Sumo, a form of wrestling, is the national sport of Japan. In a sumo bout, two wrestlers attempt to force each other to the ground or out of a circular ring. Sumo wrestlers, called rikishi, compete wearing only a silk loincloth. Sumo wrestlers are typically massive and may appear overweight, but they are fast, muscular athletes. Professional sumo tournaments, known as basho, allow only men to compete, though some amateur competitions are open to women. Rituals—particularly those of Japan’s Shinto religion—are an important part of sumo.
The sumo ring, or dohyo, is a circle 15 feet (4.6 meters) wide on a square platform 18 feet (5.5 meters) on each side. A roof similar to that of a Shinto shrine is suspended above the ring. After a wrestler enters the ring, he rinses his mouth with water to represent the cleansing of mind and body. Prior to a bout, each wrestler scatters a handful of salt to purify the ring. The wrestlers then squat facing each other at the center of the circle. At the start of the bout, they lunge forward, each wrestler attempting to push his opponent out of the ring or set him off balance. A wrestler loses if he touches the ground with any part of his body other than the soles of his feet. Many sumo bouts are over within seconds.
Sumo basho are held every two months. The rikishi with the best win-loss record after 15 days is the winner of that basho. Overall success in the sumo circuit is measured by consistent majority-win records.
Although sumo bouts were regularly held in the capital city of Nara as early as the A.D. 700’s, some scholars believe the origins of sumo date back more than 1,500 years. According to legend, two gods competed in a sumo bout for control of the Japanese islands. Over many hundreds of years, sumo developed into a form of entertainment and a method for training warriors.
The Nihon Sumo Kyokai (Japan Sumo Association), professional sumo’s official governing organization, formed in the 1920’s. The association sets guidelines for the wrestlers’ lifestyle and training, as well as for the sport’s rules and rituals. Until the 1900’s, only Japanese wrestlers were allowed to compete in professional sumo tournaments. Beginning in the mid-1900’s, foreigners were allowed to compete.
