Sumo

Sumo is a sport from Japan.

Two big men wrestle in a ring. They push or toss each other. They try not to touch the ground. They must stay on their feet to win.

It is a very old sport. Long ago, it was a dance for good crops.

Today, it has many rules. Wrestlers throw salt in the ring. This helps clean the space.

Some men are very large. But small men can win with skill. It is fun to watch!

Sumo is the national sport of Japan.

It is a type of wrestling. Two wrestlers fight in a circle called a dohyo. This ring is made of rice-straw bales. To win, a wrestler must push his opponent out of the ring. He can also win if his opponent touches the ground. The wrestler must stay on the soles of his feet. Wrestlers use many moves. They might grab a thick belt called a mawashi. They might also push without a grip.

Sumo has a very long history. Long ago, it was a dance to pray for good crops. Today, the sport has many old rituals. Before a match, wrestlers toss salt into the ring. This is a way to clean the space. They also do a warm-up routine. Most wrestlers live together in training stables. These places are called heya. They follow strict rules in their daily lives. Many sumo wrestlers are very large. However, a smaller wrestler can win using great skill.

Sumo is the national sport of Japan.

It is a form of full-contact wrestling that people have enjoyed for a very long time. In a match, two wrestlers try to win by forcing their opponent out of a circular ring. This ring is called a dohyo. A wrestler can also win if his opponent touches the ground with any part of his body except his feet. To do this, wrestlers use many different moves. They might grab a thick belt called a mawashi. They might also use a style called oshizumo to push their opponent out without a firm grip.

There are many special rituals that make sumo feel very important. Before a match, wrestlers often toss salt into the ring. This is a way to clean and purify the space. They might also rinse their mouths with water. This is similar to what people do before entering a Shinto shrine. Before the fight starts, the wrestlers perform a warm-up routine called shiko.

They also start the match with a synchronized charge called the tachiai. A referee called a gyoji directs the match. He is helped by five judges who watch closely. If the judges are not sure who won, they can have a meeting in the ring called a mono-ii.

Sumo has a history that goes back many centuries. Some people believe it started as a ritual dance to pray for a good harvest. Old stories from the year 712 describe a match between gods. In one story, a god named Takemikazuchi defeated Takeminakata. There is also a record from the year 23 BC. It describes a match between two men, Nomi no Sukune and Taima no Kuehaya. Nomi no Sukune is considered a mythological ancestor of sumo. During the middle ages, sumo was even used as training for soldiers.

Over time, the sport became more organized. A leader named Oda Nobunaga held a huge tournament in 1578. He had 1,500 wrestlers compete in his castle. Because he held many matches at once, circular arenas were used to keep spectators safe.

Later, during the Edo period, many customs we see today were created. This included the system of professional wrestlers and the ranking system. In 1884, Emperor Meiji organized a tournament to help make sumo a national symbol. Today, the Japan Sumo Association runs six large tournaments every year. These tournaments can last for fifteen days each.

Life for a professional sumo wrestler is very strict. Most wrestlers live together in training stables called heya. In these stables, everything from their meals to their clothes is part of a tradition. This lifestyle is very regimented and follows many rules. While many wrestlers are very large, size is not the only way to win. A wrestler can sometimes face an opponent who is twice his weight. If a wrestler has great skill, he can still control and defeat a much larger person. This makes every match exciting to watch.

Sumo is the national sport of Japan and a form of professional full-contact wrestling.

In a match, two wrestlers compete to force their opponent out of a circular ring called a dohyo. A wrestler also wins if his opponent touches the ground with any body part other than the soles of his feet. This can happen through shoving, pushing, or throwing the opponent down. While size is often a factor, skill and technique allow smaller wrestlers to defeat much larger opponents. There are no weight divisions in professional sumo, meaning a wrestler might face someone twice his weight.

The mechanics of a match involve specific techniques and strict rules. The Japan Sumo Association recognizes 82 different winning techniques, known as kimarite. Some of these moves are similar to those found in judo. Two common styles are yotsu-zumo, which involves grabbing the opponent's mawashi (belt), and oshizumo, which is a style of pushing without a firm grip. Certain actions are strictly forbidden and called kinjite. These illegal moves include hair-pulling, eye-poking, kicking, or strangulation. The match begins with the tachiai, a synchronized charge by both wrestlers.

Rituals and ceremonies are central to the identity of sumo. Many of these traditions are connected to Shinto, a Japanese religion. Before a bout, wrestlers may toss salt into the ring for purification. They might also rinse their mouths with water, much like the rituals performed before entering a Shinto shrine. Wrestlers perform a warm-up routine called shiko to prepare their bodies.

At the start of tournament days, wrestlers participate in ring-entering ceremonies called dohyo-iri. During these ceremonies, they wear elaborate clothing. The dohyo itself is a raised pedestal constructed of rice-straw bales. It has a diameter of 4.55 meters.

The history of sumo reaches back into ancient times. Prehistoric wall paintings suggest it began as an agricultural ritual dance to pray for good harvests. Ancient manuscripts from the year 712 describe a wrestling match between gods to decide the possession of Japanese islands. In one legend, the thunder god Takemikazuchi defeated Takeminata by crushing his arm. Another early record from 23 BC describes a match between Nomi no Sukune and Taima no Kuehaya. Nomi no Sukune is regarded as the mythological ancestor of sumo.

During the Japanese Middle Ages, sumo changed from a court ceremony to military training. In 1578, the leader Oda Nobunaga held a massive tournament with 1,500 wrestlers. Because he held many matches at once, he used circular arenas to protect spectators. This event helped lead to the invention of the modern dohyo. During the Edo period, sumo became more organized with professional wrestlers and ranking systems. In 1884, Emperor Meiji organized a tournament that helped restore sumo's popularity.

Today, the Japan Sumo Association manages six annual tournaments. These grand tournaments last for fifteen days each.

Life for a professional wrestler is highly regulated and follows strict traditions. Most wrestlers live in communal training stables known as heya. In a heya, every part of daily life is dictated by tradition, including meals and clothing. This regimented lifestyle can impact health, leading to a lower life expectancy than the average Japanese man. The top division wrestlers have seen significant weight increases over time. In 1969, the average weight was 127 kilograms. By 1991, that average had risen to over 150 kilograms.

Officials ensure that matches are fair and follow the rules. A referee called a gyoji directs the match. He is assisted by five judges who watch the action closely. If a decision is unclear, the judges may call a mono-ii, which is a conference in the middle of the ring. They may even use video reviews to see if a wrestler touched the ground first. In rare cases, a wrestler might be declared a shini-tai, or "dead body." This means the opponent's superior sumo put him in a position where he could not win.