The Future of Sumo

Howdy all!

I live in Koiwa, in Edogawa ku, on the very edge of Tokyo. Koiwa is not a very famous place, but we have one very famous resident. His name is Tochinishiki. He was one of the most famous sumo wrestlers of all time. He was born in Koiwa in 1925. Though Tochinishiki has been dead for many years, there is a large bronze statue of him, in full sumo pose that greets everyone who comes to Koiwa station.

Everyday I ride the Sobu train line into Tokyo, and eveyday I pass Ryogoku, home of the sumo stadium. When the tournament is being held in Tokyo, it is always fun to watch for sumo wrestlers on the train, and to look at all the brightly colored decorations aorund the sumo stadium. Even though I don't watch sumo often, through the sights I see everyday, I have come to appreciate sumo very much.

I have always though that sumo wrestling is a fantastic piece of Japanes culture that has managed to keep much of its tradition and uniqueness while adapting to modern times and opening to the world.

But sadly, the popularity of sumo is Japan has taken a hit. There have been many scandals involving wrestlers. Sumo greats have been accused of cheating, top-level sumo wrestlers have been accussed of drug use, and many sumo wrestlers don't behave as well as they should both in the ring and outside of it. Many of the best sumo wrestlers are not even from Japan. All of these factors might be reasons for the decline of sumo popularity in Japan.

I really hope that sumo is able to weather this storm and become more popular again. I think there are some encorgaing signs, for example a growing acceptance of foreign wrestlers, the popularity and good looks of Kotooshu, and a growing interest in the culture and traditions of old Japan, both by Japanese and people from other countries.

It would be a shame if sumo continues to get less and less popular. Then the crowds outside Ryogoku station would be smaller, and there would be fewer colorful banners outside the stadium. I would have a harder time finding sumo wrestlers on the train, and less and less people who know who the famous statue of the Sumo wrestler at Koiwa station represents. My commute would get less interesting, and Japan would lose an important part of its tradition.

Presidential Election

Hello Everyone!

Today, Tuesday, November 4th, is a big day. Today Americans decide on their next president. This year, John McCain, a Republican, is running against Barack Obama, a Democrat. The race this year is very close, but the candidates are very different. Mr. Obama is a young senator from Illinois, a state in the middle of the country. He does not have so much experience, but he is very popular because many people think he can help change America. John McCain is a much older man from Arizona, a desert state in the American Southwest. Mr. Mccain has served in American government for many, many years. He is seen as a very experinced politician, but many people think that he will not be able to make as many changes as Mr. Obama.

The race for president is still close, and though Barack Obama is ahead, Mr. McCain could still win the election. Whoever wins it will be a historic election. If Mr. Obama is the next presdient, he will be the first non-white person to ave that job. If Mr. McCain wins, he will be the oldest presdient ever, and also the first president wiht a woman vice-president.

By Tomorrow morning, we should know who the next president will be. It could be a very close and exciting race. I think I might even stay up all night waiting to see what will happen. Just like a kid at Christmas, I can't wait to see what will happen in the morning!