[sumo] (OT) Off season at the Kokugikan

[Doreen Simmons]

The nobori banners are down, the yagura drum tower's decorations have 
gone, and all is quiet. But no -- preparations are getting under way 
for next weekend's big bash, the choir of 5,000 singing Beethoven's 
Choral Symphony. As I've mentioned before, this requires considerable 
work, even though the heavy moving is done at the push of a button. And 
part of the job had already been done ready for the Charity Sumo last 
Wednesday. The front six rows of individual seats are on flat boards 
that can be folded up and carried outside. The front several rows of 
masu-seki, already cleared of the cushions, are telescoped back to form 
  a wall, and where necessary the staircases can be swung around on 
castors. (The rows of masu-seki up to the green Exit lights in each 
corner are movable in this way.)

The dohyo, which is on a large sheet of flooring, is sent down out of 
sight, another sheet of flooring slides over to fill the space, and a 
third sheet comes up from underneath. That is where a large orchestra 
will be sitting on Sunday 22nd. And the entire rear half, upstairs and 
down, will be occupied by singers.

Anybody recall what was the start of this event?

Doreen Simmons
  jz8d-smmn at asahi-net.or.jp