May 27 -- Ryōgoku Kokugikan
PLEASE NOTE: I have not had the chance to watermark all of my photos, and it will take me a great deal of time, as I published this and my other blogs between 2010-2017. I ask you to respect my property. Feel free to use them as long as you credit me as follows: Photo by Jody McBrien, learningtheworld.org. Thank you.
Today we attended Japan's national sport, sumo wrestling, at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan. Although the events begin in the morning, things get busy at mid-afternoon, so we started the morning by going to Shibuya, where Dick headed to Tower Records and I went to the Oriental Bazaar to buy some gifts. On my way back to meet Dick, I passed an outdoor used kimono sale where I could have easily spent more time poking through things, but no time! We got on another train and crossed the city to the Sumida neighborhood, home of the sumo hall.
First, some background on sumo. According to the program, sumo is about 1500 years old. Japanese legend has it that the origins of the Japanese race were determined by a sumo match. The historical origins are religious Shinto rituals dedicated as prayers for a good harvest, accompanied by dancing and theatre. Later, under the Imperial Court, rules and techniques were determined, closely resembling what sumo is today.
Sumo tournaments take place over a 15-day Sunday to Sunday period, six times/year. Three take place in Tokyo. The mornings are filled with newcomer matches. Just after 2pm, the intermediate division (juryo) is held, and more people start filling the auditorium. By around 4pm, the stands are full, and the well-known senior champion class (macuuchi) begins its matches after an entrance ceremony
and a yokozuna performance. Yokozuna are champions (one from each side of the ring) who perform a ritual ceremony prior to the top division bouts.
The banzuke is the official ranking, and the senior class begin at maegashira and move up to komusubi, sekiwake, ozeki, and finally, yokozuna.
Frankly, I thought I would become quickly bored, but I was ended up fascinated by the rituals and actions of the wrestlers and others that are a part of the matches. Wrestlers are called rikishi. Their goal is to get the other rikishi out of the dohyo (circular ring) first, or to have him touch any part of his body besides his feet onto the dohyo, resulting in defeat. The dohyo is a ring made of rice bales just short of 15 feet in diameter. The platform itself is made of clay and sand. There are five judges seated around the ring, a referee (gyoji),
and a ring caller, or yobidashi. The match itself typically takes a few seconds, though we saw a handful that might have lasted close to a minute.For at least 5 minutes prior to the actual bout, the wrestlers go through all kinds of posturing, stretching, crouching, and lifting of their legs. They toss salt and wash their faces and bodies in a short purifying part of the pre-bout ritual.
The match finally begins when both have crouched behind their respective white line and touched the ground with their fists. Interestingly, there are no weight divisions in professional sumo, so a wrestler may face someone far larger than himself. Weight is not all that determines the champion. It is also based on flexibility, balance, strength, and knowledge of winning movements. I got good at picking the winner and think I was at about 80% in getting it right!
If there is a question about who won, the judges come into the ring to discuss it and determine the winner. The gyoji announces the move that ultimately won the match.
At the higher levels there are also men who parade banners around the ring before the bout that announce the prizes the winner will receive.
There is even fun for little ones in the outside halls of the arena.
The time flew by, and we wanted to leave before the event was done, so we weren't exiting with hundreds of others and trying to find a place to eat. Our first choice was filled by reservations. But we found an Indian restaurant just down the road and enjoyed a good dinner before boarding trains and a bus back to Soka.
Before leaving the arena, I passed a stand where a couple men were selling the book Discover Sumo: Stories from Yobidashi Hideo. As I was so fascinated by the sport, I bought one and look forward to learning more!
NOTE: June 2018 date on post is republish date, not date of the event.
Today we attended Japan's national sport, sumo wrestling, at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan. Although the events begin in the morning, things get busy at mid-afternoon, so we started the morning by going to Shibuya, where Dick headed to Tower Records and I went to the Oriental Bazaar to buy some gifts. On my way back to meet Dick, I passed an outdoor used kimono sale where I could have easily spent more time poking through things, but no time! We got on another train and crossed the city to the Sumida neighborhood, home of the sumo hall.
Outside Ryogoku Kokugikan
Sumo nobori flags lining the road to the sumo hall
Get your photo with your favorite yokozuna!
First, some background on sumo. According to the program, sumo is about 1500 years old. Japanese legend has it that the origins of the Japanese race were determined by a sumo match. The historical origins are religious Shinto rituals dedicated as prayers for a good harvest, accompanied by dancing and theatre. Later, under the Imperial Court, rules and techniques were determined, closely resembling what sumo is today.
Artwork in the Ryogoku Kokugikan
Sumo tournaments take place over a 15-day Sunday to Sunday period, six times/year. Three take place in Tokyo. The mornings are filled with newcomer matches. Just after 2pm, the intermediate division (juryo) is held, and more people start filling the auditorium. By around 4pm, the stands are full, and the well-known senior champion class (macuuchi) begins its matches after an entrance ceremony
and a yokozuna performance. Yokozuna are champions (one from each side of the ring) who perform a ritual ceremony prior to the top division bouts.
The banzuke is the official ranking, and the senior class begin at maegashira and move up to komusubi, sekiwake, ozeki, and finally, yokozuna.
Frankly, I thought I would become quickly bored, but I was ended up fascinated by the rituals and actions of the wrestlers and others that are a part of the matches. Wrestlers are called rikishi. Their goal is to get the other rikishi out of the dohyo (circular ring) first, or to have him touch any part of his body besides his feet onto the dohyo, resulting in defeat. The dohyo is a ring made of rice bales just short of 15 feet in diameter. The platform itself is made of clay and sand. There are five judges seated around the ring, a referee (gyoji),
Prepping the ring
and a ring caller, or yobidashi. The match itself typically takes a few seconds, though we saw a handful that might have lasted close to a minute.For at least 5 minutes prior to the actual bout, the wrestlers go through all kinds of posturing, stretching, crouching, and lifting of their legs. They toss salt and wash their faces and bodies in a short purifying part of the pre-bout ritual.
Cleansing ritual
Major flexibility
Tossing salt
Demonstrating balance and flexibility
The match finally begins when both have crouched behind their respective white line and touched the ground with their fists. Interestingly, there are no weight divisions in professional sumo, so a wrestler may face someone far larger than himself. Weight is not all that determines the champion. It is also based on flexibility, balance, strength, and knowledge of winning movements. I got good at picking the winner and think I was at about 80% in getting it right!
Note the major difference in weight! And in this case, weight won
If there is a question about who won, the judges come into the ring to discuss it and determine the winner. The gyoji announces the move that ultimately won the match.
At the higher levels there are also men who parade banners around the ring before the bout that announce the prizes the winner will receive.
There is even fun for little ones in the outside halls of the arena.
The time flew by, and we wanted to leave before the event was done, so we weren't exiting with hundreds of others and trying to find a place to eat. Our first choice was filled by reservations. But we found an Indian restaurant just down the road and enjoyed a good dinner before boarding trains and a bus back to Soka.
Before leaving the arena, I passed a stand where a couple men were selling the book Discover Sumo: Stories from Yobidashi Hideo. As I was so fascinated by the sport, I bought one and look forward to learning more!
NOTE: June 2018 date on post is republish date, not date of the event.
Comments
Post a Comment