Wow! That’s a lot of hair-covered muscle from Oosunaarashi, the hot Egyptian sumo wrestler. There’s been plenty of Mongolians and East Europeans, but Oosunaarashi is probably the first Arab to compete at the top level.
Undoubtedly, Mongolian Hakuho is one of sumo’s greatest. Yesterday he won the Tokyo tournament, his 25th! In the background is Bulgarian hottie Kotooshu, who scored his eighth win on the last day to maintain his ozeki status.
These gentle giants have captured my heart. Photo by Paolo Patrizi.
Photo by Paolo Patrizi.
Did I mention that Gholamreza Takhti was also very hot?
This photo surfaced recently in the wake of the International Olympics announcement that wrestling would no longer be an official Olympic sport after 2016. Much to the dismay of Turkey, Iran, and Japan. And my husband.
Taiho, one of Japan’s great yokozuno sumo champions, had a lavish funeral with mountains of white flowers. Current champion Hakuho led the mourning. Taiho was very hot in his youth. He was half-Ukranian and born in the Soviet Sakhalin island, which are claimed by the Japanese as the Karafuto island.
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.
More street fashion for you, dear readers.
After almost two years living in Tokyo, I am still confused by fashion markers. Here we have shocking pink running shoes, contrasting neon colors, and a single-sex group of young guys. I thought I had finally learned that all those markers were signs of heterosexuality in Japan. However, the young Japanese-American couple I was with (and later the husband) are convinced that these guys are gay. For them, the tip-off is the Mexican wrestler backpack. Go figure!
I think I fell in love with Asashoryu today. This Mongolian sumo bad boy defeated my previous favorite, sweet Mongolian Hakuho. I even bought a Hakuho towel for my nephew in spring. But now I have fallen for Asashoryu, who is criticized for failing to practice all the time, and for slapping himself silly before matches. His stubble and fat face are somehow enchanting!
And last year he upset the Japan Sumo Association by calling for a 10% salary raise, the first since 2001, to cover the rising cost of food staples such as “bread, rice, cooking oil, mayonnaise and beer”.
Who is your favorite sumo wrestler?
Tokyo Moe 