Sumo wrestling is Japan’s most popular professional spectator sport and is considered by many to be the national sport of Japan. Its appeal lies not only in the immediate excitement of the bouts but also in a rich legacy of ritual and tradition accumulated over its 2,000-year-long history.
Sumo Wrestling Match (source: copyright Nihon Sumo Kyokai)
Sumo is a combat sport where two Rikishis or Sumo wrestlers fight in the dohyo ring utilizing various winning techniques (Kimarite). Wrestlers, weighing 100 to 200 kg (220 to 440 pounds), dress much as they did during the Edo Period, with loincloths barely covering their big midriffs and their hair pulled up in topknots. Before matches, they throw salt in the ring to purify it and lift and stamp their feet to chase away evil spirits.
The rules of sumo are simple compared to Western styles of wrestling. The object is to push, shove, throw or even carry the opponent outside the ring, which measures just 4.5 meters (15 feet) in diameter, or cause him to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of his feet.
Sumo has an official ranking list called “Banzuke” that shows the comparative strength of Rikishis, and the higher ranks are called Makuuchi and Rikishis with ability in Makuuchi join the San-yaku (Komusubi, Sekiwake, Ozeki) or three highest ranks below Yokozuna. At the top, there is Yokozuna. Official grand Sumo tournaments are held 6 times a year. Each tournament lasts 15 days, and the Rikishi gaining the most wins takes first prize. The results of the grand Sumo tournament greatly affect their ranking in the “Banzuke” for the next tournament.
[Opening time]
·New Year Grand Sumo Tournament
(1st or 2nd Sunday in January, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo)
·Spring Grand Sumo Tournament (Osaka basho)
(2nd Sunday in March, Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium)
·Summer Grand Sumo Tournament
(2nd Sunday in May, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo)
·Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament
(1st or 2nd Sunday in July, Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium)
·Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament
(2nd Sunday in September, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo)
·Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament
(2nd Sunday in November, Fukuoka Convention Center)
Click below links to read more:
Link 1 – Nihon Sumo Kyokai Official Grand Sumo Home Page
Link 2 – Japan Fact Sheet on Sumo
sources credited: Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), Web-Japan, Nihon Sumo Kyokai
