Sumo wrestling books a few years go i put together this list of englishlanguage books on sumo wrestling. In modern times, sumo has become a professional sport and is. The sumo wrestlers are known as rikishi in japanese the two characters of the kanji meaning strength and warrior. In sumo, a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring dohyo 4. The japanese wrestling results are updated as of december 2018. Alternatively, you can purchase copies of various types through library of congress duplication services. In 1927, tokyo sumo merged with osaka sumo and most of the sumo systems were changed, so any pre1927 records are disregarded. Since 1964, hawaiians, eastern europeans, mongolians. Wrestling, the popular japanese sport the library of congress. In his first ever match he actually did the job, to karl gotch who is regarded as the daddy of pro wrestling style in japan. Onogawa kisaburo and tanikaze kajinosuke, the first historical yokozuna. Kotoshogikus victory in the toptier tournament was the. Japanese sumo wrestling popular bet at william hill the sportsbook took more than 1,000 bets on its nevada mobile app on the final three days of matches at sumo haru basho 2020, a pro tournament. But few wouldbe travelers to japan know much about the ancient sport of sumo, so weve put together this simple guide to experiencing sumo in japan.
Mina hall befriended many sumo wrestlers in japan and is a regular visitor to the sumo training stables. In 2010, new japan had an attendance of over 40,000 in the tokyo dome, showing the growth of the promotion in the last several years. Sumo is a form of wrestling which goes back to the earliest historical records in japanese history. Founded in january 1972 by antonio inoki, the promotion was sold to yukes, who later sold it to bushiroad in 2012. Like most professional sports, using an illegal move in sumo known as kinjite can also result in losing the match. Apr 03, 2015 friday 3 april saw the honozumo, a ceremonial sumo tournament take place at the yasukuni shrine precincts in tokyo. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
Pro wrestling in japan hasnt been around nearly as long as it has in europe and the united. How to see japanese sumo wrestling for free and how to. The only critique is that is may have been published too early due to all the big things that have happened in the last year or two. Sumo wrestling hit by matchfixing scandal world news. In japan, sumo wrestling is the countrys national sport, with a rich history dating back centuries, and is a unique and exciting attraction you wont want to miss during your visit to japan. A history of sumo, from its obscure origins the kojiki and nomi no sukune to the 21st century. Its a fantastic spectacle which offers unique insights into japanese culture as it has been performed ever since the ancient shinto period there are many places to see sumo wrestling in japan though the best way is to catch one of the spectacular sumo tournaments. Sumo ozumo is an ancient form of wrestling which has long been the national. Sumo wrestling image february 23, 2018 by chris kincaid 0 comments on sumo wrestling the miriam and ira d. Sumo wrestling is considered to be japan s national sport and its a huge hit with tourists. Japanese sumo wrestling popular bet at william hill las.
Sumo is a very unique sport packed with history, tradition and. Sumo ozumo is an ancient form of wrestling which has long been the national sport of japan. Tokyo hosts three tournaments each year, involving hundreds of wrestlers from japan and abroad, across six divisions. Oct 16, 20 1960s japan sumo wrestling training thekinolibrary. The promotion copromoted with all japan pro wrestling until 1987 when it dissolved. Sumo is a full contact sport, where 2 wrestlers, known as rikshiki compete to force one another out of the ring. Unfollow japanese wrestling book to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. Also, the rikishi try to use their skill to force an opponent to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of his feet. Concise, pedantic book 60 actual pages with a few blackandwhite photos. Kotaku east east is your slice of asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from japan, korea, china and beyond. Fast paced, colorful and full of ritual, these tournaments are a fascinating glimpse into traditional japanese culture and a fun part of any tokyo itinerary. Sumo wrestling grapples with gambling scandal japan s national sport, sumo wrestling, has been shaken to its core by revelations of illegal gambling. This means to see cheap sumo in tokyo, your best bet is days 3 to 6 and 10 to 12. Watching sumo wrestling in japan everything you need to know.
Factbox history, facts on sumo, japan s ancient sport 5 min read reuters japan s ancient sport of sumo faces an uncertain future as it grapples with a. Professional sumo in japan has seen many foreignborn wrestlers take to. Both sumo wrestlers and sumo wrestling continue to be regarded as sacred in japan today. Sumo is a form of competitive fullcontact wrestling where a rikishi wrestler attempts to force. A thinking fans guide to japans national sport tuttle classics david benjamin on. Sumo by andy adams and clyde newton a few years go i put together this nearcomprehensive list of englishlanguage books on sumo wrestling. Whimsical line drawings make the big book of sumo the most userfriendly sumo guide available. Like many ancient sports, theres a lot more to sumo wrestling than initially. Thousands of spectators enjoy this oneday event where sumo wrestlers. Experience the rare chance to sit in on a training session at a sumo stable. There are several accounts of sumo wrestling in the ancient japanese texts, kojiki records. In japan, figurines of sumo wrestlers have been unearthed dating back to. Super sumo fan mina hall covers all aspects of the sport, including its history, traditions, training methods, stable life, rankings, fighting holds, and judging.
