Sumo wrestling matches aren't exactly the first thing that spring to mind when going out to a restaurant for dinner – especially in Dubai.
However, diners at Tabu in Business Bay were recently treated to short demonstration bouts while they enjoyed their meals on the rooftop of The St Regis Downtown Dubai.
Resident sumo wrestler Saita Fumiya, who weighs 130 kilograms, and celebrity wrestler Hiroki Sumi (250kg) participated in friendly matches against each other in the restaurant.
During the event at Tabu, the two sumo wrestlers explained how they get ready for a match and what the risks involved are.
"When I was competing, I would eat about 10,000 calories a day divided into three meals that would consist of a big bowl of rice, protein and a hot pot," Fumiya said.
"I have broken more than seven bones including both knees, ankles, several fingers and had some neck injuries."
Sumi, his sumo celebrity opponent, explained how he gravitated towards the sport.
"I was always a large boy and by the time I graduated from junior high school I was already 190cm tall and weighed 120kg," he said.
"I made my debut in sumo in March 2005 and never looked back."
He added: "Active sumos consume about 10,000 calories a day. Our training is also very intense, meaning you could lose about 5kg a day in one training session.
"I used to eat three big meals and have a mandatory nap after lunch."
Tables at Tabu are positioned with a view of a ring where demonstrations of the sport take place, with wrestlers grappling with each other until one is either forced to the ground or thrown out of the ring completely.
“We knew we wanted to bring something different to Dubai,” said Maria Ollero Sunyer, the restaurant’s marketing director.
“An authentic sumo wrestler presents a modern approach to a traditional Japanese sport while respecting the tradition. Thankfully the vision came to life.
“Showing sumo to diners in Dubai is a unique experience – we get to present this ancient art to a new audience.”
The event ran until June 17 and although the show is not a regular feature at the restaurant, Sunyer said there are plans to bring the wrestlers back later in the year.
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Day Indian Rs (Dh)
Thursday 500.75 million (25.23m)
Friday 280.25m (14.12m)
Saturday 220.75m (11.21m)
Sunday 170.25m (8.58m)
Total 1.19bn (59.15m)
(Figures in millions, approximate)
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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Where to donate in the UAE
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
The Bio
Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”
Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”
Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”
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Terrain: Flat ice
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