More than just training: Sumo's open practices are intense — and entertaining
But while the jungyō are an excellent introduction to the sport, and feature all kinds of interesting aspects of sumo not seen in regular meets, there is one element of the tours that sometimes leaves hardcore fans dissatisfied.
No matter how entertaining the matchups may be, the fact that there is little at stake in what are essentially exhibition bouts means the intensity of jungyō matches falls well short of what is usually seen during sumo's six yearly honbasho.
For fans unable to get seats at one of those bimonthly tournaments, however, there is another option.
Normally held behind closed doors and accessible only to members of the Sumo Press Club, the Yokozuna Deliberation Council (YDC) practice, known as Soken in Japanese, is occasionally opened up to the general public.
This year the Soken, which will be held ahead of the Summer Basho, is the one to which fans can gain admittance.
Scheduled to take place at Tokyo's Kokugikan on May 2, the practice is free to attend and should feature all of the sport's top wrestlers participating in a series of training bouts that have a higher intensity than those seen during regional tours.
Although banzuke ranking positions aren't at stake, the fact that the practice is so close to a real tournament ensures most of the rikishi are in advanced stages of preparation and are giving it their all in an effort to reach full match fitness.
For yokozuna, and to a lesser extent ozeki, there is the added motivation of needing to perform at a high standard to avoid incurring criticism from YDC members.
Adding to the atmosphere of seriousness is the fact that, even when the event is open to the public, cheering or shouting out support for wrestlers is discouraged. The Japan Sumo Association (JSA) asks attendees to watch the practice in silence, and not use phones.
Gates open at 8 a.m. and, going on past years, proceedings should conclude around 11 a.m.
One point to be aware of is that while Kokugikan can hold 11,000 people, the upper floor normally isn't open to the public for Soken, and if the first floor reaches capacity, no one else will be admitted.
Ura is mobbed by wrestlers vying to be next during a Yokozuna Deliberation Council practice in 2016. While the Soken is normally conducted in an air of solemn focus and seriousness, there are occasional moments of levity. |
John Gunning
Because of that, and the fact that it's first-come, first-served in terms of seating, it's advisable to arrive at the venue early to secure positions close to the wrestlers.
One pro tip is to try and find seating on the front side (behind the white cloth covered table at which the YDC members sit) as wrestlers standing around the ring can block views of what's going on in the ring from the east, west and back sides of the arena.
Physical checks for sumo's newest batch of recruits also take place at Kokugikan on May 2, giving those in attendance at the Soken an opportunity to see some of the future stars of sumo take their very first steps as professionals.
In terms of the number of high-level sumo contests, it's hard to beat the Soken. On no other occasion can you see all the sports top-rankers engage in anything like the volume of bouts that take place at the YDC practice. Pre-tournament tensions not only contribute toward ensuring fierce fights, but can sometimes lead to tempers flaring.
Two decades ago, notoriously fiery yokozuna Asashoryu engaged in a series of heated battles with Russian standout Roho and Hakuho, then an up-and-comer.
Normally sumo practices of such intensity only take place inside a single stable or perhaps during training sessions among ichimon (groups of aligned stables).
With some of the more promising third-tier wrestlers also staying on to train with those in the second division (or second with third), the Soken offers an early opportunity to evaluate the career prospects of young talent or college stars who earned advanced starting positions in the professional ranks.
Being able to watch the best wrestlers currently in sumo duking it out for an hour or more isn't the only thrill for sumo fans when it comes to the Soken.
Numerous stars of the past can be seen as many, if not most, stablemasters are in attendance, and the YDC practice often brings out former legends no longer in the JSA such as Konishiki.
While the Soken is normally conducted in an air of solemn focus and seriousness, there are occasional moments of levity.
Throughout sumo's history there have always been wrestlers who can't resist hamming it up or playing to the crowd no matter the situation.
With training bouts often following a 'king of the hill' pattern, winners are mobbed by those trying to be picked next. Sometimes 10 or more men will immediately rush into the center of the ring at the same time in an attempt to get the attention of the winner.
Now and again, a showman will take that to extremes by bear-hugging the winner or grabbing his face with both hands in an attempt to prevent him from picking someone else.
Such lighthearted interludes are the exception rather than the rule though, and for the most part the Soken is conducted in impressive near-silence, only broken by the sounds of exertion from the sport's top competitors.
With Hoshoryu having withdrawn midway through his first tournament at sumo's highest rank in March, the upcoming YDC practice is sure to see a refocused version of the sport's lone yokozuna, and that should provide a spectacle to satisfy the most demanding of fans.
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