JAPAN III - Return of the Gaijin

In a move that caught absolutely nobody by surprise, we are trekking once more to the land of the rising sun. We have wintered in Japan; we have sprunged in Japan: at long last, it's time for autumn.

The juxtaposition of city and nature creates a wonderful backdrop to experience the seasonal variations. In many ways, it's not so dissimilar to Vancouver. As the cool, fall nights creep in, Vancouver's tree-line ignites with bright oranges and reds against that ever-present backdrop of evergreen. Nature's fireworks on display.

Yet subtle differences do exist: Japan does autumn with a good deal less rain than Vancouver; the temperatures remain modestly warmer well into December; and the laws on public consumption of alcohol are far more palatable. But most important of all: Japan does autumn while enormously-strong, nearly-naked men attempt to hurl one another bodily from a raised clay platform. It's non-stop, winner-takes-all, man-on-man action for fifteen days.

It's the Kyushu Grand Sumo tournament. And we're going to be there.