yutarotanaka

Kamusta (What's up?!) from Manila, Philippines!

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Hello guys! Just registered a few days ago. Yutarotanaka here from Manila in the Philippines! Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!

I've really liked sumo since I first watched in the mid-90s when we got cable. All those huge, beautiful bodies pressing against each other during the matches. It's a sight to behold. Although, I didn't really get what was going on for the most part as the commentary is in Japanese. What are they doing before the matches? What are those things that they are drinking and spitting out? What are they throwing in the ring? What is the significance of their movements? What's up with their attire? Since I didn't get an answer to any of those questions, I was just stuck to admiring the wrestlers and ogle at the ones I deemed cute or hot. Hahaha! :-P After a year or so, we switched to a different cable provider and the channel which broadcasts sumo was not among the channels provided so I got no more sumo from that point on. I get news here and there about sumo over the years. Just random fun facts about the sport like the retirement of the first foreign born Yokozuna and the first Mongolian Yokozuna to name a few.  But I really did not get into it as I still haven't figured out the intricacies of the sport.

Fast forward to 2015, we again got a new cable provider and there was this Japanese channel called NHK WORLD TV that broadcasts English language programs. "Oh, this looks nice!" I said as their programming is so rich in everything Japanese. From food, heritage, culture and travel, it is there. Then some time in July 2016, they started to broadcast Grand Sumo match highlights. And lo and behold... They have English commentary! All those lingering questions about the sport that I have will be finally explained to me better. I got to understand the ins and outs of Sumo slowly and it got me hooked to the sport. NHK WORLD TV's website was also filled with FAQs about sumo and fun videos to further expand my knowledge for Sumo. I also discovered an online community in YouTube (Jason's and Kinta's channels) that posts and comments on matches. I've also watched "live" (3-5 minute delayed broadcast) online through vaughn live sherming channel. Perhaps some of the people that frequent the chat of that channel are here too. Love the interaction among the sumo fans around the world and we get to share our thoughts on a lot of sumo related stuff.

And the timing of NHK WORLD TV to start featuring the Sumo highlight show could not have been better as the sumo world was in a exciting shake up in terms of rankings of the top rank guys and tournament champion winners. The past year was just wild!

Anyways, that all for now. I did not realize I wrote down a lengthy introduction here. Got overexcited I guess. Hehe. Hope to have wonderful interactions here with other sumo fans! Hakkeyoi! :-D

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Welcome to the Forum, yutarotanaka!

Here - I assure you - all your questions will be answered! :) Have fun!

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Welcome to the Forum, Yutarotanaka! 
It wasn't until I had found this place that I found the answers to uncountable questions about the sumo world I never thought I had. You're in for a ride, made possibly by wonderful and generous people. Don't be afraid that knowledge will denude the mystery of sumo or deplete it of its attraction -- it will create only new levels of fascination!

Orandashoho
 

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Speaking of people from the chat at the vaughn live sherming channel... Hi there egparis! I thought I'd meet someone here from that chatroom. Looking forward to the next basho and the chat in the livestream! Hehe.

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