Sumo East and West (5 May 2003)

"Sumo East and West" is a feature documentary about Americans in the ancient Japanese sport of sumo wrestling. Sumo is not only the national sport of Japan but a centuries-old cultural ... See full summary »

Director:

Ferne Pearlstein

Writers:

Robert Edwards, Eric Martin,

Stars:

Akebono, America Ferrera, Konishiki

Cast

Episode credited cast:
Akebono	...	Himself
America Ferrera	...	Herself - Host
Konishiki	...	Himself
Takamiyama	...	Himself
Wayne Vierra	...	Himself

Storyline

"Sumo East and West" is a feature documentary about Americans in the ancient Japanese sport of sumo wrestling. Sumo is not only the national sport of Japan but a centuries-old cultural treasure that is literally part of the Shinto religion. Yet this highly traditional world is facing profound changes due to the postwar influx of foreign images and ideas in Japanese culture. At the same time other changes in sumo are being prompted by its growing popularity in the West, where its adherents are lobbying for sumo's inclusion in the Olympic Games even as other promoters are arranging amateur sumo tournaments in venues like Las Vegas casinos - tournaments that not surprisingly bear little resemblance to the sport's Japanese forebear. "Sumo East and West" takes us into this world through the story of Wayne Vierra of Hawaii, aka Kamakiiwa, a former professional sumo wrestler in Japan whose pro career was cut short by injury, but who rebounded to become a champion in the growing world of ...

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Plot Keywords:

japanese | american | sumo wrestling | sumo wrestler

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Genres:

Documentary

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Details

Release Date:

5 May 2003 (USA)

Company Credits

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

"Livin' Like Kings"
Written by Darren Vegas and Steven Hawse aka Layzie Bone
Published by My Forte Music
Performed by Konishiki
Courtesy of 125th Street Records N Stuff

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