On February 8th we headed up to Tokyo to experience sumo. Sumo (Japanese wrestling) is the national sport. It is considered a professional sport and is a combination of ancient ceremony and the powerful wrestlers.
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan where the sumo tournament was held.
Shrine at the back of the stadium
The family ready to see sumo
A view of the Shin-kokugikan (sumo stadium) from our seats. We were in the balcony with a great view of the Dohyo (ring)
Each corner of the Dohyo was represented by a color which corresponded to a season of the year. Starting in the far left and circling clock wise you have Aka-busa: red corner - Shiro-busa: white corner - Kuro-busa: black corner and Ao-busa: blue corner. The hanging roof is made to look like the roof of a shinto shrine.
We went down for a closer look before the matches started
Above you see the Box Seats. Another obvious example that our two cultures are so very different. These maroon mats on the floor inside of the metal railings were box seats for which you paid quite a bit for. We were happy to be in the balcony where there were actual chairs:)
Dylan was such a sweet young man during the hours and hours of sumo we watched.
Before the tournament began, we had a taste of the ceremonial aspects of sumo. Throughout the whole tournament be it between the two wrestlers, amongst the judges, the broom boys (maybe like ball boys but guys who sweep the ring) or any other time the affair was steeped in ceremony.
Introduction of the Juryo Division. During the tournament we watched two different divisions wrestle: the Juryo then later the Makuuchi Division. There are six total divisions.
Ceremony before the wrestling began.
Stomping down the evil spirits before they began to wrestle.
Here they go...
During the intermission: A few sumo wrestlers got into the Dohyo with little boys to wrestle. It was really cute. There was also a slap stick bout of fake sumo fighting where the wrestlers used many of the illegal moves to "win". It would have been funnier had we known what they were saying.
There was also the Yokozuna (Grand Champion) presentation between divisions. He is wearing the Kesho-mawashi (ceremonial apron)
Introducing the Makuuchi Division
The sumo wrestler above was the largest one we saw the whole tournament.
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan where the sumo tournament was held.
Shrine at the back of the stadium
The family ready to see sumo
A view of the Shin-kokugikan (sumo stadium) from our seats. We were in the balcony with a great view of the Dohyo (ring)
Each corner of the Dohyo was represented by a color which corresponded to a season of the year. Starting in the far left and circling clock wise you have Aka-busa: red corner - Shiro-busa: white corner - Kuro-busa: black corner and Ao-busa: blue corner. The hanging roof is made to look like the roof of a shinto shrine.We went down for a closer look before the matches started
Above you see the Box Seats. Another obvious example that our two cultures are so very different. These maroon mats on the floor inside of the metal railings were box seats for which you paid quite a bit for. We were happy to be in the balcony where there were actual chairs:)Dylan was such a sweet young man during the hours and hours of sumo we watched.
Before the tournament began, we had a taste of the ceremonial aspects of sumo. Throughout the whole tournament be it between the two wrestlers, amongst the judges, the broom boys (maybe like ball boys but guys who sweep the ring) or any other time the affair was steeped in ceremony. Introduction of the Juryo Division. During the tournament we watched two different divisions wrestle: the Juryo then later the Makuuchi Division. There are six total divisions. Ceremony before the wrestling began.
Stomping down the evil spirits before they began to wrestle. Here they go...
During the intermission: A few sumo wrestlers got into the Dohyo with little boys to wrestle. It was really cute. There was also a slap stick bout of fake sumo fighting where the wrestlers used many of the illegal moves to "win". It would have been funnier had we known what they were saying.
There was also the Yokozuna (Grand Champion) presentation between divisions. He is wearing the Kesho-mawashi (ceremonial apron) Introducing the Makuuchi Division
The sumo wrestler above was the largest one we saw the whole tournament.He lost his bout - he charged and the other guy only had to side step. Then he gave him a little shove and big guy here was out of the ring (mostly on his own momentum)
Dylan excited about sumo:)
Yumitori: The bow dance is performed at the end of the tournament. It is done to purify the ring and is usually performed by a wrestler from the makushita division or lower.
The winner of the whole tournament was the sumo on the right in the brown mawashi (belt) and the runner up is on the left in the blue mawashi. Both are foreigners (winner = Mongolian and the runner up = Bulgarian)
The arena after the tournament was over. We thoroughly enjoyed the sumo tournament. Sumo truly is so much more than massive men wrestling each other.
Dylan excited about sumo:)Yumitori: The bow dance is performed at the end of the tournament. It is done to purify the ring and is usually performed by a wrestler from the makushita division or lower. The winner of the whole tournament was the sumo on the right in the brown mawashi (belt) and the runner up is on the left in the blue mawashi. Both are foreigners (winner = Mongolian and the runner up = Bulgarian) The arena after the tournament was over. We thoroughly enjoyed the sumo tournament. Sumo truly is so much more than massive men wrestling each other.
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