Sumo
Sumo – Sport of the Gods
Sumo, the national sport of Japan, is interesting because it is considered in ancient times as the sport of the gods. It is noticeable how many rituals performed by wrestlers as seen in tournaments today comply with ancient Shinto religious background. The country holds six tournaments annually with each lasting a period of 15 days. Major cities like Tokyo, the Japanese capital, Osaka, Nagoya, and Fukuoka host these tournaments.
The rules of Sumo matches are quite simple but this does not mean that watching them is not enjoyable. Two wrestlers, noticeable oversized, face off against each other in a circular arena. After the necessary pre-match rituals, they start wrestling against each other and the first one to touch the floor or be pushed out of the ring loses the match.
Sumo wrestlers, often seen in movies, television, and even in books, are also ranked according to experience and skill. The “yokozuna” is a title reserved only for the grand champion. Presently, there are two yokozunas, both of them hailing from Mongolia, Asashoryu and Hakuho. Yokozunas retain their title permanently. In turn, they must retire once their performance within the arena start to decline.
Wrestlers are taken care of and fed in specially designated Sumo stables. Trainees are often aged between 20 to 35 years old. The wrestlers work out and were served food in large amounts. After eating, they sleep right away because they are required to gain mass. Stable rules are very strict in such stables and severe punishment is usually meted out to those who fail to conform.
History
The competitive full-contact sport is practiced professionally only in its country of origin. Rituals involved in the sport, such as purification by salt, is attributed to the Shinto religion, practiced in Japan for centuries.
In ancient Imperial Courts, rituals similar to Sumo wrestling had been quite common. These include a dance wherein a human acts as if wrestling a “kami,” a divine spirit in Shinto. Contests have been held in such times as well involving representatives from several provinces. These tournaments were called “sumai no sechie.”
As dynasties rose and tumbled, Sumo remained though it has seen many changes and derivations, depending on who was ruler. Some claim that the ring or the arena where matches are held was propagated by Oda Nobunaga, a warlord, in the 16th century. The match’s main objective then had been to merely throw one’s opponent compared to pushing out the competitor outside the ring today.
As for other traditions like clothing, improvements have also been made. In the Edo period, wrestlers wore fringed kesho-mawashi, which is worn only at present times while performing pre-game. The more rigid mawashi is the clothing of choice for Sumo wrestlers today.
Professional Sumo as the world knows it today began during the Edo Period. Back then, matches are arranged as a form of entertainment for Japanese royalty including lords and emperors. “Samurai,” or warriors, and “ronin,” or samurai without masters, are said to be the first wrestlers in the history of Japan.
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Filed under: Martial Arts Styles
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