Yoshinori Tashiro and Kazumasa Sato are two Japanese sumo wrestlers who are the star attraction among Indians, particularly children, these days. Though both are past their prime and are no longer professional wrestlers yet they are treated as celebrities at every event they attend. And they still pack a punch.
In Delhi, for Konnichiwa Japan, a two-day Japanese festival at DLF Place, Saket, the duo exemplified their fighting skills, participated in a tug of war and obliged fans with selfies.
On the occasion, Kazumasa Sato, popularly known as Bungo by his fans, looked relaxed even while he was having an exhibition fight with Yoshinori, even though the latter seemed a formidable opponent.
After the fight at the event organised by Discover Japan Club in India and World Heritage Academy in support of Embassy of Japan in India, the duo looked like gentle giants. But when they stood before me with their massive bare chest and robust physique, they seemed intimidating.
Introducing himself, Kazumasa says: “We have so many ranks in Japan. I was third from the top. Many Japanese kids want to become Yokozuna which is at the top.”
Sharing his experience of interacting with fans on the first day, Kazumasa says: “We have had a very good experience. We don’t know whether Indian fans know sumo or not but we are very happy with their warmth and eagerness to take pictures with us. As far as my knowledge of Indian wrestling is concerned, I know Tiger Jeet Singh. He was a very famous man in Japan because of the fearless way he fought.”
On similarities between the two forms of wrestling, he explains: “In sumo we have to push out contestants out of the ring, whereas in traditional Indian wrestling if a fighter’s back touches the ground, he loses. Both forms of wrestling have similarities as like Indian wrestlers, we too fight on mud pit but our ring is smaller.”
The impression most people outside Japan is that they lead secluded existence, almost monk-like, cut off from rest of the world. “We live separately in beya (stable) where we train so that we concentrate on our wrestling. We live with our fellow sumo wrestlers. But we watch television and have access to ordinary people. We don’t marry as it would affect our preparation and affect our chances to overpower the opponent but we do have girlfriends.”
Just then, Yoshinori, synonymous with Toouyama, chips in : “We practice sumo for five hours and later in the evening do two hours of weight training. But our workout is not to lose weight as our bulk gives us unimaginable strength.”
Size matters
An enthusiastic Kazumasa says: “I eat 20 eggs, with sunny side up. I don’t touch prawns and crabs as I am allergic to them. We consume food equivalent to what 20 ordinary people eat.”
Both of them started wrestling when they were under 18. While Kazumasa started when he was 15, Yoshinori Tashiro took up sumo like a fish takes to water when he was only eight. “I decided to become a sumo champion. And as I was a big boy, everybody welcomed the decision.”
Since then it has given him name, fame, everything that he desired. “This is my second visit to India and I enjoy this country, particularly your curry and tandoori chicken,” says Yoshinori.
When one inquires him about his tryst with Bollywood, he takes out his mobile phone and shows a picture of his with Salman Khan. “I have done an advertisement with him for an underwear commercial. He also has a strong physique and he would ask questions about how we maintain our bodies and the kind of food we eat,” says Yoshinori.
Explaining how they heal themselves in case of injury, he says: “We build our muscles but our bodies are flexible. This combination helps us to prevent injury. We are careful we don’t get hurt but if an injury occurs we get operated like anybody else.”
