Japan's sumo wrestlers grapple with tradition
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This photo taken on Feb 14, 2013 shows stablemaster Tadahiro Otake (right) eatting a "chankonabe" breakfast while sumo wrestler Osunaarashi of Egypt (2nd right), wrestler Moriurara (centre), hair dresser Tokonao (2nd left) and announcer Takahiro (left) stand around to help after a training session at their sumo stable in Tokyo. Most of the 610 wrestlers who come under the aegis of the venerable Japan Sumo Association are lodged in stables like this one; living, eating and sleeping together in facilities that allow for little personal space. Osunaarashi, who's real name is Abdelrahman Ahmed Shaalan, is the highest ranked wrestler amongst Mr Otake's eight wrestlers, who needs to climb 23 ranks to crack into the second division. -- PHOTO: AFP
TOKYO (AFP) - As the sun rises over Tokyo, six men, naked apart from loincloths, stand on sand and stamp their feet repeatedly.
Six trunk-like thighs are heaved into the air, pausing for a second before crashing down, the topknots on each wrestler's head wobbling with the impact.
Monotonous it may be. But no one ever said training to be a sumo supremo was supposed to be fun.
"Shift your weight!" "Don't raise your hips too fast!" shouts a retired wrestler now working as a caretaker and coach.
