulness. Furthering my respect comes from the history of it's founder, Kobo Daishi was a notable academic, engineer, and artist. Most notably, he created the phonetic alphabet, which is still used to this day in Japan (and has been integral to my meager attempts to learn Japanese).



The next morning we awoke for the 6am meditation back at the Torodo temple. After following the monks as they delivered Kobo Daishi’s breakfast, we joined them inside the temple for a guided meditation session in the grand hall.  

We then set off to our next destination, but on the way out we stopped at the massive ceremonial gate, which serves an important purpose in the pilgrimage to Koya-san. The gate was massive! I was barely able to fit it within frame on my camera.  I'm sure it is an inspiring site for those who have trekked their way to this remote mountain village.



Koya-san left quite an impression on me, and looking back is definitely one of my most treasured memories of Japan.

PS - The local mascot for the city (because in Japan every city has a mascot) is definitely my favorite! Koya-kun is a tiny little monk wearing the traditional pilgrimage hat. He is posted all around the city doing various activities and giving helpful advice!

PPS - If you want to see more photo's of this amazing place, and other cool places in Japan and around Asia, you can check out Maria's blog here: https://mchaverri.wordpress.com/

Last runs! Nagano Ski Weekend and Snow Monkeys

On the weekend of March 12th I decided to squeeze one more ski day out of this sparse season with a trip to Nagano.  Caleb from my Hokkaido trip sent me an invite to a trip organized by the event planning company WhyNot Japan. I was surprised to not only see Caleb, but also Lea and Biana from the Hokkaido trip as well.

I started the evening meeting up with a few other ALTs, and together we grabbed some authentic Indian food. I can't recall if I have mentioned this, but there is a pretty prevalent Indian population in Japan come to open curry restaurants. While much Japanese food is rather bland, they do dig rather spicy curry.

After dinner we caught a night bus (something I have made good use of in Japan) from Osaka into the middle of the mountains. Along the way we stopped at a rest stop. These stops always impress me by their amenities. They always seem to be a combination of a convenience store, restaurant, and gift shop. Some I have been in even have showers! It's a shame so many Japanese people work so much, since the country seems designed for roadtrips!

Nagano is a large mountainous region north of Tokyo with many ski resorts. We headed to a small resort near Yamanochi, called X-Jam, on Mt. Kosha. We checked in at what would normally have been a ski in and ski out resort. Yet this particularly weak winter did the resort no favors, and there was only a bit of snow left in the area, and only a fraction of the mountain's terrain was open. Knowing this I swapped my rental for a snowboard and had a great time snowboarding at the same pace as my friends, both new and old. I got more confident with speed and control throughout the day too!

On the slopes one thing we were quite humored by was toddlers riding tiny snow bikes down the mountain. These little tikes could barely stand, let alone control these vehicles. So they mostly just sat their shooting straight down the mountain as their parent reigned them in with those hilarious child leashes.  It was too adorable and hilarious.

That evening we had a great nabe dinner, followed by a fun, abet makeshift party. In a moment that felt very Japanese, we had a party-wide rock paper scissors tournament, where a few of my friends even won prizes! 

During dinner, as well as breakfast the next day I chatted in Japanese with a guy named Yoshi, who came on the event by himself from Tokyo. He used to be a distance runner, with an insane crowning achievement of 4 marathons in 42 hours. I couldn't believe it. I even asked another half-Japanese guy for clarification, since I thought I misheard him. Japanese people clearly commit to their hobbies.




The next day I went to Jigokudani, Hell Valley, to see the famous snow monkeys. Due to the sulferous content of the nearby hot springs, no vegetation can grow in this area of the mountains. Yet the abundance of hot springs allows the monkeys to keep warm during the winter. I didn’t know we had to hike to the park, but I enjoyed stretching my legs through the mountains. While at this time of the year there was no snow, there were plenty of monkeys, and just as many photographers. At points it was more entertaining to watch people react to the monkeys more than watching the monkeys themselves. The monkeys wild, and free to roam about, so you get to be quite up close, and I managed to get at least one good photo.

On the hike back down I talked with Yuria Saito, a Japanese English literature major in Osaka. I am sure she had fun speaking to me in English, and I am glad I got the chance to practice Japanese a bit more.

