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Sumo

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Sumo is a sports that everyone can enjoy. The Japan Sumo Association(Nihon Sumo Kyokai), a public corporate, is the organization that promotes sumo's development as a mission. They are regularly holding ohsumo (professional sumo wrestling tournament)6 times throughout a year. (January,March,May,July,September,November).Sumo is fought by a tournament of 15 consecutive days.

Two sumo wrestlers so-called Rikishi　wearing mawashi(sumo belt)only ,face each other at both shikiri （the mark lined in white )of 70 cm in between at the center of dohyo(solid sand mound of round shape) and rise to their feet in the same breath within each limited time.
(4 minutes maximum for makuuchi(higher ranked sumo wrestlers)
,3 minutes for Juryo(middle ranked),
and 2 minutes for makushita and other(more lower ranked) . In ohsumo, there is no classification in bout by weight. which is characteristically different from western wrestling.

The rule is very simple. Stepping out from dohyo, Touch of any part of body outside dohyo, Down into dohyo, Touch of any part of body but sole to surface of dohyo and Faul. -These are judged to be lost in the match. The judgment is done by gyoji(sumo referee)
butit is possible for maximum 5 other referees of ex-sumo wrestler watching the match around dohyo to join the judgment.

There are 82 tricks and 5 non tricks and 8 fouls in sumo . Immediately after match is over, both wrestlers ,regardless of bout outcome, have to make a standing salutation with head down, respecting opponent for their earnest fight politely. In the meantime, there are numerous amateur sumo organizations which underpin ohsumo. It is possible for amateur to join ohsumo. According to his outcome during his career of amateur age, he could be starting from grade 10th to 15th of makushita. On the other hand, ex-sumo wrestler is often coaching amateur . As such, they are cooperating each other. We have, for example, Japan Sumo Confederation,　Student Sumo Confederation of National& Public University, Wanpaku(impish boy)SumoAssociation, and so on. There are also a lot of sumo contest and/or championship of amateur prevailing nationally and internationally. Amateur sumo is following most of ohsumo rule but sometimes they make an exceptional rule to have the match by age or weight as follows; By Age = Classification of elementary, middle and high school and university and open By Weight = Less Than 65 kg, LT75kg, LT85kg, LT100kg, LT115kg LT135kg and Free By Trick = Same 82 tricks and 5 non tricks as ohsumo, but such dangerous acts as sabaori, (give mawash i a jerk with downward strength ),kubinage(neck throw),and sorinage (backward throw)are prohibited. Gyoji =One main referee and minimum one sub referee Wears Allowed = Under-pants are possible for elementary and middle school boys Sumo originally meant to wrestle strength with others, so that the original Chinese letter for sumo was expressed as “角力”which derives from “角てい”during Shin dynasty. Even today, we often say角界 for sumo circle. There are similar sports as sumo available in other parts of world;Bufu in Mongol, Shirumu in Korea and wrestling in Turkey and other parts of Eurasia continent. A mural painting of caves alongside the Nile River of 2,500 years ago depicts men’s bout of wresting. So, it may be said that bout is an intuitive expression of healthy human beings to show his strength It also symbolizes each local character. And some had developed to current wrestling and other to sumo. Today, we have seen an influx of hopeful youngsters from overseas countries into ohsumo to compete with native Japanese sumo wrestlers.

Sumo was originated for male sports but nowadays, sumo for female called “New Sumo ”is also available. For this, an organization called Japan New Sumo Confederation exists.

Sumo wrestler shall not be allowed to wear any but mawashi, but in case that he is injured , he is allowed to wear bandage, supporter, and white socks. This means that any seemingly offensive wears are not allowed to use in sumo bout. Sumo was originally a part of Shinto (Japanese indigenous religion)events. Most shrines held sumo contest when a festive was held there. It was called as a dedicated sumo to shrine. Ohsumo sometimes hold a touring sumo at Ise Shrine and Yasukuni Shrine. They also hold a dedicated sumo at Meiji Shrine when a new year comes and new Yokozuna( Champion sumo wrestler) inaugurates. When wrestlers are displayed in the ring, they clap their hands and Yokozuna tightens his tsuna(rope)mawashi. These derive from Shime-Nawa of Shinto. And Shiko(stamping) is an important practice of sumo trainings and at the same time, it means to drive evil- spirits away, stamping them down to the earth.
You also see that they clap their hands and extend their arms to both ends and turn their palm down to the ground immediately after wrestlers are displayed in the ring. This shows they have no weapons in their hands and fight with unarmed. And other Shinto related sumo events are such as that when dohyo-biraki(commencement of practice at dohyo) of each sumo-beya(training room run by a factional boss of ex-sumo wrestlers)starts or on the very day before a regular sumo tournament begins, dohyo-matsuri(something like Shinto’s religious ceremony to purify the site praying for no accident of construction or safety of buildings) is held for praying no　accident at dohyo during the tournament. Gyoji, acting as Shinto priest, recites Shinto prayer and offers sacred wine, chestnut, washed rice, surume( dried squid), salt, thatch seed and tangle to four corners of dohyo by which he could purify dohyo. As such, dohyo deems to be a sacred place.

Until Meiji era started, no female could be permitted to see sumo. Even today, it is somehow controversial to have a female at dohyo. As a rare Shinto event, there are “Naki-Sumo”(Weeping Sumo) and “ Tori-Sumo”(Raven Sumo). The former is to pray for infants steady growth . Many shrines and temples throughout this country have long been succeeding this tradion, while the latter storied that Kamotake-Tsunuminomikoto, the grand father of the founder of Kamigamo Shrine in Kyoto led The Emperor Jinmu to conquer his enemies resided in eastern Japan in his disguise of a huge and wondrous raven and contributed a lot to its success. Sumo symbolizes this religious event, driving evil-spirits away from a sacred place. In fact, a sumo wrestler in disguise of Tone (warrior) holding a bow and arrow imitates raven cawing and afterward, boys used to play sumo. Whenever we have a festive, we are to hold sumo championship at the festive site. Originally, shape and largeness of dohyo had not been fixed. some were square and others round but in dual rounds. The largeness of dohyo was rather smaller than current one. Currently, it is regulated that it should be round in encircled with 20 small straw bags and 4.55 m in diameter while two shikiri(getting off the mark) of white color must be lined at 70 cm in between at the center of dohyo.
Sumo was originated long before dating back to era of The Emperor Suinin in A.D.360 Since then until now, it has been loved by all layers of people; nobles, warriors, laymen of this country with slight modifications but the basic mode unchanged. Sumo is widely accepted in Shinto events, local festivals, amateur sports and ohsumo, and thus, it is really worthy to be called national game. It can also be developed to a further extent and prevailed overseas countries as well. Sumo , together with Judo and Kendo(Japanese fencing), became a compulsory subject of middle school athletics from the year 24th Heisei(A.D.2012). Therefore, we can expect an increasing number of students who select and practice sumo, thus building up a stout body with a polite and high moral. And sumo also became well-known even in foreign countries and those who love sumo are increasing to come to Japan to enjoy sumo bout firsthand.

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