Blog 7: Sumo Wrestling, Fish Market, & Tofu Dining Experience

Sumo Wrestling, Fish Market, & a Tofu Dining Experience

Tuesday January 9, 2018 

Sumo Wrestling

Aside from Geisha and Mount Fuji, one of the things that I have images of in regard to Japan is the Sumo sport.  I have no idea where these images came from but I know I was reluctant about watching this competitive sport.  So I am happy when John says he can’t sit quietly through a 3-hour sumo tournament and elects instead to watch a training exercise through a window. We arrive to see 8-10 very large, obese men taking turns in dyads to push each other around a 12 foot diameter ring on a dirt floor. The goal is to stay inside the ring and not to be forced onto all four limbs or have any part of the body touch the ground except the soles of the feet. I am both repulsed and fascinated about why people find this ancient and honored sport entertaining and then think about American’s obsession with football. 

This sport originated in Japan and is the only country where it is practiced professionally. There are 45 stables with 650 fighters, with only 60 in the top tier. Once a wrestler is assigned to a stable he is there for life, unlike football where players can change teams. Apparently the interest in Sumo has waxed and waned but now accepts into their Japanese stables promising wrestlers from Eastern Europe, Russia, Hawaii and Samoa. Life as a wrestler is regulated with specific rules and most sumo wrestlers are required to live in training stables, where all aspects of their lives from meals to manner of dress and even their names and long hair style with top knot on head are dictated by tradition. They are not allowed to drive as their stomachs make it hard to reach the driving wheel. If wrestlers don’t meet their master’s standards there have been reports of violent beatings for not trying hard enough.  The code of silence regarding speaking out about these beatings is strong. 

 I ask our guide what they eat to get so fat and she says “rice”.  They train in the morning and then eat lunch consisting of large volumes of rice and will go to bed until mid afternoon.  Then they eat again and go to bed early.  The novices are not paid and it can take 2-3 years to make a salary, that is 12-60,000 dollars a month for a good wrestler. I ask our guide about the life expectancy of these men and she replies into the ‘80’s.  I am skeptical and later I check this out with Toshi, my psychiatrist friend who laughs and says their life expectancy is significantly shorter.  Sumor wrestlers have a life expectancy of 60 to 65 which is 10 years shorter than the average Japanese. Not unexpected since we know about the effect of obesity on blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. Toshi  who is my age also explains that when he was a boy baseball and Sumo wrestling were the main or only sports available but currently there are many other sports choices for children so interest in being a wrestler has decreased.  Moreover reports of corporal punishment (and even a death) by the wrestler managers has decreased interest by boys. However, I was surprised to hear about a recent popularity boost in this sport and I suspect that money is the motivator.

Tsukiji Inner and Outer Fish Market

Eating oysters 

Kobe Beef (marbled)

Next we ask our guide to take us to the renound inner wholesale fish market, known for its frenzied tuna fish auctions and for being the world’s largest fish and seafood market. It began operations in 1935 and made Tsukiji into a bustling town. My web research says the market handles 480 types of seafood and moves through 3.6 million pounds and $14.6 million worth of seafood per day.  However Keiko tells us guides can no longer bring tour groups to the inner market because with all the fish processing and use of forklifts and motorized vehicles moving at high speed there is a risk of injury. We push back saying we want to go and she agrees to take us as long as we don’t look like she is our guide. We see from a posted sign that tourists can no longer go to the inner market until after 10 am when the auctions are over. Apparently the tourists were too distracting to the auction business process which is clearly big business. The first Saturday of 2018 the paper reported an 892 pound blue fish tuna sold for $323,000! This will result in 13,000 pieces of sushi.

The auctions which begin at 3-5 am are over by 10 am so when we arrive at 10:30 we watch them cleaning up the fish and boxing left over fish. Still it is an amazing experience with plenty to see. I am sorry we are not allowed to take pictures because this truly is a photographers paradise.  The wholesale area consists of hundreds of small stands with many types of fresh fish and it is a busy atmosphere with many men on scooters scurrying around picking up boxes of fish and taking them to big refrigerator trucks. I learn there have been efforts to relocate the fish market due to safety and sanitary concerns such as testing positive for higher than legal levels of pollutants such as arsenic.  However, the cost to do this was so high the Governor postponed the plan.

