He was promoted to ozeki , the second-highest sumo ranking, at the age of 20, making him the youngest ozeki in modern history. If you'd like to see a sumo tournament, the Kyusyu-basyo , or Kyusyu Tournament starts on the second Sunday in November, and continues for 15 days. You also could go to the Hatsu-basyo , or the New Year Tournament, which starts on the second Sunday in January, and continues for 15 days. For many Japanese, Hatsu-basyo is a last ceremony of the New Year's festivities. But perhaps you're not really a spectator, and you'd rather join in the action yourself.
Japan has great opportunities for people who love the outdoors.
After World War II, Japan had to do extensive urban rebuilding, and, in one of the most seismically active parts of the world, practicality took precedence over aesthetics. Consequently, the urban landscape is fairly unremarkable, but because Japan is 90 percent mountains, there are many areas of breathtaking natural beauty, and urban dwellers enjoy an escape in the warmer months. Most national parks have extensive hiking trails, and although there has been a considerable amount of American and European flora imported in recent years, the inaccessibility of some of these areas means that there are still pockets of pristine natural beauty to be found. There are two large national parks close to Tokyo. In the winter, the mountains of Japan are filled with skiers.