RE: [sumo] Smoking at the KKan

["JOHN GUNNING" <gunningjohn@hotmail.com>]

From: "Lon Howard" <itsulon@hotmail.com>
To: sumo@statgen.ncsu.edu
Subject: RE: [sumo] Smoking at the KKan
Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 10:41:55 -0700




From: Moti <sumo@dichne.com>
> To: "'Sumo mail list'" <sumo@sun01pt2-1523.statgen.ncsu.edu>
> Subject: [sumo] Smoking at the KKan
> Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 19:33:12 +0300
>
> The smoking problem that was discussed a while ago has resurfaced within 
> the Kyokai at its Rijikai meeting a few days ago. Smoking is currently 
> prohibited around the dohyo and in the nose bleed seats, but is allowed in 
> the masu seats, where you sit in a box amidst food and drink and put your 
> feet up (if you're small enough, since  4 people are supposed to fit in one 
> of these..) and light up, if that's your choice. Lately, fans ,citizen 
> groups and people within the Kyokai have been complaining about this, and 
> are pushing to limit smoking to special enclosed areas (Nicoterias, as I 
> call them..) . The new "system" may be tried out as early as Nagoya. 
> "Nothing concrete has been decided yet. We will discuss the whole "smoking" 
> situation with the NSK, and at the same time, we will have to listen to 
> what the fans say as well", said  the Senior Executive Manager of the 
> sports section at Chunichi Shinbun, one of the co-sponsors of the Nagoya 
> Basho.
> --
> Kintamayama Mochiron
>
> Download my Sumo  glossary for "Babylon" at:
> http://info.babylon.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?layout=sr_new.html&cat=259&sort=&nc=2&n=10
>
> [EndPost by Moti <sumo@dichne.com>]

Thanks, Moti...fortuitous timing for your post since I raised this issue a 
couple months ago when I was preparing to visit Japan and wondered did I 
dare try to attend the Natsu basho since I have athsma...I did attend day 13 
and have just arrived back home in WA state.

Bottom line...a real ordeal for me.  In the days leading up to my going I 
tried to spot people smoking on TV and didn't see too many but once seated 
(B Seki, row 10, east side) it seemed quite widespread with the folks 
directly in front and on one side smoking constantly.  Under the current 
system I think I would only go again if I could get right down in 
front...the nose bleed section being too far away to really make it 
worthwhile.  It was thrilling being there but I felt sick on the way out.

On a broader note, after 35 days in Japan (5 days in Tokyo, 30 in Kuroiso, 
Tochigi-Ken) I've had to accept the disappointing reality that I couldn't 
live there anymore because the only way to avoid becoming sick (due to the 
smoke) would be to just stay home -  and who wants to live like that.  It 
didn't use to be that way but I'm older now and...well you know.  We'll 
visit often but for shorter durations and with more control over where we 
go.

With all of that, it is still just a fascinating place, very special to 
me...and sumo has always seemed more representative of Japan than anything 
else I ever saw or heard there (the sports guy perspective, for sure).  
Anyway I'll just hope for a more favorable environment inside the KKan down 
the road and I'll enjoy my future visits even more...thanks much for the 
update.

Lon Howard

recently it's really been bothering me as well. you can't go go a restaurant 
here without someone chain smoking beside you. even "no smoking" sections 
(if they exist) are located right next to the smoking areas with no barrier, 
and the smoking section is usually by the door meaning you have to walk 
through it and stand in it when paying. i felt physicaly sick the other 
night after leaving a yakiniku restaurant. my own country (ireland) has just 
banned smoking in all workplaces which effectively means EVERYWHERE except 
your home. its amazing (in a good way) that all bars / pubs / nightclubs / 
taxi's / concerts / sports events etc are now clean environments that 
everyone can enjoy. i wonder how long it will take japan to catch up. well i 
guess in a country where the courts ruled last year that THERE WAS NO PROOF 
OF THE LINK BETWEEN SMOKING AND LUNG CANCER that isn't going to happen 
anytime soon. i won't hold my breath..............or maybe i will.

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[EndPost by "JOHN GUNNING" <gunningjohn@hotmail.com>]