Potential Forum Meeting May 2017, updated to May 2019..

[orandashoho 664]

2 minutes ago, Akinomaki said:

Actually the pre-order for groups of 20 or more, also travel-agencies and the like has already started on Feb. 1st. They have to order in bunches of at least 20 on the same day in the same seat category.

I have attempted to prod our group into shared action, but even if there was an interest we don't seem to amount to 20+ for any day, and we may not all want the same days.
I originally thought a local Forum member woud help with tickets, but so far no one stepped up, so we are pressed to make individual arrangements, frustrating though this is proving to be -- and if you can't find your way through the Japanese sites like myself, it's probably more expensive too.

[Kintamayama 32,560]

In past instances when we all met everyone arrived individually and saw to their tickets by themselves as everyone had their own timetable. In the evenings we would meet up for dinner and stuff. .Add the current state of sumo popularity and it's a huge problem with tickets. We still don't even know how many are coming and ticket sales for May don't start till early April so the whole " who's going to buy the tickets" thing is moot for now. There is still time for that. Let's get a final number by the end of Haru and then we can move on and beg locals to help us..

[Harry 67]

Well, I start a new job next month which is good for me but... bad for my sumo trip. Not going to happen. Enjoy it, everyone!

As for foreigners in box seats, it can be done! 4 or 3 of them plus 1 native worked well in the past. I always watched from the start of the day when you could pick any box you liked. We could usually sit in other nearby boxes until juryo, some days early in the basho or on weekdays we could use an extra box the whole day! However, on popular days people often arrived early to get their seats before makuuchi and we had to retreat to our own box. So it usually meant 1-2 hours of setting seiza, cross legged or in cozy seating arrangements, which can be fun if you're close friends or more... if some want to wander, meet&greet, take pictures from the aisles before being accosted, etc. then it helps as 3 in a box is generally fine as one person can stretch out while two sit seiza/cross and you can take turns stretching out.

[orandashoho 664]

BuySumoTickets.com just opened their pre-order window.

Because of the uncertainty of being able to sit in a box (not to mention being alone and not having box partners), I am ordering 'A' Arena seats.

Edited February 26, 2017 by orandashoho

[Kuroyama 715]

Well, it would be nice to get a box for at least one day, but that will probably prove impossible to coordinate to buy ahead of time.

[orandashoho 664]

4 minutes ago, Kuroyama said:

Well, it would be nice to get a box for at least one day, but that will probably prove impossible to coordinate to buy ahead of time.

It is not impossible, if we find enough "takers" for a seat in the box, the order is placed now and paid as soon as the invoice is mailed.

[Kuroyama 715]

12 minutes ago, orandashoho said:

It is not impossible, if we find enough "takers" for a seat in the box, the order is placed now and paid as soon as the invoice is mailed.

I just ordered mine as well. It's probably best to get in the queue as soon as possible, as fast as tickets have been selling.

Did you read their FAQ? From https://buysumotickets.com/faq.html#day-of-the-event

Quote

Is there a dress code?

You should wear more than the wrestlers wear.

 

Fortuitously, that was more or less my plan.

Edited February 27, 2017 by Kuroyama

[orandashoho 664]

16 minutes ago, Kuroyama said:

Quote

Is there a dress code?

You should wear more than the wrestlers wear.

 

Fortuitously, that was more or less my plan.

Oh, so it is not like the dress code at Dutch speedskating matches then, where everyone wears orange clothing preferably with orange wigs and funny shaped hats.
http://thialf.nl/evenementen/dresscode
 

[Rocks 1,451]

is it like a faux pas for male spectators to wear Yukatas? How about Jinbei if it's warm enough?

[Kuroyama 715]

17 hours ago, orandashoho said:

Oh, so it is not like the dress code at Dutch speedskating matches then, where everyone wears orange clothing preferably with orange wigs and funny shaped hats.
http://thialf.nl/evenementen/dresscode
 

I think the local equivalent would be a gold top hat and a hinomaru fan, but you have to be an eccentric old Japanese man to get away with it.

