The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-27
JAPS AS WRESTLERS.
Struggle Between the Typhoon
and the Stone Giant.
ENORMOUS Jumps OF MUSCLE.
No Gr@co-Roman Business-The Win
the Arena. by Amy Means.

YOKOHAMA, Sept. 12-fspecial Correspond
ence by this time l feel quite at home In
Japan. As / write / am sitting on a veranda
when runs all around the hotel and on which
ali the guests rooms open by means of double
glass doors. 1t is one of the hostelries near the
Dinns' Quit partly OF stone and partly OF wood
one story high, an attempt being made to com
oine native and European architecture, sur
rounded on all sides by garden, enclosed in
palisades.
The weather is beautiful and warm even very
warm, but not as changeable as ours, aud they
never nave that sticky atmosphere which makes
certain days disagreeqble in the states
All, there Is my native guide coming TO ask II
/ need his services today. For weeks he has
come regularly every day to take me around to
see the sights Yesterday be had a real sur
prise in store for me. / witnessed Japanese
wrestling match, to which the natives attach
the same Importance we do to horse racing. 1t
is really the leading sport in Japan
So we strolled TO the wrestling ground a sort
OF circus, square in shape. with two ranges OF
galleries, made OF white wood, running all
around, which are reached by means of bamboo
ladders. At the entrances. arched By tower,
numerous scraps of paper, representing pro-
granmes, attached 10 wires, were flying and a
number OF men, in sort of military uniform,
were shouting to every passer-by, inducing him
to enter II was early yet, and only few peo-
pie had squatted down in the auditorium: but
the audience was arriving rapidly. Tho ladies
occupying the second tier, which are considered
the best seats, were furnished with footstools
The price OF admission was about 81. The first
tier and ground floor cost about 80 cents. The
ground floor is not rooted like the tiers never
theiess 1t is preferred by the sporismen. There
were also n few boxes reserved for nobleInen.
The ring is circular place, twenty feet in
diameter, raised one or two feet above the
ground floor. 1t is strewn with sand ana sur
rounded with double embankment OF straw
Days. 1t was covered with an elegant tiled roof,
ornamented with lanterns and flags and resting
on four slanting red pillars.
Ny guide talked to the manager, an odd little
man in a gorgeous theatrical costume, and
was permitted to go to the green room. 1t was
large and bare. with mats and cushions as the
only furniture: a few Rakemonos, representing
priZedghters, hung on the walls, and it was
lighted by a number OF candles in iron sticks of
peculiar shape.
The two wrestlers had just arrived, accom-
panied by some OF their friends and a number of
coolies carrying lacquer boxes containing the
nghung requisites, wrapped in dark green,
waterproof paper. They were two famous
wrestlers, dressed like ancient noblemen, and
even enjoyed the privilege of wearing the long
and the short swords
They began slowly to uudress talking together
in a friendly manner and indulgng-can you
guess?-in cigars and imported beer Their
wardrobe for the match consisted of two large
silk hanukerchiefs with fringed edges tied
around their loins.
They were two immense fellows. never saw
such solid broad, muscular built men before.
Yet they were not tall One, nicknamed the
Typhoon on account of his muscular strength
and agility, was just four feet seven inches high,
the other was over five feet, enormous firm
lump of tawny-colored flesh, weighing about
go pounds. He was named the Stone Giant.
Both had straight, thick, jet black hair, dressed
in the old-fashioned way, and the barber had
great difficulty in satisfying them; he could
not get the hair fixed firmly enough on the
nape of the neck, and had to do it over and over
again.
outside.
A few noblemen were announced, the wrest-
lers enjoying high patronage The men jumped