Ramen is always a holiday

I don’t usually post food photos here, but I have to make an exception for ramen. There is something so porky and so satisfying about this common food.

There must be hundreds of ramen shops in Nakano, each with its own version. My current favorite is “Yokohama” style, on south side of the JR station, and features yankii-ish young cooks who are always wear towels on their sweaty heads.

Ramen is a health food and spirit recharger. It’s like chicken soup for Japanese, only tastier. This post is timed for someone else’s religious holiday: see what you’re missing!

More fundoshi, spirit or flesh?

A friend of mine regularly participates in these shrine carrying rituals, every season except winter. I tried it once, but now it’s best to claim old age prevents me from lifting. I do, still, like to watch.

Hakuho has won 46 consecutive sumo matches

Sexy, adorable Mongolian sumo wrestler Hakuho has now extended his consecutive wins to 46, placing him 3rd in the ranks of all-time greatest sumo wrestlers. Since Asashoryu’s expulsion, Hakuho is the only yokozuna, or top-ranked player now. He is guaranteed to win the Nagoya championship that ends today. I was glad to see that despite the recent yakuza gambling scandal, the Nagoya stadium was full for this big match.

Watching on television allowed me to also focus on the opening ritual, in which Hakuho squats, lifts one leg to the side, drops his weight with a thud, thrusts his pelvis, and gives an impish stare. All while wearing not only the normal jockstrap-like costume, but also Shinto paper decorations and an elaborate rope sculpture on his back. A perfect mix of spirituality and raw physicality.

Omikoshi in Ni-chome

I will end this 3 part series on the Shinjuku omatsuri with this image of an omikoshi (portable shrine) being marched through Ni-chome. It was a fun crowd, part gay, part old-timer, part gay old-timer! I love how this ordinary street is transformed by mystical spirits and a sense of community and common purpose.

Just to keep on topic with Tokyo Moe, there was one ikemen photo I captured of the shrine. The husband saw the photo, and said, “he’s handsome.” Dunhh! I know!