Hakuho sho started his career as a sumo wrestler in the year 2001. If you do any of these things, you will be directly disqualified. If you arrive early enough you’ll be allotted a ticket for that day’s fights, although not a reserved seat – it’s up to you to head to the stadium early and mark your territory with coats, bags, and newspapers. What’s that white stuff they keep throwing into the ring?It’s salt! And how do you win about anyway? As for the hairstyle, like most aspects of sumo, it has historical origins and comes from styles fashionable in Japan’s Edo period (1600-1868). The sport dates back to ancient times and to this day has preserved many of the Shinto rituals and traditions from which it first arose. Before lunch, we had shrewdly left our jackets reserving some reasonable seats in the upper circle, and were pleased with our spot as the makuuchi (senior wrestlers) filed in to perform their opening ceremony. The low point came soon after, as they shunned the stew in favor of some considerably more appetizing pork cutlets with salad. Luckily, we discovered a way for those with an excess of time but a lack of money to get last minute tickets, though it did mean vying with a couple of hundred other like-minded folk first thing in the morning. Until lunchtime, only junior wrestlers compete and although they are equally photogenic to the traveler’s eye, they fail to pull in much of a crowd. Sounds like fun! News from World Travel Market 2020 in London, Japan: A Beginner’s Guide to Sumo Wrestling Rules, Search airfares, hotels, and rental cars here, Germany: Nude Spas Not for the Faint of Heart, Drive Away Across the USA with Auto Driveaway Cars, Private Rail Cars: America’s Trains Offer Luxury Rail Travel, The Top Ten Best Nude Beaches in the World, American Nudist: Living Nude in the California Desert – Page 2, Interview with the Mayor of Greenfield Mass. Sumo wrestling! If your mawashi comes off, you are immediately disqualified. 4. There are some rules and regulations of this game lets get into them. Card play determines whether you make an offensive or defensive move with the ultimate goal of pushing your opponent out of the arena. Japan is the only country where sumo fights are held professionally. Tournaments: Sumo matches usually occur in competitions, each rishiki contests in one game every day for 15 straight days in the top division, or seven straight days in lower divisions. Powerful Sumo wrestlers also grab and lift their opponent, though it is very difficult but legal. Rishiki devotes their whole life to training themselves. In this article, we will be learning some Japanese terminology snd rules that are used in sumo wrestling. Lucy Corne is a freelance writer specializing in two of life’s finest pleasures: beer and travel. We were surprised to see them walk up to the stadium through the throngs of admiring fans and receive none of the mobbing that a western sports star might experience. Written by Muhammad Haris. Sumo wrestling wagers can be placed beginning from the previous day at 8:00 p.m. (JST) up until the day of the match at 3:00 p.m. (JST). Sumo wrestling rules: A sumo wrestling tournament in Japan and gives some tips on how to get tickets and how to enjoy this ancient sport, sumo etiquette. A sport unlike any other martial arts or wrestling event on the globe, sumo wrestling is a must-see for travelers to Japan. I finally got a chance to answer my questions about this famous Japanese tradition. They look like they’re just pushing and shoving. The highest-ranked gyoji wears purple robe decorations, which is the color of Japanese nobility. Relishing the thought of a little early morning wrestling ourselves, we set out to join the throngs at the Kokugikan Hall in Ryogoku, west of the Sumida River. And he died in 2013 after a great winning inning. What’s with those oversized g-strings and matching hairdos? The roots of sumo wrestling are from Japan, to be more specific, it originated in an indigenous region of japan called Shinto. SUMO HISTORY. Your email address will not be published. To a novice sumo spectator, the bouts can sometimes look like a playground scuffle, but in fact, there are more than 80 winning tricks that a wrestler can perform during a bout. Sumo wrestling is a type of 1500-year-old martial art. According to the Kojiki, the owner of the islands of Japan was decided by a wrestling match between two gods, Takeminakata and Takemikazuchi. For cheap seats at the Tokyo tournaments you just need to turn up at the stadium before 8 am (quite a bit before if you want to guarantee a ticket). And takes place in a clay ring known as a dohyo. I actually had close to no idea what the rules to this bizarre sport were. Make travel plans, then write a story for us! If you like the articles we publish, maybe you can be one of our writers too! Gyoji: The match referee is called gyoji. Having read up a little, I felt a new respect for a sport that I had previously considered somewhat ridiculous. Greenfield Mayor Roxann Wedergartner was interviewed on Sept 22, 2020. Just as we were heading back to our seats I spotted an English booklet on the sport – or as I would soon discover, the art – of sumo.Getting Clued Up. The wrestlers try to force each other out of the ring (known as a dohyo) and the first person to touch the ground (with a body part other than the soles of their feet) or to get forced out of the ring loses. We call it sumo wrestling. Mono-2: If there is a dispute on who won the game, then five judges who are dressed in black will step into the ring to discuss the match. Copyright Games E Shop. You would win either of those ways, but the