The inner market is interesting with many small shops and restaurants along narrow pathways. Owners of some of these places have their shop on the first floor and live on the 2^nd floor.  We pause here for some fresh oysters and Laura buys wasabi nuts which we agree are delicious. I have always loved horseradish which is what they taste like. Clearly this place is a maze of intricate streets and I really wish I could spend the day here wandering and sampling and of course taking pictures. Seth, Laura and John of course are ready for a sushi lunch after this fishy experience but because I am meeting Toshi, a psychiatrist friend I reluctantly leave them for this culinary experience but am also eager to meet my friend. 

Wasabi

 

A Tofu Dining Experience (narahara@umenohana.co.jp)

I am picked up at the hotel by Toshi a psychiatrist clinician and researcher who attended one of my Incredible Years trainings in 2010.  Subsequently he translated my parenting book into Japanese and opened his own private practice for mothers experiencing postpartum depression. He tours me through the Kitamura Institute of Mental Health Tokyo which is a lovely home that feels relaxing and meditative the moment you enter this peaceful place. 

There is Haydn music pumped into all the rooms and I am greeted by 3 female members of his team with green tea and some delicious sugary chestnuts.  I learn about their nursing and midwifery work supporting these families to bring about the best baby development and also share with them my baby and toddler programs.  One of  them has her 3 month old baby with her for our meeting. I am impressed by the level of support they offer mothers and their extended families to help them cope recover from their depression. 

Afterwards we meet up with Toshi’s wife and my family for an amazing tofu meal. I have not had much tofu before in my life so this is another new experience.  We take off our shoes to sit on the floor in a small relaxing room just for us. We are served over the evening 15 different types of tofu courses all cooked in different ways to change its texture and taste. 

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 It is visually appealing and of course artfully presented. We compared notes about the Japanese and American mental health systems and found a lot of similarities.  I was delighted to be reconnected with Toshi again and to meet his lovely wife. 

Blog # 6: Coming of Age in Japan

Coming of Age in Japan

January 8th, 2018

Carolyn coming of age in black

Today we meet a funny, energetic Japanese woman guide named Keiko who I immediately like. The first tourist site she takes us to is the Imperial Palace, the primary residence of the Emperor of Japan.  Actually we are disappointed because we can’t actually see the palace which is closed to the public except for 2 days a year, New Years and the Emperor’s birthday. 

Keiko, our teacher

We learn that in May 1945, most structures of the Imperial Palace were destroyed in the US firebombing raid on Tokyo with 2000-pound bombs. Due to the large-scale destruction of the Meiji-era palace, a new main palace hall and residences were constructed on the western portion of the site in the 1960s. The area was renamed Imperial Residence in 1948, while the eastern part was renamed East Garden and became a public park in 1968.

I bond with our guide when I ask her about the Crown Prince having only a daughter and not a son. She says this means the next Emperor must go to the Crown Prince’s brother who does have a son. Unlike our prior male guide when I suggest the possibility of a female Emperor she agrees with this idea and expresses discontent about Japan’s backward ways in this regard. The current Emperor has requested to retire due to prostate surgery and while his right to retire is being questioned (as he is a god), our guide says this is scheduled to happen in 2019.

Next we go to Zojoji Buddhist Temple which is just in front of the nearby Tokyo Tower making quite a contrast between the old and new Japan. We are slightly distracted by a show of a man with a trained monkey and I am not sure how I feel about this experience, although the man seems quite loving towards his monkey. Moreover the monkey was checking out his I-pad and gave good eye contact with me. 

There is a big incense burner in front of the temple and people are rubbing themselves with the smoke which is said to have healing powers. I do this for John’s back. Off to one side of this shrine are multiple rows of small concrete baby jizo statues dressed in bibs and knitted red caps.  This is rather sad as Keiko says they were protectors of the souls of babies and children, somewhat I guess like angels. Parents come here to decorate and dedicate the statues in honor of their children who died before them. I find this quite heart wrenching.