On august 15, 1891 in new york city, wrestler matsada sorakichi passed away at 32 years of age. Many rituals with religious background, such as the symbolic purification of the ring with salt, are still followed today. Sumo, sumo is a japanese style of wrestling and japans national sport. The japan sumo association is putting its considerable weight behind the 2020 tokyo games as it looks to use the international extravaganza to promote the countrys national sport. To many the sport of sumo looks like nothing more than two heavy men. Sumo wrestling, the national sport of japan, is very popular so it can be hard to get tickets for the matches the wrestlers live and train in beyas, or stables, like the one above and some of. Beforehand, visit the fascinating sumo museum to see sumorelated objects. Photography collection, the new york public library. Japanese end drought in sumo wrestling, their national sport. Includes a local, english speaking guide and entrance to the sumo stable. While sumo, japans national sport dates back 2000 years, it didnt begin to flourish as a spectator sport until the early 1600s.
Some images display only as thumbnails outside the library of congress because of rights considerations, but you have access to larger size images on site. Tokyo sumo wrestling tournament japan activities lonely. If an image is displaying, you can download it yourself. Historians agree that the origins of sumo date back 2000 years. Factbox history, facts on sumo, japans ancient sport.
The opening days, closing days and the days in between which fall on the weekend are always the busiest. The first mention of wrestling in a japanese text was in the nihon shoki, one of the oldest books of the regions history, finished in the year 720. Paper sumo wrestling popular with people of all ages. New japan has had a very up and down history but continues to be one of the largest promotions in japan and one of the highest grossing promotions in the world.
We created faredrop to help you score super cheap international flights. Oct 25, 2016 watching sumo wrestling in japan everything you need to know japan october 25, 2016 0 alvin when one thinks of heading to japan or tokyo for a holiday, you usually think of the usual, sakuras, disneyland, mt fuji etc. In 2011, wrestlers finally admitted to fixing matches, arranging payouts behind the scenes, and choreographing the bouts much like professional wrestling, where moves are planned in advance. Essential information for our toyko sumo wrestling practice. The ancient sport of sumo wrestling was today bracing itself for a fresh assault on its reputation, after police said they had found evidence of matchfixing on several wrestlers mobile phones. How to experience sumo wrestling in japan japan and more. In addition to professional sumo, which is practiced only in japan, amateur sumo is a popular sport in japan and abroad. That year, the japan sumo association canceled marchs grand tournament, the first such cancellation since 1946. Almost all these books cover a similar amount of material, but all usually specialize in something more than the others history, heya life, personal stories. The history of sumo sumo virtual culture kids web japan. Sumo is interwoven with shinto rituals, which may not be everyones cup of tea.
Ride the subway with fellow sumo fans to the kokugikan sumo amphitheater and enjoy several sumowrestling matches in the afternoon. Sumo is one of japans most wellknown sports, and a highly authentic japanese cultural experience in and of itself. Originating in japan, sumo can trace its roots back to the edo period of japans history circa 1603. S umo wrestling in japan is a traditional sport full of ritual and ancient customs. The author describes the rikishi the sumo wrestlers as boorish dullards and, basically. Jan 27, 2016 japanese end drought in sumo wrestling, their national sport kotoshogiku, right, during a sumo wrestling bout against goeido on sunday. Beautifully detailed turn of the century japanese woodblock print of a sumo wrestler.
Sumo tournaments take place on a raised ring called a dohyo. Ive made some small changes to shorten the text, but nothing which alters the content. Sumo wrestling sumo wrestling history history of sumo wrestling. This is a list of foreignborn professional sumo wrestlers by country andor ethnicity of origin, along with original name, years active in sumo wrestling, and highest rank attained. Definitely paints a picture of the overall history of wrestling in japan with a great focus on njpw.
This print features an image of the champion sumo wrestler odzutsu manemon, whose wrestling career spanned the years 1887 through 1908. May 24, 2014 sumo wrestling 2014 05 21 tokyo japan. In japan, figurines of sumo wrestlers have been unearthed dating back to between the third and seventh centuries, and the sport is mentioned in the myths and legends of the kojiki and nihonshoki japanese history books written in the eighth century. Toyko sumo wrestling practice tourist japan book now. There are around 800 professional sumo wrestlers, weighing from 200 to 350 pounds. It was formed by riki choshu and his ishingun after leaving new japan prowrestling in 1984. So in 1972 he made his own promotion, new japan pro wrestling with of course, inoki as the top star. Like any other social group in japan, there are strict rules and traditions that are observed throughout the sport. Dont miss the opportunity to see a traditional sumo tournament when youre in tokyo. It originated in ancient times as a performance to entertain the shinto deities. Popular pro wrestling books showing 150 of 254 have a nice day a tale of blood and sweatsocks paperback. Henning buchholz sumo wrestling is one of the worlds most distinctive forms of wrestling. Sumo o, sumo is a japanese style of wrestling and japans national sport.