The Haru Basho, Guaranteed To Be A Big Time Out

Here on Gadling, we like to focus on activities you can throw yourself into personally. However, the Haru Basho may be one of those events that’ll be better to watch than participate in. Unless, of course, you’re a sumo wrestler.

A honbasho is one of the six official professional sumo tournaments held each year. One of the honbasho — the Haru Basho, or “Spring” Basho — starts next week and runs through the 25th.

During Haru Basho, sumo wrestlers from across Japan will descend on Osaka’s Prefecture gym and throw around their weight. Though not widely understood in Western culture, Sumo is one of Japan’s most popular sports, steeped in history and ceremony. To the outsider it can seem like fat guys in diapers shoving each other really hard; but Sumo is a subtle sport with over 70 different throws, trips, forms and tricks that requires lots of training. Only when a wrestler masters the throws and is in excellent physical condition can he dream of becoming a Yokuzuna.

Single-day tickets for the Haru Basho run $17 for a general admission seat to $360 for a box seat, holding 4.

[Via Whatsonwhen; Photo: Wikipedia]