布団引き屋?お相撲? Flipping Futons or Sumo Wrestling?

September 24, 2009: 青い目のおもてなし This American’s Omotenashi

昨日の波閉科神社の秋祭りの相撲の写真です。私は2回取りまして、一回は飛ばされました。やっぱり、子供のころから相撲をやってきた人はそれなりのテックニックがあるやなとくやしく思いました。しかし、また「に~し、タイラーや~ま」と。あっ、もう一回が出来るのか?よしっ、今回は負けないぞ!そして、写真のように、気合を入れて、布団引きの力をかけて、相手を飛ばしました。御幣を頂いて、「心」という字を手でやりました。

生まれてから始めてお相撲で勝ちました。

嬉しかったです。

お相撲の世界は物凄く奥深いですが、勝つとやはり嬉しいです。

Here is a picture of yesterday's Habeshina Shrine Autumn Festival sumo tournament. I was fortunate to get to wrestle twice. The first time I got thrown on my ass. Man, was I bummed out. (Pardon the pun...) I was just starting to feel bad about myself not having grown up doing sumo and getting to learn all the techniques. But then the announcer called, "Nishi (west side - my side!), Tyler-yama." Yeah! I got a second chance to wrestle. This time around, I wasn't going to lose. I put all my energy, as well as futon-flipping muscles, into it and tossed my opponent on his butt. Then I got to do the ritual ceremony of receiving the sacred "onbei" and writing "kokoro" (心) with my hand. My first ever victory at sumo.

It felt good. Real good!

Sumo is a rich sport steeped in tradition, ceremony and spirituality. But I have to say, it still feels just plain good to win at it!





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