Our tour ended with a quick stop at a restaurant, and a long bus ride back to Osaka. The crowd on the bus was very diverse, had an interesting conversation with a french guy, and a Palestinian about games on the way back. It was refreshing to have so many different cultures around in addition to the reserved Japanese culture.

High School Graduation and the End of the Japanese School Year

On the first of March the Japanese school year ends. My day started with me receiving a thank you note from Minami, a girl who I helped for her English speech at the beginning of the year, and my most consistent member of English Cafe (a weekly after school activity). Since for many students I feel, justifiably so, English is a low priority for them, I am happy to have made a difference for a student who takes it seriously. She will be sticking around the prefecture, attending the Junior College in a nearby town. I hope I can cross paths with her again.


The high school graduation ceremony in Japan is very different from the US. It is much less grand, but still carries an air or reverence and importance. It is held in the school gymnasium, with students in their uniforms. It is a rather brief ceremony, with class representatives receiving the diplomas rather than individuals, so the whole thing is done in just an afternoon. Yet there is still a lot of formality. The gardening students made a big flower display, the principal wore an amusing conductor outfit, and they even had a big bonzai tree on stage. Finding it odd, I inquired about it, and schools always have one at these ceremonies. But bonzai are expensive and take decades to cultivate, so amusingly enough, most schools just rent one for the event. At the end of the ceremony they sing the school anthem, which is also played every morning during the cleaning time. A teacher joked with me afterwards asking if American high schools had anthems, and if I find it weird that they sing in Japan. He joked it was like the Army, which is a fair comparison since many aspects of Japanese schools seem rather militaristic.

But this doesn't apply just to school. The general, almost ritualistic reverence towards many things here at school do seem uniquely Japanese. They remind me a lot of religious actions, such as morning prayers at Catholic schools, but without the religious justification. However, Japan seems to have ritualized many aspects of their life. From the standardize greetings I hear when entering any store, to the specific phrases said when leaving work, and even the importance of greeting everyone you see in the morning, these little rituals are what I think imbue the values of accommodation, respect, and consideration I have experienced during my time here in Japan.



That evening the teachers had a big enkai (work party), at The Mushroom Center, a pretty typical Japanese style entertainment hall, complete with hotel and bath and meeting rooms. Yet it is unique that it grows mushrooms, so every entree in the buffet style meal contained them.

Tons of speeches were given that evening by all the 3rd year homeroom teachers. Apparently my teachers have a quick wit, since all the speeches were very comedic. After the speeches everyone grabbed bear bottles, but used them to socialize and fill other peoples cups. This is a cultural norm (you never fill your own glass) that I appreciate quite a bit since the practice allows you to engage the person you want to while showing respect. The homeroom teachers and principals glasses were never below the brim and everyone had a good time.  Here I learned that the science teacher, Tamagawa, wanted to a musician growing up, and later an astrophysicist. He managed to achieve those dreams in a more practical sense, teaching science while also serving as the school band conductor. It's interesting and inspiring to see how people have used their interests to lead them to fulfilling work.

Afterwards I went with Kawaguchi, a teacher roughly my age to meet a couple other teachers at a local restaurant for a nijikai (second party!) These teachers were from other schools around the area, and were fun, snarky guys to chat with.

Local skiing at Daisen

Once again I had found myself in Yonago to play D&D, so the next morning on February 28th I set off early for a half day at the ‘big’ local ski resort, Daisen White.



It is located in the same area as the mountain I hiked earlier. The resort is nestled within the ridge-line of this grand peak. By Colorado standards Daisen is a modest resort, but for how close it is to Yonago, a mere 45 minutes by bus coupled with a reasonable ticket price, it is a great day trip locale.

Much like the other resorts I have skied now, Daisen is a no-nonsense resort. Accessible by a short chairlift from the main village, the base has a dining hall, a few rental places, and that’s just about it. The attraction is skiing.

 I had fun hitting cruisers throughout the day until the early afternoon, where my rental skis began to struggle through the spring skiing conditions. My half day ticket was just about to expire anyway, so the timing was nearly perfect.

