Sumo, behind the scenes part 2
Just a quick sumo related factoid… We learned a bit more about the hairstyles of the Sumo wrestlers, as we were traveling with another japanese man who was a hairdresser and interested in these kinds of things. The top knot is something passed down from the samurai of the edo period, the really high level wrestlers get a different kind of knot that looks like a ginko leaf. Also their hair is held in place by a very thick and very stinky wax. Now, as for the picture. Apparently, a sumo wrestler will wash his hair if he is plagued by losses. This is supposed to wash away the bad luck and help them improve their game. Washing is no easy feat, this guy was scrubbing for almost 10 minutes. Wash, rinse, repeat. On the flip side, if they keep winning they will not wash their hair for the whole 15 days….
So, do these guys factor into the waist trimming campaign? Maybe they are too young?
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/13/world/asia/13fat.html?_r=1&n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/People/O/Onishi,%20Norimitsu&oref=slogin
Haha… I am sure they have their own kind of health programs, and that metabo is not one of the worries they dwell on. Their weight is substantial, however, I was amazed by how well they move those bodies. When I think of fat people I usually think of them waddling about. The Wrestlers are in good control, and mostly move pretty gracefully. Clearly, there is a lot of muscle in there too. Still, sumo wrestlers do typically have lots of health problems after retirement. But I guess this is just an occupational hazard. I think this is not uncommon for many, if not most, professional sports (except perhaps golf). Sumo-sans are probably on par with the average life spans and levels of medical problems that pro football players experience.