A thousand days to learn, ten thousand days to refine
– Japanese proverb –
Japan and it’s weird, wonderful sports.
On a recent trip to Japan we were lucky enough to attend a sumo tournament. From early morning to late afternoon we watched in awe as dozens of wrestlers slowly moved their way to the dohyo, the traditional sacred ring made from clay.
It was amazing to see their almost ‘elephant seal’-like transformation. A slow bulky masss of blubber for most of the day. But in a split second these men can transform to incredible strong and gracefully mobile creatures.
The respect, the tradition, the rituals, everything that was surround us had a mesmerizing effect on us. The sport is sheer beauty. And just last week, early in 2017, Japan celebrated their first Yokozuna in 19 years. An emotional moment for many in Japan.
But holding true to their reputation for quirkiness Japan has many more wonderful, weird sports.
IKIGAI ATHLETIC 