(1, 2), Each movement that a sumo wrestler makes before entering the ring for the bout has a religious significance.

There are even (possibly apocryphal) tales of young rikishi being forced to wipe the butts of high-ranking men too plump to reach into the deepest crevasses of the body. That year, the Japan Sumo Association canceled March’s grand tournament, the first such cancellation since 1946. One bout decides the victor (this is not a best-of system) and as the first few seconds during which the rikishi collide often decides the winner you can begin to appreciate why the pre-bout deliberations are often the most intense moments of the fight. In 2011, wrestlers finally admitted to fixing matches, arranging payouts behind the scenes, and choreographing the bouts much like “professional” wrestling, where moves are planned in advance. In 2014, horrifying news broke from Sayreville War Memorial High School in New Jersey, where freshman football players were allegedly sexually abused by upperclassmen. Six great championships are held annually, attracting immense crowds, and several hundred athletes make their living at this sport. He largely faltered against the sport’s most elite athletes and was demoted and promoted again several times before finally retiring in 2014. The photos clearly show that, unlike today, the sumo wrestlers used to be skinny and muscular.

In the last few years, sumo has declined steeply in popularity. Rather, it is a state of athleticism and grace. Recover your account, The September Sumo in Tokyo is in full swing. 10 Fascinating Facts About Sumo Wrestling. Given their physique, it might seem natural to assume that sumo wrestlers are couch potatoes. Comments. Like the cleansing process at the shrines and temples, each rikishi will take a handful of water and swill it in their mouth. But, when you dig deeper, there are several things about the sport that will fascinate you. At first glance sumo is nothing if not bizarre: overweight men dressed in an enormous thong pushing each other inside a small ring where the pre-ceremony is usually longer than the actual fight. In fact, before every bout, a sumo wrestler gets his topknot shaped like a ginkgo tree leaf done by a special hairdresser. There have been rumors of cheating in sumo for years; it was a key subject in the 2005 book Freakonomics, which exposed some ugly statistics that all but guaranteed the sport was rife with corruption. It is no secret that most sports are male dominated, with women playing no role in their development. ; Sep 1, 2020 2020 September Grand Sumo Tournament Pre-Tournament Interviews

For instance, if a wrestler with a 7-7 record was facing a wrestler with an 8-6 record, the 8-6 competitor might take a fall, leaving them both with winning records intact. (source), After a few tragic car accidents involving sumo wrestlers, they were banned from driving.

Chad Rowan (pictured above), who wrestled under the name “Akebono,” stood 203 centimeters (6’8″) and weighed over 227 kilograms (500 lb).

Sumo wrestling is a sport that unknown to many outside of Japan, actually requires enormous skill, dedication, and professionalism. However, sumo wrestlers are instead determined to pack on the pounds. Until then, they train and essentially act as servants for other members of the stable.

Their lives are as harshly regimented as those of prison inmates. There are six hon-basho annually, one on each odd month of the year, and they last for 15 days. Sumo wrestlers are huge, and this may cause trouble and mishaps if they are allowed to drive.

This is mostly tied to collusion—wrestlers doing each other favors. Some researchers also claim that the ritual was about a human being and a deity match. It also hosts boxing, wrestling and fashion events as well as music con, BY PATRICK ST. MICHEL One bad call can change everything. Sumo originated in the Heian Period in the year 794 CE. To provide an illustration of Earthquakes’s immensity, the above clip shows him assaulting—and not looking that small beside—Andre the Giant. Yokozuna get their own ring-entering ritual, a more elaborate and prolonged version of the shiko, performed with a gyōji and two other rikishi present on the dohyō. But in 2011, a 180-kilogram (396 lb) rikishi named Kelly Gneiting did the impossible—he completed the LA Marathon. japan » sports in japan » japanese martial arts » surprising sumo facts 11 Things You Might Not Know About Sumo posted by Ander, August 01, 2009 updated on December 15, 2013. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); © Copyright 2012 - 2017 - PEIMAG Media LLC. After a few tragic car accidents involving sumo wrestlers, they were banned from driving. Currently foreigners (of which a good portion are Mongolian) make up about 5% of the total number of rikishi on the circuit today. …traditional sport of Japan is sumo wrestling, the origins of which can be traced to the 8th century. Anyone who has ever witnessed a marathon can attest that the first people across the finish line have a similar build—tall and willowy, with knotty muscles that allow them a tremendous endurance. Rikishi wake at dawn and begin training without having breakfast on the assumption that this slows down the metabolism and makes it more difficult to burn calories. Rowan grew up on the island of Oahu in Hawaii and entered college there on a basketball scholarship.…. From the technicalities to deep-rooted traditions, here are 10 facts that that makes Sumo, the national sport of Japan, one of the most unique sports in the world. While historically a very Japanese dominated sports, in recent times foreigners are a common site on the sumo circuit in Japan. However, that year the governor was a woman, Fusae Ota. The day before each major tournament the dohyō—the 4.55 metre diameter clay platform housing the ring in which the bout takes place—is “cleansed” to pray for the safety of the rikishi. This position is typically achieved by winning two hon-basho (major tournaments that determine rankings) in a row. However, the boy’s father called for an investigation. Their health problems are manifold, including joint issues, kidney and liver troubles, and hormonal imbalances, among others. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Sumo matches are officiated by an umpire called the Akebono. Whether you are planning to visit or just catch a glimpse on TV, here are 25 fast facts to help you understand what you are seeing! The yakuza has been linked to extortion against the wrestlers, particularly those who enjoy sports betting, which is against the law in Japan. But in sumo, referees (called gyoji) consider their calls a point of honor—to the extent that they carry knives on them as a symbol of their intent to commit seppuku in the instance of a mistake. With the shiko finished the rikishi leave the circle and cleanse themselves. So desperate was Takanoyama to gain weight that he was caught using insulin in 2011, for which he received a warning. Sumo might seem bizarre to people who aren’t aware of its rich history. The officials, however, asked them to leave the ring immediately, but the women did not leave. The vast majority of professional sports are dominated by men. 10 Interesting Facts About Sumo Wrestling. In Japan, sumo wrestling was under Imperial patronage between 710 and 1185 and was a popular spectator sport. Sumo Wrestling in Japan Facts – More than 1000 years ago there were sumai tournaments where a representative of each province used to travel to a noble court and fight with the other province representatives.
As of 2015, there have only been 71 yokozuna in the history of the sport, which should give you an idea of the difficulty of achieving this rank. This is also the reason why they quickly shed weight after retirement. Yamamoto was sentenced to six years in jail following the inhumane incident. Allowing wrestlers to gain the most weight possible is carefully plotted. Outside of its native Japan, sumo wrestling is seen as something of a punch line—fat men in diapers colliding for the amusement of the crowd.

During the bout the following acts are prohibited: There are no weight classes.
As sports go, Canada is far better known for ice hockey than for anything else—and certainly not for sumo wrestling. Although they make up a small percentage of the total number of wrestlers, today gaijin dominate sumo, so much so that there hasn’t been a Japanese yokozuna in over a decade. A lesser known fact about sumo wrestling is that the sport (at least in Japan) had a height requirement until the mid 90’s. In fact, before every bout, a sumo wrestler gets his topknot shaped like a ginkgo tree leaf done by a special hairdresser.