Ohtori spent his two-decade sumo profession struggling for wins so he might to maneuver up the ranks of Japan’s conventional sport, however now he’s combating to entertain a unique crowd: curious vacationers.

He is one in all six ex-wrestlers placing on sumo demonstrations catering to abroad travellers, who’re returning in droves after a two-year COVID-19 blockade because the weaker yen makes such journeys cheaper than they’ve been in many years. “I want foreigners and Japanese people alike to have a greater understanding of sumo,” stated Ohtori, 40, whose full ring title, Koto-ohtori, means “harp phoenix.”

“My older brothers were always pretty rough,” he stated of his professional days, which he started at 15. “It’s more fun now, of course, because I can interact with everyone.” His efficiency venue, Yokozuna Tonkatsu Dosukoi Tanaka, opened in central Tokyo in November 2022, a month after Japan restarted visa-free journey. Beneath its vaulted roof is a sumo ring and 14 tables the place patrons pay 11,000 yen ($76) to eat breaded pork cutlets earlier than watching – and becoming a member of – the motion.

Another former sumo wrestler, Yasuhiro Tanaka, began the restaurant after founding an organization to provide ex-wrestlers a second profession as actors in commercials and flicks. He stated he desires to recruit extra wrestlers to do night performances. On a latest afternoon, Ohtori engaged in comedic and reasonable sparring towards his bigger opponent, Towanoyama, known as “Jumbo” by the English-speaking emcee for the sake of the all-foreign viewers.

Jose Aguillar, a quality-control supervisor from Monterrey, Mexico, had ringside seats along with his household and stated he was wanting to see one thing “iconic from Japan” on a COVID-delayed trip for his daughter’s quinceanera birthday bash. When it got here time to don a well-worn sumo costume, and face Jumbo within the ring, Aguillar was on the head of the road.

“At the beginning, I said, ‘Oh, why did I choose to be the first one? I (should) wait for others,” Aguillar, 46, stated after pushing a compliant Jumbo out of the ring. “But no, it was really, really amazing.” Themed eating places are a part of a tourism ecosystem that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida hopes will add 5 trillion yen a yr to the nation’s economic system. Sumo is seeing a resurgence itself after the Netflix drama “Sanctuary” in regards to the sport grew to become successful in May.

The lunch performances are full of snickers, however surgical procedure scars on Ohtori and Jumbo communicate to the bodily toll of sumo, which recruits teenagers and leaves many wrestlers with scant employment prospects after they retire of their 30s. “As sumo wrestlers, we couldn’t really play around at all,” stated Tanaka, 47, who admitted he wasn’t a very sturdy competitor. “So now I want everyone to be able to earn a salary and live a happy, enjoyable life.” ($1 = 144.3200 yen)

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