Unfortunately I was about a week or so late into Japan to catch the last Grand Sumo tourney (I don’t know whether it was the actual “Grand” tourney…it just seems how could a sumo match not be described as such).  It’s illegal to bet on anyway, so I would have had to track down a guy who knew a guy who knew a guy in order to bet on it.  Not that I’m against doing this…it’s just that “white dude who doesn’t speak Japanese asking around for a sumo bookie” might taken more time than I have, seeing as I’m off to Hong Kong tomorrow. 

Casino’s are illegal here too.  But (and here’s the good news)…motorboat racing is LEGAL!!!  Yes, you read that right.  You can’t bet on a hand of blackjack, but apparently you can lay one on a speedboat.  I’d tell you more, but honestly, I don’t have any idea yet myself.  Even my directions to the track–or whatever you call it–are a little light on the English details.  The website for the place is in Japanese, so I have printed out what appears to be directions–at least that’s what I assume the little pictures of trains and buses are indicating.  I figure I find someone…I point to me and the start of the map, then me and the end of the map…and see where that takes me.

I’ll fill you in later tonight.

Wish me luck…

.