SUMO

Column [Sumo]

Sumo wrestlers

I like sumo. 0ffense and defense in a moment, surprise at the unique and powerful physiques of sumo wrestlers, an interest in their facial expressions that reveal their inner self, winning or losing is responsible only for their own efforts, the beauty of the ring and the surrounding objects, interest for the conduct of people. Sumo wrestling has a wide variety of charms, such as traditional things and people's movements, and memories of the rise and fall of a single wrestler. There are people who watch the sumo wrestling in dignified seiza, and there are spectators who walk away after watching the match which looks like inactive. It's interesting to see the spectators like that.

Every time I watch sumo, I think sumo is not a sport. Because there is no sport that is so careless about injuries. In sumo, it's common for sumo wrestlers to get good reviews such as "You're doing your best even if you're physically damaged." and to be demoted due to public injuries.

Sumo is the oldest martial art in Japan with a long history and tradition. Sumo dolls are found as the artifacts excavated from the Kofun period (from around the 3rd century to around the 7th century). Sumo appears in the myths and legends of the Kojiki (A.D.712) and the Nihon Shoki (A.D.720). When the rice cultivation began, the farmers held sumo as an event to pray for a large harvest of rice for the year and fortune-telling whether the harvest will be good. During the Nara period (A.D.710 - A.D.794) and Heian period (A.D.794 - A.D.1185), sumo festival was held as a court ceremony. Sumo wrestling was held in front of the emperor. The current form of sumo wrestling was mostly created during the Edo period (A.D.1603-A.D.1867). Sumo wrestling events and kanjin sumo wrestling were held in order to collect donations to build shrines and temples and replace bridges. Professional sumo wrestlers were born. The room system for training sumo wrestlers were created. They determined the rules of the competition, such as setting the winning move to 48 and partitioning the ring into a circle. Sumo wrestling continues for over 1,500 years while changing its form. If so, it will continue to change its shape in the future. I think it would be great if the wrestlers who are physically damaged play sumo are evaluated badly, even if sumo wrestlers miss the game due to an injury, they won't be demoted、and set the limit of BMI.