Sweets not manly?

[Umigame]

I'm curious about the attitude towards eating sweets in the sumo beya.

Generally in Japan sweets are thought of as "not manly". Personally I've seen very few Japanese men show a real craving or love for the sweet stuff, and my own enthusiasm for dessert often raises giggles. Where I grew up (U.S.) it's common to see even on-the-job policemen eating donuts, milkshakes, etc.

Sumo is undoubtedly a tough and "manly" occupation -- but at the same time, gaining weight is a goal of most rikishi.

I understand that chanko is usually very low in fat, and to gain weight the rikishi eat lots of rice with their chanko. I've also heard they drink lots of milk to gain weight. But does the stigma against sweets still apply?

So my question to all the folks who have eaten a meal with sumo rikishi:

Were sweets served? If so, did most of the rikishi eat it? Did they openly enjoy it?

Thanks for relating any personal experiences and opinions.

[Kintamayama]

I don't think there's any problem with sweets. Shibatayama Oyakata wrote a whole book about sweets which I believe is selling well. I think casually flipping through the various translated heya blogs on the forum will produce a healthy number of pictures of quite enticing sweets being eaten by rikishi..

Edited April 19, 2008 by Kintamayama

[Kotoseiya Yuichi]

I've also heard they drink lots of milk to gain weight.

Aren't most Japanese lactose intolerant? (Image)

I know I am. Milk is poison. :-)

[Jonosuke]

Aren't most Japanese lactose intolerant? (Image)

I know I am. Milk is poison. :-)

I think lactose intolerance comes as one ages.

I wasn't when I was younger...

Edited April 19, 2008 by Jonosuke

[Umigame]

I don't think there's any problem with sweets. Shibatayama Oyakata wrote a whole book about sweets which I believe is selling well. I think casually flipping through the various translated heya blogs on the forum will produce a healthy number of pictures of quite enticing sweets being eaten by rikishi..

Oh, somehow I missed this post!:

Daiyuubu birthday cake/ promotion cake

And here's the book: "Zenkoku Sweets Jungyou"

[messi19]

In Sadogatake I'd very much doubt it is considered not manly as in Kotoshogiku's blog (which is kindly translated by Fay) you can see pictures of him eating a cake virtually all the time. (Laughing...)

[hoshi]

At Oshimas there are no restrictions concerning sweets. Chocolate is always more than welcome and even a one pound chocolate bar looks small in Tenhou's hands...

[Kuroyama]

At Oshimas there are no restrictions concerning sweets. Chocolate is always more than welcome and even a one pound chocolate bar looks small in Tenhou's hands...

They need one of these: