Rikishi, oyakata, tokoyama, and Yokozuna. If these Japanese words mean anything to you, then you are likely a super sumo fan. Like any popular sport, it’s expensive to see your favorite athletes compete – and actually meeting and chatting with them seems like a distant dream. This is not so different for Japan’s national sport of sumo, with 13,000 fans at each tournament cheering for their favorites, you are just one in the crowd.
But, of course everyone wants more – more chances to take pictures and more chances to meet your favorite stars. Well, if you have nothing else planned for December, right now is your last chance to sign up for the Grand Sumo Cruise! Just be ready to open up your wallet!
A cruise vacation is nothing like a lame, land vacation. On a cruise, the meals are provided, the entertainment is free and you’re never more than 100 ft away from an ocean front view. One luxury liner, the Hicho II, has teamed up with the Japan Sumo Association to create Japan’s first national sport themed cruise! This is your chance to rub elbows with some of the most popular rikishi (sumo wrestlers), coaches, referees, hairdressers and up-and-coming sumo wrestlers! We are talking about superstars like current Yokozuna, Hakuho, and fan-favorite Ozeki, Kisenosato.
This special cruise is going to pack in tons of amazing sumo related programming, such as talk shows featuring coaches and ranking sumo wrestlers, sumo seminars, and viewings of famous historic sumo bouts. The Hicho II even has a sumo-themed song they will show off, along with a lottery and on-board auction featuring a ton of sumo related items! There will even be a huge giveaway featuring seats for the upcoming sumo tournament in January 2015 at the Ryogoku Sumo Hall.
But won’t the ship land sometime and make its passengers choose between sumo and exotic locale? Don’t worry, the ship won’t make port during the cruise, so there will be nothing to distract you from the sumo goodness! And, to get everyone pumped up for a couple of days of intense sumo fun, there is an early morning practice viewing and sumo stew lunch even before the ship leaves port!
▼This hearty meal is packed with protein to give you that sumo wrestler physique.
If you are ready to sign up, you’ll want to hear some of the finer details first. This cruise will only be a 3 day, 2 night adventure, a pretty short trip by usual standards. Rooms will start at 115,000 yen (US$1,093) and go all the way up to 520,000 yen ($4,942). It may seem like a high price for such a short cruise, but no price is too high to get that close to Hakuho!
▼Dreamy!
The cruise will depart from Yokohama Port on Wednesday, December 10, and arrive back on Friday, December 12. Your last chance to sign up for this cruise will be at the special PR booth at the Ryogoku Sumo Hall during the September tournament. Can you afford to miss this unique “sumopportunity”?
Cruise Details:
Dates: December 10 (Wed) – December 12 (Fri), departure and arrival the Yokohama Port
Cost: 115,000 yen – 520,000 yen (2 people applying for one room pay for just 1 adult.)
Special Details: The huge ticket giveaway is for matches in the January tournament.
Source: Japaaan Magazine
Images: Asuka Cruise, Wikipedia (Nesnad), Wikipedia (FourTildes)
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