Two former sumo wrestlers have opened a restaurant in Tokyo. It holds about 20 people. The restaurant is very small but has a wood floor for demonstrating this fine sport. At first they explain the sport and then do a small demonstration in front of you. In their hey day they were the number 4 and number 77 in the world. They weigh 260 and 360 pounds.

The only thing they wear is this small loincloth. I will admit it is overwhelming at first to be chatting it up with a 360 pound naked man. Then he serves you lunch in it. Nothing ever shows, not a hair, nothing hangs out at all. Even when they do this excersize right in front of you. Nothing shows.

After the demonstration they asked if anyone wanted to try and push him out of the ring.

No one raised their hands so I jumped out on the floor and gave him my fiercest look. He gave me a big smile and said OK put your hands on my chest and move me one inch. I pushed with all my might and nothing moved.

There was a big controversy last year at a sumo wrestling match. It is a tradition that no woman has ever been allowed inside the sumo wrestlers ring. Not even the Empress of Japan has ever been inside that 15 ft of hallowed area.

There was a politician that was introducing the sumo wrestlers and he dropped down in the ring of an apparent heart attack. There was a female nurse that ran up to the stage and started performing CPR. The crowd was shocked! Almost immediately the announcer came on the speaker and ordered all women out of the ring immediately. She did leave and the man did live but the Japanese still suffer from gender inequality. The question was is one mans life worth breaking 100’s of years of tradition? Or is 100 years of tradition worth more than one mans life?

Don’t be mistaken these two sumos served us a wonderful and healthy lunch. They also were very intelligent. I told my opponent that I was from Atlanta. He said oh the Olympics were there in 1996. I absolutely loved this experience. Absolutely loved it.