The Amusing Side of Authentic Travel Experiences

Our Sumo experience in Tokyo made me rethink this entire hoopla about enjoying authentic experiences when we travel.

I remember sitting down for a sumo performance in Tokyo, absolutely convinced that I was about to witness an ancient art form, unadulterated and untouched, a slice of real Japan that regular tourists missed.

And the show turned out to be truly spectacular. We came out feeling elated. Two real wrestlers, centuries of ritual, ceremonial salt throws, loads of information about sumo as a sport, and the works.

It was only the next day, when we got chatting with another fellow traveler on a short train journey, that I found that both of us had booked the same 'exclusive local experience' through two different apps, sat in the same premium category, and clapped and cheered on cue at the same 'spontaneous' sumo moments on two different days. "Oh, you know, during our sumo performance, the mawashi (the thick loincloth-like belt wrapped around sumo wrestlers' waist) of one of the wrestlers almost came off....." and he narrated the entire sequence in between splits of laughter, as we had witnessed it the day before, verbatim!! I hid a smile breaking on my face.

"Really? That must have been awesome", I decided to play along.

The point I wish to make is that nothing we encounter as travelers is uncurated. Traditional dance troupes around the world perform on schedule, with pauses for photos and some created special moments... the lead actor suddenly decides to land among the audience, making it seem effortlessly natural, and the audience goes wild.

Coming back to sumo, our experience wasn't fake; everything about it was real- the sport, the skill- but the experience had been shaped, packaged, and handed to us with such expertise that even the most discerning eye could not fault it.

I firmly believe that none of the authentic experiences are scams because authenticity isn't a place; it's a feeling generated with great care by people who are very good at their jobs. Look at it this way: this curated authentic experience also saves travelers like us a lot of hassle and disappointment, because the perfect version of that authentic experience has been laid out on a platter.

So, the next time a guide tells you in a hushed voice, almost bordering on disdain, that you're about to see something 'very authentic, not the regular touristy stuff', smile, nod, and enjoy the performance. This is as authentic as it can get.