Metropolitan Office Building Observatories

After having our bags checked prior to boarding the elevators we went up to the 45^th floor where we had panoramic views of all of Tokyo from the 202-meter high observation decks. We could not see Mt Fuji and the mountain range due to poor weather and remember that is rare to see Mount Rainier in Seattle too.  However, we could see Tokyo Skytree and Tokyo Tower and stopped here to have our coffee fix. No I haven't converted to tea yet. 

 Meiji Jingu Shrine  &  Coming of Age

This is a Shinto Shrine dedicated to Japan’s ancient and original religion and the divine souls of  Emperor Meiji (122nd Emperor and grandfather of current Emperor) and Empress Shoken. This Emperor is known for taking the initiative to introduce Western civilization to Japan and developing technology while preserving Japanese identity. This shrine like the palace was completely destroyed in World War II air raids and rebuilt in 1958.

There are crowds of people here because of the National Coming of Age holiday that is held annually on the 2^nd Monday of January to celebrate and honor all those who have reached 20 years of age over the past year. At this age they have new liberties such as being able to drink, smoke, gamble, vote and drive. I am completely distracted and fascinated by all the gorgeous girls dressed in elaborate and expensive kimonos. Most seemed to have visited a beauty salon to be dressed in their complex kimonos, have their hair done and makeup applied. I imagine many hours has gone into this primping before reaching this place where photographers are waiting to take their pictures.  I am struck by the various emotions on their faces and wonder what they are thinking about their future. Apparently these kimonos are worth up to 1,000,000 yen and many will have rented them. Most of the men are wearing formal Western clothes (black suit and tie) while a handful are wearing the traditional Hakama. 

On this day these young adults are given presentations by the mayor of the city to congratulate them and celebrations continue all day. I could have spent many hours here taking pictures as the girls seemed quite happy to be photographed. How lucky we are to be here on this particular day.

Next we walked through the beautiful forest and entered a massive wooden Torii gate. Before entering the shrine, there was a ritual cleansing station to be used by visitors to cleanse themselves spiritually before entering the shrine.  This station includes a wooden ladle water container with a long handle and our guide shows us the ritual for first washing your left hand, then your right hand and finally transferring water from your hand (not the ladle) to your mouth and then spitting it out beside the fountain. You end by bowing deeply and saying a prayer. I wonder how it is to be coming of age like one of these absolutely gorgeous women. When I was 20 I was a hippie in braids, jeans and absolutely no make up or such inclinations.

Once inside the entrance there is a spacious courtyard and visitors can join in typical Shinto activities.  We stopped at some booths to have our fortune told. Interesting that Seth and John had the same fortune while Laura and I had the same one.  For Laura and I the Empress Shoken said, “Cut if need be through thick briars, knots of brambles, tangled thorns, For the path that’s yours to follow, Must be trodden to the end.” We both agree this represents our personalities and motivations. The men don't show us their fortunes.

The main hall also had places where visitors can write their dreams and wishes and purchase tablets with pictures on them. At the Main Shrine crowds of people were lined up to throw some money and say a prayer which involved bowing twice, clapping twice, saying a prayer of thanks and bowing one final time. We all participated in this and I found it quite moving.  Spread through out the crowds were also the young girls wearing beautiful traditional Kimonos which added to the specialness of this shrine experience. I wish we had a tradition of giving thanks.

Amazing Dinner at Basara Restaurant

On this evening the search is on for sushi.  At this simple but modern restaurant we are seated in a private room and debate the difference between sashimi, sushi, miginiti, nigiri and maki?? Apparently they are out of sushi but we can get sashimi. Having internet here we check out the answer to our questions. Nigiri is a type of sushi made from thin slices of raw fish over pressed rice seasoned with vinegar, sugar and salt. Sashimi is thinly sliced raw fish or meat served without rice. Sushi does not mean raw fish! Sashimi is not Sushi!  Raw fish is not sashimi. Sashimi is not always raw fish! I think I need therapy! See if you can tell in these pictures which one is  sushi or sashimi or maki?