When was sumo made

They include exhibition tournaments that are held across the country in between official tournaments and occasional retirement ceremonies of prominent wrestlers. Retirement ceremonies usually include an exhibition contest, some light-hearted performances by wrestlers and a time-consuming hair cutting ritual to sever the top knot that is symbolic to an active wrestler. See the official website for a calendar. Outside the professional sumo world, there are some universities and high schools that maintain sumo clubs, some of which may be able to accommodate visits by tourists.

Furthermore, there are occasional sumo performances or contests at some shrines and festivals. Perhaps the best way to appreciate sumo besides attending a tournament is to visit a sumo stable to witness a morning practice session.

Sumo stables are where the wrestlers live and train together and where all aspects of life, from sleeping and eating to training and free time, are strictly regimented by the stable master. There are about forty stables, all of which are located in the Greater Tokyo Region, especially in Tokyo's Ryogoku district.

However, sumo stables are neither public places nor sightseeing spots. Only a small number of stables accept visits by tourists, and they insist that tourists are accompanied by a person who is fluent in Japanese and closely familiar with the customs of the sumo world. Furthermore, visitors are expected to follow the house rules strictly and not disturb the training session. Expect to sit silently on the floor for two to three hours.

In practice, it is very difficult for foreign tourists to visit a stable on their own. Instead, the recommended way to witness a morning practice is to join a guided tour. Various organizations and companies, such as Klook and Voyagin , offer such tours and typically charge around 10, yen for a single person and around yen for additional group members.

Tokyo 's Ryogoku district has been the center of the sumo world for about two centuries. The district is home to many sumo stables and the Kokugikan sumo stadium where three of the six annual tournaments are held. Below are a few more of Ryogoku's attractions that could be of interest to sumo fans:. As a religion of customs and not laws, Shinto developed as a religion to please the gods in order to ensure a good harvest and divine protection, but soon made headway into the sport of sumo as a way to entertain those same gods, purify the sport itself and protect the rikishi from harm.

The first ceremony of the day is the dohyo-iri, or ring ceremony performed by Juryo and Makuuchi rikishi before their bouts begin. The rikishi are grouped into two groups—East and West—and each group takes a turn entering the ring. The lowest-ranked rikishi enters first and walks a complete circle around the ring followed by the other rikishi in ascending order according the rank.

Before the individual rikishi enter the ring, they are introduced to the spectators. Once the last rikishi in the group has been introduced, the rikishi, who are facing the spectators, turn inward and face each other around the ring.

After clapping their hands once, they raise their right hand, lift their kesho-mawashi decorative aprons created for the ring ceremony , and finally raise both hands in unison. This tradition goes back to the samurai days and represents the rikishi showing each other that none is armed. During the Makuuchi ring ceremony, the Yokozuna are notably absent from the group as they must perform their own individual ring ceremonies.

When a Yokozuna performs his ring ceremony, he will wear a white tsuna, or zuna braided rope with five zig-zag strips hanging from the front , around his waist to signify his rank. Once the actual bouts begin, the two rikishi spend several minutes before their match lifting their legs high in the air and stomping them down, a practice said to scare away any demons. They also throw several handfuls of salt into the ring, which is said to purify the ring.

Many rikishi will also sprinkle salt around their bodies as a means of protecting them from injury. After the last bout of the day, the yumi-tori bow twirling ceremony is performed by a makushita-ranked rikishi from the same stable as a Yokozuna. True fans of the sport will not leave their seats until this ritual is performed.

Presently, sumo consists of six major tournaments a year called hon-basho. The first historical records that refer to wrestling describe an incident in which the 5th century Emperor Yuryaku ordered two half-naked women to wrestle to distract a carpenter who said he never made a mistake.

While watching the women the carpenter slipped up and spoiled his work and thereupon the Emperor ordered his execution. In the Nara Period A. The banquet also featured music and dancing in which the victorious wrestlers participated in. In imperial times sumo was a performing art associated with the Imperial court and community festivals. Early sumo was rough-and-tumble affair that combined elements of boxing and wrestling and had few laws. Under the patronage of the Imperial Court rules were formulated and techniques were developed.

In the Kamakura Period sumo was used to train samurai and to settle disputes. In the 14th century, sumo became a professional sport and in the 16th century sumo wrestlers toured the country. In the old days, some wrestlers were homosexual prostitutes, and at various times, women were allowed to compete in the sport. One famous wrestler during the imperial era was a nun. A bloody version of sumo was briefly popular. Sumo wrestling has been a profitable, professional sport for four centuries. The sport was promoted by the Tokugawa shogunate as a form of entertainment.

In the 18th century, when sumo was a major form of entertainment for men, topless women wrestled blind men. Though this lewd variety eventually faded away in the midth century after being banned repeatedly, a ceremonial form has continued in regional festivals under the radar of the media. The basic organization and rules of sumo have changed little since the s.

In the 19th century, when samurai were forced to give up their profession and feudalism was outlawed, sumo wrestlers were the only people allowed to keep wearing top-knots the traditional samurai hairstyle. In the s, militarists turned sumo into a symbol of Japanese superiority and purity.

In , they began being held at the Kokugikan arena, which stood four-stories high and could accommodate a crowds of 13, This building was razed in a fire and it replacement was damaged by the earthquake. A new arena built after that was used in World War II to make balloon bombs. A new building built after the war was turned into a roller skating rink in Some of the greatest grand champions of modern times were Futabayama yokozuna, , who achieved a winning percentage of. It was my fault," said yokozuna Taiho when his winning streak in grand sumo tournaments stopped at 45 in An objection was raised regarding a bout in which the referee gave the win to the yokozuna, and the judges outside the ring overruled the gyoji referee's decision in what is widely believed to have been an error.

Beginning with the May tournament, the emperor made a custom of attending one day of each tournament held in Tokyo, where he watched the competition from a special section of VIP seats. For this reason, the organizers of sumo decided on a set of rules, including the creation of a list of 48 legal moves and the round ring that is still used today. A system of stables was created to train wrestlers. As many aspects of old Japan remain in sumo, such as topknots, traditional dress, and ancient customs, professional sumo is more than just a sport; it's a living example of traditional Japanese culture.

The wrestlers serve as cultural ambassadors when they take part in events overseas.