Sumo

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.