Amateur Sumo Team(s) in Kobe, Japan?

[athelitextreme 6]

Does anyone have information about amateur sumo team(s) in the immediate area of Kobe, Japan? Your assistance is greatly appreciated! ;-)

[athelitextreme 6]

I guess that I never posted a follow up to this post... I went to Japan last August & had an amazing time.

Through my host who is a well respected university professor, I had the opportunity to participate in keiko with the Kansai Gakuin University sumo team. A couple of the members, my host & I went out for beer & lunch afterwards. I can truly say that the two team members & I have become friends & we exchange emails a couple of times a month. They're eager to have me back to participate in a competition with the team! I wish to thank Jonosuke for mentioning the university.

My host phoned Michinoku to arrange for us to visit. After sharing who he is & mentioning that I had previously participated in sumo & also attended keiko at the university, I was invited to participate in keiko with them! I tried to keep pace & even had a few practice matches, though I was extremely nervous & for the most part (unfortunately) stayed in the background. I helped with the cleaning after keiko & the amused Oyakata said that next time he will have me assist with preparing the stadium for a basho. We were then invited upstairs where we ate & took pictures with the Oyakata & the senior rikishi. An experience of a lifetime! Thank you Fay for mentioning the sumo beya.

I dream of the day that I'll be able to return!!!!! ;-)

[athelitextreme 6]

Sounds like a great experience. ;-) Do you have any photos?

Yes but believe it or not, I'm really shy! My host took pictures & a Japanese friend that lives in Tokyo & to whom I mentioned that I was going to the beya, stopped by on his way to work & took pictures through the windows. :-P

[sumojosh 0]

Sounds like a great experience. (On the banzuke...) Do you have any photos?

I second Nishinoshima,I would also like to see the photos :-)

[athelitextreme 6]

Sounds like a great experience. :-( Do you have any photos?

I second Nishinoshima,I would also like to see the photos (Clapping wildly...)

This is a picture that my friend took with his cellphone while looking in through a window... (Blushing...)

Edit: Attachment removed.

Edited April 16, 2009 by athelitextreme

[Manekineko 200]

Post Editing/Inactive Member question moved to the appropriate subforum to increase chance of Exil spotting it.

[athelitextreme 6]

I received an email from my friend on the university sumo team & he mentioned that foreigners don't compete on university sumo teams.

I ask those of you who are fortunate enough to live in Japan, is this because foreigners are not permitted or one must be a student & there simply aren't foreign born students interested in sumo?

Edited April 17, 2009 by athelitextreme

[Doitsuyama 1,134]

There also are Mongolians in university sumo. But all these foreigners are/were students at the university while doing sumo there. Of course that's required for Japanese too, I assume.

[athelitextreme 6]

OK, I guess he was referring to non-students. My friend's English is very limited & sometimes I need to figure out what he's attempting to say. Thanks!

[Asashosakari 16,373]

Customary Todbileg link. He's turned pro since.

[Sasanishiki 57]

And let's not forget Tokitenku when he was at Tokyo Nogyo Daigaku

[athelitextreme 6]

Not true. I've seen foreigners competing in university sumo...

I'm still wondering, are there amateur sumo competitions in Japan in which an adult foreigner not associated with a corporation or university may compete? (Typing at computer...)

Edited June 2, 2009 by athelitextreme

[Sasanishiki 57]

I'm still wondering, are there amateur sumo competitions in Japan in which an adult foreigner not associated with a corporation or university may compete? (Typing at computer...)

Yes, but they are not particularly high level. I have competed in the Bunkyo-ku (a ward of Tokyo) Sumo competition twice and I wasn't even resident in Japan at the time, although ironically I lived in Bunkyo ward the first time I lived in Japan. I believe that foreign competitors could also probably compete in a range of other community contests such as this. Wanchanyama competed in the same tournament I did one year, as did Petr (but that was through links with his university sumo club). Nishinoshima and Mark Buckton have competed in the Komatsuryu Dojo competitions because they were members of the club. However, I observed at least one other foreigner, who was not a member, at one of these competitions. There have probably been other foreigners who have competed in ward, city or regional tournaments. However, to compete in the higher level tournaments usually requires the sumo pedigree that one gains from training at a university, corporation or quality community sumo club.

[athelitextreme 6]

Yes, but they are not particularly high level. I have competed in the Bunkyo-ku (a ward of Tokyo) Sumo competition twice and I wasn't even resident in Japan at the time, although ironically I lived in Bunkyo ward the first time I lived in Japan. I believe that foreign competitors could also probably compete in a range of other community contests such as this. Wanchanyama competed in the same tournament I did one year, as did Petr (but that was through links with his university sumo club). Nishinoshima and Mark Buckton have competed in the Komatsuryu Dojo competitions because they were members of the club. However, I observed at least one other foreigner, who was not a member, at one of these competitions. There have probably been other foreigners who have competed in ward, city or regional tournaments. However, to compete in the higher level tournaments usually requires the sumo pedigree that one gains from training at a university, corporation or quality community sumo club.

I appreciate the awesome information. How may I obtain some sort of calendar of competitions in which I am permitted to participate? I would like to plan my next trip around it. Thanks again! (Typing at computer...)

Edited June 2, 2009 by athelitextreme