the secrets of sumo

We wrestle with the complex rituals and rigours of being Gentlemen of Strength

WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY PAUL QUAYLE

Sumo, once the sport of emperors, is a holy Japanese ritual with its ancient roots in the Shinto religion. Its origins can also be traced back to ceremonial wrestling, and it maintains values of honour, courage and dignity today. The number of professional wrestlers or rikishi (gentlemen of strength) may only be 800, but this is a huge sport. Not least because the wrestlers themselves weigh up to 300kg. Anyone doubting its popularity should try getting tickets for the final day of a tournament. Seats can sell out months in advance, and fans queue overnight when they go on sale.

To the uninitiated, sumo seems little more than two fat guys pushing each other around. But in reality it’s a complex duel – a blend of strategy, style and spirit. For wrestlers, it’s a way of life. With tournaments and exhibition events, plus strict dress and hair regulations in and out of the arena, being a sumo is no 9 to 5 job – for participants, it’s 24/7.

The ancient sport of sumo has origins dating back more than a millennium, as seen in its mention in the Kojiki, a book from AD712 containing mythical stories of wrestling gods. According to legend, the origins of the Japanese themselves depended on the outcome of a sumo match: their supremacy on the islands of Japan was only established when the god Take-mikazuchi won a bout against a rival.

Early matches were ritualistic ceremonies performed as a way of praying for a bountiful harvest. Even today, sumo circles are found inside shrines in many villages. These are put to use when children fight each other during festivals. Contestants here are ranked by age to encourage equality, and both girls and boys fight, sometimes against each other. Professional sumo however is only performed by males – women aren’t allowed inside the circle – and merit rather than age determines status.

Bouts consist of two rikishi facing each other in a dohyo (a 455cm-diameter circle). After a brief ceremony they place their hands on the floor, then go for each other. It’s a test of speed, strength, agility, technique and determination. There are no weight categories, but what may look like a mismatch can turn out to be closely fought. Victory occurs when someone is driven out of the ring, or any part of his body except the soles of his feet touches the floor. Striking with fists is forbidden (open palms are fine), as is grabbing an opponent’s hair or kicking his chest or stomach. A wrestler also loses if his mawashi (silk belt) falls off.

Traditional sumo wrestlers came from rural Japan, but the number of non-Japanese is rising. The Hawaiian Akebono was the first foreigner to become a yokozuna (the highest sumo rank), and his countryman Musashimaru has also achieved that rank. Yet tradition remains highly valued. If anything, overseas wrestlers must be more “Japanese” than the Japanese themselves – Akebono himself changed his citizenship.

Yokozuna Konishiki (left)
weighed a massive 270kgTo become a yokozuna a rikishi must win two consecutive tournaments in a manner expected of a champion, and show exemplary behaviour in and out the ring. Rikishi can never question decisions – ethics require them to show no emotions whatsoever. For wrestlers, the maze of regulations and rituals begins early. Beginners must join a heya (stable) and obey their master’s orders if they wish to move up in rank.

Practice starts at 6am with an intense workout, including squats, weightlifting and contests. To develop stamina, they often fight until they can barely stand. The first meal is only taken at 11am, and is usually chanko-nabe: a stew served in massive portions, with endless bowls of rice to develop bigger girths.

Sleeping after meals is another requirement for maintaining weight. Life however isn’t full of naps. For low-ranked rikishi, it’s a routine of grocery shopping, cooking and scrubbing the backs of higher-ranked wrestlers.

A sumo lifts weights
for what is a 24/7
careerThe “major league” of professional sumo, the Makuuchi, has 42 wrestlers. There are several ranks within the Makuuchi: the lowest being maegashira, then komosubi, sekiwake, ozeki (champion) and finally the grand champion, yokozuna. Most rikishi are maegashira, but skillful wrestlers can surge through the ranks.

Tournaments, called basho, consist of 15 matches per day for 15 successive days. Bouts start at 8.30am and continue until 6pm. As the day progresses, the crowd becomes more boisterous and the excitement grows as the beer and sake flow.

Ringside seats on a tournament’s final day are a symbol of corporate power in Japan. Events in the ring may become a sideshow as visitors give more attention to the bento (lunch boxes), alcohol and their guests than to the fighting. Indeed, the symbolic power of such seats is the only reason anyone would want to sit there. Especially when you consider that yokozuna Konishiki weighed 270kg when he retired, and when pushed out of the ring he had to land somewhere!

A sales assistant tries
to rally ticket sales for
a Fukuoka matchAfter 4pm the arenas fill and attention focuses more on the dohyo, as the top wrestlers perform the dohyo-iri (ring-entering ceremony). Yokozuna have their own ceremony, held to please the crowd and to drive evil spirits from the ring before the rikishi return.

Then, wearing only mawashi and a frown as they psyche each other out, the wrestlers pound their hefty legs and slap faces and bodies to fire themselves up. Glaring at each other from 70cm apart they throw purifying salt around and mop up their sweat with towels. This can go on for minutes until, finally, they lunge. Heavy slow wrestlers invariably try to thrust their opponents out, but there are over 70 recognised winning moves, including throwing, leg-tangling and twisting.

Most bouts are over in seconds, and two minutes is considered a long fight. The crowd responds enthusiastically during close matches, or whenever higher-ranked rikishi are outwitted by juniors, or heavyweights are defeated by smaller opponents.

Waiting for the train after a
long day at the heyaWrestlers fight just once a day (unless there’s a play-off), but this isn’t easy money. Only top-ranked wrestlers are salaried – those in the lower ranks receive no wages, although they are given tournament allowances. However, having endured years of training, top wrestlers can acquire a considerable nest egg from bonuses, incentive payments and winnings. On retirement, they sometimes use this to open their own heya. But for lower-ranked rikishi it’s more likely to be off with the loincloth and on with a business suit. Albeit a very large suit.

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BIG BOYS CLUB

Just six sumo tournaments are held each year in Japan, and tickets can be hard to come by. They usually start on the second Sunday of odd-numbered months. Tokyo is host to three in January, May and September, Osaka to one in March, Nagoya in July and Fukuoka in November.

To enjoy matches fully – if you’re lucky enough to get a seat – join in with the local customs: copious beer and sake are considered de rigueur accompaniments to your bento box!

Call the Ryogoku Kokugikan Box Office on +81 (3) 3622 1100 in Japanese to book tickets (www.sumo.or.jp/eng) or ask your hotel concierge for assistance.