 

[Sakura 778]

2 hours ago, Kuroyama said:

I think the local equivalent would be a gold top hat and a hinomaru fan, but you have to be an eccentric old Japanese man to get away with it.

 

Is he still around? I haven't seen him on a broadcast for a while. I've seen a few regulars, like the guy that sits in the front with a lady. The lady really gets into it and he looks bored.

[Asojima 2,359]

9 minutes ago, Sakura said:

... the guy that sits in the front with a lady. The lady really gets into it and he looks bored.

The guy is thought to be a talent agent.  The ladies are thought to be auditioning using the sumo cameras.  Their job is to be noticed.

[Kuroyama 715]

1 hour ago, Sakura said:

Is he still around? I haven't seen him on a broadcast for a while.

Oh yes. Go back through Kinta's vids from the last basho. Olympic ojisan is there in his usual spot, at least when I went looking for him.

[Sakura 778]

25 minutes ago, Asojima said:

The guy is thought to be a talent agent.  The ladies are thought to be auditioning using the sumo cameras.  Their job is to be noticed.

I wonder if it works for them. I've noticed him a lot. I'm not so sure I've noticed the ladies too much.

[Kuroyama 715]

Seats paid for, for the first 6 days. (I'm flying home the next day.) Also Arena A seats.

Edited March 1, 2017 by Kuroyama

[orandashoho 664]

4 hours ago, Kuroyama said:

Seats paid for, for the first 6 days. (I'm flying home the next day.) Also Arena A seats.

Mine too -- first 8 days. It has been more than a little unnerving to book hotel and flight without being sure of tickets. And we're still not sure -- has anyone gone through all this and not received their tickets because they are sold out? --  but now at least we have a fair chance.

I suppose this wait and the mad rush are all part and parcel of a great tradition.

[Kuroyama 715]

From what I read on their FAQ, one reason they charge a higher service fee for weekends than weekdays is that they want to encourage customers to ask mostly for weekday tickets. It seems they have been selling out much, much faster on weekends. So even if we can't get seats for Saturdays and Sundays, we're likely to be fine for the rest of the week.

And then there are still the heya visits and so on that John said he'd help us out with, so it won't be devoid of sumo come what may.

Edited March 1, 2017 by Kuroyama

[orandashoho 664]

11 hours ago, Kuroyama said:

It seems they have been selling out much, much faster on weekends

Of course. Even the most hardened sumo fan cannot get 10 working days off every other month.

[rhyen 1,142]

not as hardened as these fan lining up at 3am for daily tickets.
 

 

[Benihana 1,330]

I'm sad i don't have the chance to attend this. We should collect money for a kensho-banner, to make this a sumoforum-basho, for the members at home, too 

[orandashoho 664]

7 hours ago, Benihana said:

I'm sad i don't have the chance to attend this. We should collect money for a kensho-banner, to make this a sumoforum-basho, for the members at home, too 

Sorry you can't make it. A kensho banner -- what a great idea. We should have a poll : which rikishi is our absolute favourite for this? On what day?

The idea leads to other questions too ... do we have a logo / the writing for the banner? There is the cost of making the banner too. Suddenly I am curious about the banners. Who owns then? Where do they go when they aren't used?

[Jakusotsu 3,536]

2 hours ago, orandashoho said:

A kensho banner -- what a great idea. We should have a poll : which rikishi is our absolute favourite for this?

Goeido, of course!

[Pandaazuma 1,256]

The kensho banner is a good idea!  Should be two lads who never ever attract kensho.  And we should add a message for the announcer, like that dumb Takasu clinic one.  Something like, "Sumoforum.  No, no no! Kintamayama, yamete kudasai".  That will raise a chuckle or two if he has to say that! ;)

[Rocks 1,451]

I would say the 2nd match of the day. Isn't that match pretty much guaranteed to never have a kensho?

[orandashoho 664]

A fixed match (regardless of rikishi) is a simple solution that stops all argument (better than the idea of an "encouragement prize" for a specific rikishi, which would open an endless discussion of course).