“Chanko” means food for sumo wrestlers in Japanese, and “Chanko-Nabe” means sumo wrestler’s stew.
Originally any kinds of food for sumo wrestlers are called “Chanko”. Thus steak and pasta can be “Chanko” as well if sumo wrestlers eat. As you know they eat a lot everyday to keep their bodies huge. Usually a pan like huge barrel is used for “Chanko-Nabe”, and sumo wrestlers share to eat it. Japanese have a special expression, “relationship to share to eat food in the same kettle”, from ancient days. It means that buddies to share the same food and place are unique. Sumo wrestlers go to fight after this ceremony, which strengthen their bonds.
Sumo wrestlers have preferred to eat “Chanko-Nabe” since old times. The seasoning is different from each sumo stable. Types of basic seasoning are “soy sauce”, “miso”, or “salt”. Personally I prefer “Chanko” with salt seasoning. I often try to cook it, but it’s not so easy.
Recently ex-Ozeki (Ozeki means the second highest rank in sumo) Wakanohana opened his “Chanko-Nabe” restaurants “WAKA” around Tokyo, and it have a good reputation. However the price is expensive. If you pay the price, you will probably be able to find more delicious restaurants. I recommend you to consider deeply. My recommendation is around the Ryogoku Station of Soubu Line JR. Sumo stables are scattered over this area, and a sume holy place, Ryogoku-Kokugikan, is there. You can find many tasty “Chanko-Nabe” restaurants even though it’s outside of downtown.
“Nabe” is an essential of Japanese food culture, but we don’t have frequent opportunities to eat “Chanko-Nabe”. It means “Chanko-Nabe” is special. Why don’t you eat it when you visit Japan?
February 2, 2007 at 6:11
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