12/07/09 - SUMO! and Robots! Nagoya.
Sometimes, it's just not my day. We woke. I went to meet Karen at 8.30am as planned. No show. Went back to bed. Tried again at 9.30am and there she was, admiting she wasn't there earlier but couldn't find me (I was the only one in the room left, but concealed by a curtain!) So another late start and so I waved goodbye to the idea of seeing the golden temple.
So onto the train for Nagoya for a day of fun. Or so we thought, with our soon to be lighter wallets. Arriving late we walked to the hostel (should have taken a taxi) we found it alright and did go straight there, though it was further than I thought. Just lots of pauses. We paid to get in and I decided I wanted the Sumo more than the castle, so we left our bags and opposite is a taxi place, so went around and hopped in one, thank god we did as it was miles! Ten quid lighter we at least enjoyed seeing a Sumo walking home on the way and in the taxi next to us!
This is where the fun began. We got dropped off, and walked in following others. Got into the building with our tickets and soon were seeing Sumo! As we watched the first fight, we then decided to find our seats to sit down. Sounds straight forward. But no. We walked around, all were in sections. we were "E". Couldn't find it as it jumped around a lot. We asked a girl, who asked a guy, who laughed at "E" block. He took us downstairs to another girl, who got another girl and we followed her. She tried talking to us and got another girl, who spoke some english.
Apparently we didn't have a ticket for the Sumo.
We had a ticket for a Sumo souveneir bag. (33 quid!).
No seat.
After about half an hour of them explaining we would have to buy a seat ticket and me arguing we had bought these tickets online after an hour of help from the the helpline and shop assistant, AND they were more expensive than two types of bloody seat... I asked what these souveneirs were and she said a towel. A 33 QUID TOWEL??? Not very calm inside. Kept it on the outside. They wouldn't let us go and stand and watch, we had to have seat tickets. Of which all were sold out except the 10,700 yen seats (70 quid).
The girl got us our souvenir bags as couldn't give refunds. We had food and beer and a packet. Not a towel. (The packet did contain some nice looking plates). So luckily they accepted creditcards (or we would have had no choice) and got tickets. WITH there help, no way was I trying to get f\\king tickets again. She also took us to our seats. Now the Sumo had cost 100 pounds each, we were going to stay till the end.
it was very good. And we were both glad we did it, even if we paid more than 3 times the freaking price. We were in the japanese mat area and had a better view, if not being more uncomfortable as have a flat pillow, not a seat. Luckily no one joined us in the 4 seat area, so we had a bit of space. Fights were good and we think we have some good pics and a few videos!
After Sumo we headed off to the castle. Closed. Gardens too, so couldn't even get a photo or a look... And the robot museum? Apparently too futuristic for this world, was converted to a bank. The only way we found this out was from confused japanese and eventually a couple of guys who searched online on their phones to see where it was, or what had happened to it. We ate at their recommended place and headed back to the hostel for a bath and sleep to get up early tommorrow to try having a better day.
Sumo was great though. Everyone in the hostel is here for it and going tommorrow!
