Sumo is an exciting sport that involves two competitors in a circular ring, each trying to push the opponent out of the ring or down to the ground. The scene of two large, scantily-dressed sumo wrestlers duking it out in the ring is so striking, that even people that have no knowledge whatsoever of wrestling sports are likely to have seen and remembered such a match. That said, we’ve prepared a list of 10 things that even sumo fans may not have known about sumo wrestling.
1. Sumo wrestlers can lose without being pushed out of the ring.
We’ve all seen sumo matches where the two competitors crash into each other with immense force and eventually one of the competitors uses his superior strength and technique to push or throw his opponent out of the ring. But did you know that, in order to win, all a competitor needs to do is make his opponent touch the ground with any other body part apart from the soles of the feet. So, if the opponent stumbles over and touches the ground with his hand, for example, he automatically loses the round. This adds a whole different level to the game with lots of ways in which a competitor can achieve the destabilization of the opponent to a point where the opponent topples over and touches the ground.
2. There are 82 winning techniques that are officially recognized
Also known as “kimarite”, the Japan Sumo Association recognizes 82 winning techniques. These involve trips, throws, thrusts, pushes and several techniques that primarily exploit the opponent’s loss of balance. If you’re a first-time watcher, you may think that sumo is a very simple sport; however, once you get into it, you’ll come to realize that there are many intricacies that can deepen your appreciation of sumo wrestling. In fact, a sumo wrestler may have to train for years on end to get a chance at achieving mastery in the sport.
3. The wrestlers have a window of opportunity during which they can start
What this means is that, in top-division bout, sumo wrestlers are allowed a window of up to 4 minutes during which they can decide to charge. There’s a ritual before the round starts, called “shikiri”. During this period, each sumo wrestler may decide to return to the corner and do additional preparation before eventually charging. There’s also the ritualistic self-slapping and tapping of the competitors before the round starts.
4. Throwing salt is not just for a dramatic effect
You may have seen some sumo competitors throwing salt before the match starts. This ritual is called “shiomaki” and is envisioned as a purification ritual with the goal to cleanse the ring and to ensure the safety of competitors. The practice of throwing salt in sumo matches can be traced back to sumo’s connections with certain historic Shinto religious traditions. Moreover, not all competitors are allowed to throw salt; usually only wrestlers in the top two divisions are allowed to throw salt. This makes throwing salt a privilege that not all sumo wrestlers have.
5. The highest rank in sumo wrestling is permanent
The highest rank in sumo goes by the name “yokozuna” and its situated above the “ōzeki” rank. The unusual bit here is that, once a sumo wrestlers acquires the rank of yokozuna, he effectively cannot be demoted, even if he’s had a terrible performance in a tournament. In fact, if the yokozuna wrestler cannot compete anymore at the highest level, he is expected to retire. Also, it’s not at all easy to reach the rank of yokozuna, as the competitor will need to win consecutive tournaments, among other requirements for the title of a grand champion.
6. A sumo wrestler’s rank affects his everyday life
There are 6 main divisions in professional sumo – at the bottom it’s the jonokuchi level and the makuuchi is at the top. The rank of the competitor determines the privileges and expectations of the competitor in the sumo world. Another thing that reflects a competitor’s rank is his hair style, with top-divisions wrestlers wearing an elaborate hairstyle called “ōichōmage”, based on the ginkgo leaf. Lower-division wrestlers having simpler topknot hairstyles.
7. A sumo tournament lasts 15 days
There are 6 major sumo professional tournaments in Japan that are held each year, in January, March, May, July, September and November. Each of these tournaments lasts 15 days. Only the competitors that hold the highest ranks compete once per day, every day. The competitors of the lower ranks, on the other hand, compete on only 7 of the 15 days during which the tournament takes place. The records in the tournament determine whether a competitor will be promoted, demoted or retain his rank in the official ranking list, also known as “banzuke” in Japanese.
8. The belt is part of the bout – not merely a part of the costume
The thick belt wrapped around the sumo wrestler’s waist is know as the “mawashi”. According to official specifications, the belt is approximately 9 meters long and 80 centimeters wide. The wrestlers aren’t prohibited from using the opponent’s belt to gain leverage and advantage; on the contrary, they’re encouraged to do so. The belt can be used to control the opponent’s posture, pull the opponent off balance, to lift him up, turn him or shove him out of the ring altogether. Many of the techniques in sumo are based on using the opponent’s belt for leverage.
9. Women cannot professionally compete in sumo, but they can compete in amateur sumo
Women aren’t allowed to compete in Japan’s traditional professional sumo division and they cannot enter the dohyō in professional contexts. The reason why is rooted in the religious and cultural traditions of old in Japan. Women, however, can and do compete in amateur sumo bouts – even at international competitions in championships. Official counts show that there are more than 600 active female sumo wrestlers in Japan. It’s unclear whether professional sumo rules will be amended to allow women to compete in the near or distant future.
10. Many professional wrestlers both live and train in communal stables
Also known as “heya”, a sumo stable is much more than just a gym where sumo wrestlers train. In fact, many active sumo wrestlers consider it their home, with communal living and strict routines involving a hierarchy based on rank and seniority. Younger competitors, when entering a sumo stable for the first time, are actually entering a social institution. All sumo stables are entered in the official directory maintained by the Japan Sumo Association. It’s a testament to the preparedness of a sumo wrestler to give their life to training and becoming better in the sport of sumo wrestling.
The Intricacies of Sumo Wrestling
By now you’ve gotten to know several of the intricacies of the sport of sumo wrestling. It’s an exciting sport with loads of different techniques and ways to win, as well as exciting rituals that add solemnity to the sport, giving you new ways to appreciate it. It’s a sport that may seem deceivingly simple at first, when in fact, it’s anything but. The number of competitors and events in professional and amateur sumo is steadily growing. Given this, it’s hardly a surprise that sumo wrestling is getting increasingly popular in Japan and all over the world – perhaps you yourself ought to watch a match or two and test your knowledge of the intricacies of the sport that you’ve just learned of.
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