Fukuoka (Chapter 4 of 5)
Chapter 1Ā (The Escape) Japan
Chapter 2Ā Kyoto
Chapter 3 Hiroshima
Iāll confess: when we first added Fukuoka to our itinerary, I had never heard of it and held exactly zero expectations. The only real reason it landed on the list was simple; it was home to the event we were chasing for my 92 year old mother. Fukuoka wasted no time proving how foolish my mindset was. Wow!
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What a gorgeous canal city this is; perched on the shores of Hakata Bay, threaded with rivers and waterways that break up the skyline and soften the bustle. Modern architecture and bridges mingle with lively shopping and restaurant districts; ancient temples and castle ruins sit just beyond sleek museums and picturesque beaches. It was the furthest south/east we traveled in Japan, close enough to South Korea that you could almost imagine skipping a stone across the ocean and hitting its shores.
But the true magnet pulling us here was Sumo Wrestling. My 92-year-old mother-in-law wanted to see her first live match; sheās been a quiet fan for decades. I only discovered her devotion about four years ago, and since then Iāve upgraded her phone plan so she can watch all the Sumo she wants on YouTube. Sheās 92; sheās earned her ringside streaming privileges and boy does she watch! When she watches Sumo - she's sounds like me watching my SF 49ers - it's hilarious.
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Sumo ā Match Day 3 of a 15-day tournament series: I attended my first live Sumo match with Ailina Nelson and her Mom in Fukuoka, and it was exhilarating. Tradition and ceremony ruled the arena; salt scattering, ritual stomps, the deliberate pacing of each face-off. But the energy was electric, too; by the later bouts we were all on our feet shouting as 350lb- to 400lb+ wrestlers collided with thunderous force. Someone often went flying off the raised clay ring, sometimes both - often landing on the ringside spectators! šĀ
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We chose Fukuoka because Sumo travels; while Tokyo hosts three Grand Sumo tournaments each year, the other three rotate through Osaka in March, Nagoya in July, and Fukuoka in November. And yes, Sumo even visits England for a short time, where there are devoted fans ready to cheer as wildly as anyone in Japan. Who knew?
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We stayed in a 5-star hotel here, saw gorgeous sites and ate some of the best food; but I'll remember Fukuoka most for seeing the joy in the eyes of my 92 year old mother achieving her life long goal of attending live Sumo!Ā
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Proud to call her Mom:Ā Masuko Tanabe, 92 - years young!
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In case you missed them...
Chapter 1Ā (The Escape) Japan
Chapter 2 Kyoto
Chapter 3 Hiroshima
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