rules are strict – if one toe goes out of the ring you will be declared the loser. Why do they all have the same hairdo? You can trip your opponent in order to make him fall out of the ring. For those that hold a similar opinion, or are simply bewildered by the whole flesh-baring, thigh-slapping event, here’s a total beginner’s guide to the art-cum-sport that is so revered in the Land of the Rising Sun: It certainly isn’t. Required fields are marked *. Reserved seats range from 3,600 yen ($35) to 45,200 yen ($425) for a box seating four people. What are the sumo wrestling rules? Today, we will be knowing about some of the terminologies and rules and regulations of sumo wrestling. Sumo - it's tough work, but someone's got to do it! The idea is to whip your opponent into a frenzy of fear before the fight begins. Oh, and you can’t grab on to the band covering the, um, sensitive region. Rishikis have speedy reflexes and incredible balance. It is one of the distinctive forms of wrestling as it’s not a game of agility but sheer power. The loincloth is called a mawashi and is far more complicated than it looks. The object of the game is to either force your opponent out of the ring or make him touch the floor with anything other than the soles of his feet. Although, as a non-morning person, I wasn’t overjoyed at waking up early, waiting out in the crisp winter air was actually quite enjoyable. For more information on sumo wrestling see the Grand Sumo Homepage. We decided to mooch around some of Tokyo’s temples until we got hungry, then headed back to the stadium for a sumo-sized lunch. But is there any skill to it? Once the novelty of actually being at a real sumo tournament wore off, I felt the need to get a little clued up so that I could really enjoy the last few bouts of the day – the crucial ones featuring the yokozuna. (From Walt Mulder) It's similar to the game "Sumo Arena" but this one's only for two players. Slapping on the face is legal, however you can’t poke your opponent in any sensitive part of the body. All Rights Reserved | Designed by Ebrand Marketing. What’s with those oversized g-strings? They each show that they are not carrying any weapons. Note that wagers will only be available for Makuuchi (top division) sumo wrestling matches. Sumo wrestling was very popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. The mixture of meat, tofu, and vegetables served with rice and the ubiquitous raw egg, was far from the tastiest dish we sampled in Japan, but our guidebook insisted this was what the champions ate and we were determined to get the full sumo experience. For detailed betting rules please check here. Your email address will not be published. The rishiki, with the most wins in any one tournament, is the winner. Most people think you have to push your opponent out of the dohyo or make him fall on the floor in order to win, but that’s not quite true. It’s made of a huge piece of silk around 10 yards long and two feet wide and folding it is quite a skill. (Prices for Tokyo tournament only). Interesting fact :  You may know that American-born Akebono was the first non-japanese champion. He was the youngest guy ever to win yokozuna. The first possible mention of sumo wrestling is in a Kojiki (a chronicle of myths and legends in Japan) manuscript that is believed to have been written in 712. Likewise, if you touch the floor with any part of the body other than the soles of the feet your opponent will emerge victoriously. Grab the opponent by belt and force him out of the ring. But in truth, if you don’t really understand what’s going on, sumo wrestling can soon become pretty dull. You Might Enjoy Reading These GoNOMAD Articles: Karuizawa, Japan: In the Footsteps of John Lennon, Takasaki to Niigata City, Japan: Waving the Long Goodbye, Sydney to Melbourne on a Budget and a Bike, The Hardest Country to Visit: Saudi Arabia, There's No i in Frend: Frendly Gathering in Vermont. Once patronized by the emperors, Sumo's origins go back at least 1,500 years, making it the world's oldest organized sport. Fastest Pitch Baseball Records Being Made Till Now! They used to play for the gods to get a good harvest. Taiho koki is the second most famous sumo wrestling champion born in May 1940 at the age of 21 he won the title of yokozuna. Be aware that you can only get one ticket per person queuing, so bagging seats for those pals still snoring at the hostel is a no go. It looks a funny game but mind you, this is the national sport of Japan where Sumo wrestlers train themselves for years to gain weight and compete in Sumo wrestling. Sumo wrestling is a Japanese game and terminologies are also in the Japanese language. The process of becoming yokozuna. We can see their popularity in the prints. The latter won the match and the right to rule the land of Japan. sportsregulations.com, All Rights Reserved. Sumo might look a funny game but it is a very serious tradition in japan. Why do sumo wrestlers slap themselves? These men are at the top of their field – the David Beckham of sumo wrestling if you will – and are revered among Japanese people. There are a couple of ways to win a bout. Sumo Wrestling is Complex and Fascinating. Your email address will not be published. Well, unfortunately, to book tickets in advance, you need to speak Japanese, but if you can, then call the box office on +81 (0) 3 3622 1100. If you manage to do either of these things the referee will point to your side of the dohyo, and you win the match. We watched the wrestlers stop for the occasional photo or autograph, then moved into the stadium in search of the restaurant, where we ordered chanko, a hearty stew.