Takanohana serves bowls of ''chanko'' to quake victims

Takanohana serves bowls of ''chanko'' to quake victims

NAGAOKA, Japan - Retired yokozuna Takanohana (L) serves bowls of ''chanko'' to residents of quake-hit Yamakoshi Village now taking shelter in temporary-built houses in Nagaoka on Dec. 26. ''Chanko,'' a dish routinely eaten by sumo wrestlers, is made by boiling chicken, fish and vegetables in soup.

Supersize me?

Supersize me?

TOKYO, Japan - Yamamotoyama, the heaviest Japanese sumo wrestler, who weighs 258 kilograms, shows off a seat specially created by McDonald's Co. (Japan) Ltd. for sumo wrestlers in its Asakusabashi restaurant on Sept. 6, 2009. Yamamotoyama enjoyed eating a hamburger while sitting in the seat, saying, ''This is helpful.'' The 25-year-old wrester said he prefers McDonald's to the traditional vegetable and meat ''chanko'' soup for sumo wrestlers.

Takanohana serves bowls of ''chanko'' to quake victims

Takanohana serves bowls of ''chanko'' to quake victims

NAGAOKA, Japan - Retired yokozuna Takanohana (L) serves bowls of ''chanko'' to residents of quake-hit Yamakoshi Village now taking shelter in temporary-built houses in Nagaoka on Dec. 26. ''Chanko,'' a dish routinely eaten by sumo wrestlers, is made by boiling chicken, fish and vegetables in soup. (Kyodo)

"Chanko nabe" hot pot

"Chanko nabe" hot pot

Undated file photo shows a "chanko nabe" hot pot served at Chanko Tomoegata in Tokyo's Sumida Ward. Chanko nabe is a traditional meal eaten by sumo wrestlers to help them gain weight. It is not made according to a fixed recipe and contains whatever is available to the cook. However, it is typically filled with various kinds of vegetables and large quantities of protein sources such as chicken and fish. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo