Sumo in Tokyo

We had a fantastic day today, I can:t believe how much we have packed in. It all started at 3:50am when we got up (after a night of no sleep) for the fish market. Tokyo fish market and tuna auction is a huge tourist attraction, nothing could quite prepare us for what we experienced. Never so early in the morning has my life ever been endangered by forklifts quite so many times! The auction was an incredible sight with tuna bigger than you could imagine being sold in a sing-song auction style to bidders making the smallest of movements and spending vast amounts of money.

After the auction we emerged into a hot and sunny day at 6:30am and got lost wandering around the city. We found the Imperial Palace, walked through the gardens and tried to get a glimpse but it is impossible! We negotiated the subway with some help and Andy went to buy Sumo tickets. With the tickets in hand by mid morning, we decided to celebrate being able to see the sky for the first time since we arrived in Japan and went to the government buildings which give you a view over Tokyo for free from the 45th floor.

Lunch was really wierd.. we went to a restaurant where you select what you want from a vending machine with pictures, pay and it spits out a ticket which you give to a waitress. She then brings your order over. I had some kind of pork schnitzel with a raw egg over it and Andy once again came off worst with an odd combination involving far too much raw egg and cold rice noodles.

Then... Sumo time! There has been a tournament on for the last 10ish days and this was the second to last day. It was amazing, pairs of sumo guys wrestled each other and the final match was between a hot favorite- last years winner and a complete underdog. In true style the underdog won and the crowd went wild! A brilliant ending to an exciting day.