by Jen Ruhl
As yet another sumo season gets under way, I thought I'd put together some information about Japan's national sport. It's probably more than you ever wanted to know.
History. Sumo wrestling actually has a long and rich history. The sport is over 1500 years old. Sumo wrestling has religious origins and matches were held in Shinto shrines, originally as a prayer for good harvests. In the beginning, sumo was quite violent. Sumo as we know it became more recognizable during the feudal period, when it gained more widespread popularity.
The Ranking System. Professional sumo wrestler-wannabes can officially join a stable after they've finished junior high school (until age 22). The ranking system works like a pyramid - many wrestlers belong to the lowest divisions (at the bottom) while only a few wrestlers make it to the upper divisions.
There are only 2 divisions anyone cares about: Juryo and Makuuchi. Once wrestlers reach the Juryo Division, they are considered "professionals" and earn a salary. Next, the Makuuchi Division is further divided into: Maegashira, Komusubi, Sekiwake, Ozeki, and Yokozuna (Grand Champion). A limited number of wrestlers can hold these positions at any one time. The maximum number of Yokozunas, for example, is 4 (currently there is only 1). The "East" and "West" designation is mostly to determine which side the wrestler will enter from, with the East being more prestigious.
Promotion and demotion are determined by a wrestler's tournament record. The Sumo Association determines the rankings, which are published on a banzuke (ranking sheet) before each tournament. Only Yokozuna cannot be demoted.
Sumo's referees are also ranked. You can tell a referee's rank by his clothing, particularly the color of the cords on his robe and his footwear. The highest referees wear purple cords, zori sandals, and have a small sword (for committing seppuku in case of making a mistake).
Who's Who of Sumo Today. These are some of the names you might hear.
Asashoryu - Recently promoted to Yokozuna, this Mongolian-born wrestler is only 23 years old. He entered professional sumo in 1999 and gave everyone whiplash with the speed at which he rose through the ranks. He's sometimes criticized for poor sportsmanship.
Kaio - This Ozeki is very popular and has earned some of the quickest promotions of modern wrestlers. Most recently, he won the Emperor's Cup in Nagoya 2003. Kaio was in danger of demotion after the September tournament, though.
Chiyotaikai - An Ozeki who made a name for himself by winning the New Year tournament in 1999. He led a life of petty crime as a teenager before being brought into the sumo world by his stable master.
Tochinonada - He beat both Yokozuna in the November tournament, and now holds the record for the most wins against Yokozuna (9). Sumo fanatics say to keep an eye on this up-and-coming wrestler!
Tochiazuma - One of the top performers in the November tournament, this Ozeki is a likely candidate for promotion to Yokozuna in the near future.
Takamisakari - This Komusubi is also a very popular wrestler, especially recently. You'll notice him for the way he psyches himself up for the matches - beating his chest and arms! Unfortunately, his performance in the last tournament was a disaster!
Takanohana II - Retired in January 2003 (last year's AJET excursion saw his last bout!), and set the records for being the youngest to achieve a various number of accomplishments. He was from a "sumo family" and was extremely popular.
Akebono - He was the first foreign-born Yokozuna (from Hawaii). He holds many records (including biggest Yokozuna). Akebono did not speak any Japanese when he arrived, but earned a great deal of respect from other wrestlers and sumo fans. He retired in 2001.
Konishiki - Another Hawaiian wrestler. He retired in 1997. He once achieved the rank of Ozeki, but was demoted shortly before he retired (due to injuries). Konishiki took the brunt of the anti-foreign movement that occurred in the 1980s when he was the highest-ranked foreign wrestler.
Just How Big IS He? Some Statistics. Here are some statistics about the wrestlers in the Makuuchi Division as of the November 2003 tournament.
Average Weight: 154.7kg (heaviest is Yokozuna Musashimaru at 235kg)
Oldest: Maegashira Kotonowaka (05/1968)
Youngest: Maegashira Asasekiryu (08/1981)
Most Tournaments Won: Yokozuna Musashimaru (12 tournaments)
Most Bouts Won: Yokozuna Musashimaru (776)
The Outfit. Wrestlers wear belts called mawashi, which are made of silk for upper division wrestlers. Mawashi are about 10 yards long and wrap around the wrestler 4-7 times! The stiff strings hanging from the mawashi are ornamental. Wrestlers in the Juryo division and above wear a hairstyle called chonmage. The formal style worn by wrestlers in the top 2 divisions is called o-icho.
Some Rules of the Game. Wrestlers may not hit with a closed fist, or kick above the waist. They aren't allowed to box each other's ears or to grab "below the belt." Hair-pulling is also not allowed. Breaking these rules will lead to an automatic loss. Wrestlers also lose if they are the first to go out of the ring, or if they touch the ground with something other than the sole of the foot. If you're interested in specific moves, visit this site.
The Ritual. In general, this is how they go
Before the bout: Juryo and Makuuchi Division matches are preceded by ring-entering ceremonies (dohyo-iri) which introduce the day's wrestlers to the audience. The wrestlers wear ceremonial aprons called kesho-mawashi, which are prepared either by their hometown fan clubs, or their stables. The first to enter the ring is a referee. Then, the wrestlers follow in reverse order of rank. They stand around the ring and perform the ritual:
Stomp - Scares away evil spirits
Pulling up apron - Drives the evil spirits out
Showing palms - Demonstrates fair play (they are hiding no weapons)
During the bout: At the corner of the platform, the wrestler will clap and stomp, then purify his mouth by rinsing with water. Before he enters the ring, he will throw salt (for purification of the ring). The wrestlers then go to their sides of the ring, squat down, and clap. This is to alert the gods that a match is about to begin. They return to their corners, throw more salt, then come back and face each other. This part is largely psychological. The entire thing is repeated 3 or 4 times, until the referee signals the start of the bout by holding out his paddle. When both wrestlers put both fists down, the bout begins
While the wrestlers are preparing for their bouts, you might notice a number of banners being paraded around the ring. These are advertisements from the sponsors of the match. The wrestler who wins the bout is given a substantial money prize (per banner).
When the bout finishes, the wrestlers bow to one another and the loser leaves. The winner waits to receive his "encouragement money" from the referee (waving his right hand over it as thanks to the gods).
After the bout: The Bow-Twirling Ceremony takes place after the highest-ranked match. A lower-ranked wrestler performs it as thanks to the gods on behalf of the day's victors.
When Can I Watch? The Grand Sumo Tournament is held 6 times per year. Three tournaments are held at the Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan (Ryogoku Station on the Sobu Line). You can visit the sumo website above for the dates of the tournaments. Also, the tournaments are broadcast live from 16:00-18:00 on NHK. You can get tickets at this site.