 At the end of my day I went in for lunch at the base, and once again I was impressed by the size, quality, and price of the meal. In Japan, they have a Japanese-English term, “Cost Performance”, which sums up a great value in relation to its price, and ski resort food has great cost performance. I had a beef tendon bowl, which was meticulously garnished in front of me by the cafeteria staff mere minutes after I gave them my order.

It was a satisfying spring skiing day, I’m glad I shook off my laziness and got on that early morning bus.

Sumo and Chankonabe

I had mentioned to my coworkers a while back that I wanted to try chankonabe, the staple sumo wrestler meal. One of my JTEs, Fujiwara-sensei, is a HUGE sumo fan. Upon mentioning this to her she emphatically suggested we get a group of teachers together and go to dinner. It turns out Tottori has nationally renowned high school, Tottori Johoku SHS, specializing in educating and training future sumo wrestlers. And naturally, right next door is a famous chankoabe restaurant. She then proceeded to immediately call a bunch of teachers for the party. Turns out our school nurse, who is well networked in Tottori apparently, knew Johokui's school nurse. She got us invited to watch the sumo practice before dinner on February 28th.

The day before the event, Fujiwara-sensei asked me something that clashed with Japan's work ethic; could I take an our of paid leave and head out early to watch the sumo practice? We had a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet a famous sumo wrestler who would be the school that day. Hakuho Sho was at the school, there to practice with and coach at the high school sumo club.  Hakuho is arguably one of the best sumo wrestlers of all time (see his info here), making this event probably equivalent to having Peyton Manning drop in your local high school's football practice.

Watching sumo was an enlightening experience. I only have a rough concept of the rules of sumo, and knew nothing about the culture. Sumo is incredibly testosterone driven, fast, and violent. Matches can end in a second, rarely lasting over a minute. The matches begin when both wrestler's touch their hands to the ground, creating a tense standoff between the participants. Once they begin, they hit hard. The rules and culture of the sport require the wrestlers charge head on into one another, with dodging heavily frowned upon. It's the brutal confrontational nature of these matches which favors the stereotypical sumo physique. While sumo wrestlers are definitely large, they are far from weak. The fat provides them the extra mass and weight needed to stay grounded and channel momentum during these brief forceful bouts.

The sport is also highly ritualized, even in practice. There was a reverent air about the practice room, with no idle chitchat from the students or the spectators. When Hakuho began practicing himself, being the highest rank in sumo, even more ritualized activities began. A few students always stood ready with a towel and water cup for him, and prior to entering the ring he would christened the ring by tossing salt on it.

The students were good, and they hit hard. Their statue was impressive, many of them taller than me, and most all of them definitely heavier than me.  Their practice was relentless too, with some students fighting multiple rounds in a row until they lost, probably due to exhaustion. Yet despite how impressive these students were, once Hakuho entered the ring he merely toyed with them. Yet he showed signs of being a good coach too though. He would let them try some sort of maneuver to beat him, giving them an initial advantage, but would soon then either counter or simply out muscle the students.

Unfortunately, due to Japan's privacy protection laws, I am not allowed to post the photos or video I have taken of their practice online.

As we watched the practice, I learned how big this school was on sumo. The practice room was pristine, newly constructed, and well maintained. The school’s principal is even the sumo coach! He was a cartoon of a human. A former wrestler himeself, he has maintained his large stature, and hypermasculine presence. He wore a retro style suit with large, sharp lapels and what I recall as a leopard pattern tie. His voice was strong and deep, and he addressed his students with curt, strong language, a style of speech only used my 'manly men' in Japan.  Yet despite his gruff demeanor he was still incredibly courteous to the guests at his school.

At the end of the sumo practice, the smell of chankonabe being prepared for the students filled the hall, so left for dinner ourselves. We went across the street to Chanko Ishura, owned by the principal's family.

Chankonabe is delicious. Nabe is a type of shared meal in Japan, popular in colder months. On your table there is a large communal hot pot which boils a variety of vegetables, mushrooms, and meats in a chicken or soy broth. Once these are all consumed, rice and eggs or ramen noodles are tossed into the broth as a second course. Chankonabe uniquely adds hearty chicken meatballs to the usual recipe, which you get to roll yourself!  It is definitely a healthy, hearty meal.