Excluding mythology, the oldest records of sumo wrestling date back to the Kofun period (250 AD – 538 AD)
I hit the streets and did some fieldwork to feel such old history and tradition.
Ryogoku Area Sumo Sightseeing
When it comes to places associated with sumo, the first place that comes to mind is Ryogoku. Not only is Ryogoku Kokugikan (sumo hall) considered the holy land of sumo, but the area is also packed with many sumo stables and chanko-nabe (sumo hot pot) restaurants.
The Ryogoku station building, Ryogoku Edo Noren, has a sumo ring.
As an offering to the gods, the dohyo is filled with six auspicious items: winnowing rice, kelp, washed rice, dried squid, salt, and the seeds of the Japanese nutmeg tree (kaya).
The day before the first day of the main sumo tournament, a ceremony called “Dohyo Matsuri” is held. In this ceremony, a 15cm square hole is dug in the center of the dohyo (sumo ring), and a “Shizumemono” (a charm to ward off evil) is buried there.
The Dohyo Matsuri is a ritual to summon the deity of the dohyo and ward off any evil spirits. It is also a prayer for a bountiful harvest, national security, and the safety of the dohyo. The buried object remains in place throughout the tournament.
Ryogoku: A Town Where You Can Meet Sumo Wrestlers
In the town, you can see sumo wrestlers everywhere: riding trains, going to public baths, shopping, or riding bicycles. They wear colorful yukata, their wooden sandals (geta) clacking, and their hair tied back with sweet-smelling hair oil, turning heads as they pass by.
I think that one of their appeals is that they reflect Japan’s traditional culture through their dress and appearance.
Sumo wrestlers are often misunderstood as just being fat, but I encourage you to see them in person. While there are tall and short wrestlers, you can see the thick ears and muscles beneath the fat, a testament to their daily training.
Sumo Stable Visits In Tokyo
Some sumo stables allow visitors to watch their morning practice.
Even without joining a tour, you can watch for free in stables that accept visitors. While English explanations might be helpful, (since talking during practice is strictly prohibited, I wonder if it’s necessary) be wary of tour companies charging exorbitant fees!
Rumor has it that the seats on the bicycles parked in front of the stables are custom-made in order to properly fit their derrieres.
In sumo stables, wrestlers below a certain rank, like the makushita division, live together under one roof. These stables are home to large men weighing around 100kg who train daily.
Huh? …a sticker for home security service???
Is home security even needed?
Places to Meet Sumo Wrestlers
While not in Ryogoku, a short taxi ride from there, “Yokozuna Tonkatsu Dosukoi Tanaka” offers meals while watching sumo wrestlers perform on the dohyo (sumo ring). It seems you can actually wrestle with the wrestlers.
130-0023 Tokyo, Sumida-ku, Tachikawa 3-1-11
3 minutes walk from Kikukawa Station, Toei Shinjuku Line, Exit A1
OPEN 17:00~CLOSE 22:00 (LO 21:30)
Closed on Tuesdays
Shrines Associated with the Origin of Sumo
According to legend, at the behest of Emperor Suinin, Nomino Sukune from Izumo Province (Shimane) and Taima no Kehaya from Yamato Province (Nara) were summoned to the court to wrestle in front of the emperor. This is said to be the origin of sumo. Records suggest that the sumo of that time had different rules and techniques, with kicking being the main form of combat.
Taima no Kehaya was kicked by Nomino Sukune and had his spine crushed, leading to his death.
In honor of this victory, the land owned by Taima no Kehaya in Yamato Province was given to Nomino Sukune.
Both Nomino Sukune and Taima no Kehaya are revered as the founders of sumo.
Nomino Sukune Shrine
There is a shrine in Tokyo dedicated to Nomino Sukune.
It stands quietly in a location close to the Ryogoku Kokugikan, the holy ground of sumo.
Tomioka Hachiman Shrine
29. Tomioka Hachiman Shrine
Established in 1627, this historic shrine is considered the birthplace of Edo Kanjin Sumo. Sumo wrestling in the Edo period began in Kyoto and Osaka but was often subject to bans. These restrictions were later relaxed, and in 1684, the Edo Shogunate permitted two Kanjin Sumo tournaments in spring and autumn. The first of these tournaments was held at Tomioka Hachiman Shrine.
For about 100 years, the main sumo tournaments were held on the shrine grounds, during which time the regular tournament system and ranking system that are still in use today were established.
Afterward, the main tournaments moved to the Honjo Ekoin (Ryogoku).
Ozeki (Champion) Wrestler Monuments
Shakagatake was born in Izumo Province (now Shimane Prefecture) in 1749, and became a disciple of Raiten Tamegoro. He made his debut in Osaka, and in 1770, he appeared in the Edo rankings as the East Ozeki.
Standing at 7 shaku 5 sun (about 2.27 meters) and weighing 800 monme (180 kilograms), he was one of the largest wrestlers in Edo sumo history. However, he passed away at the young age of 27 during his time in Edo.
This monument, which is a life-size statue of Shakagatake, was erected by his younger brother, Shintsuru Sakuemon, near the Nomino Sukune Shrine in 1787, the 13th anniversary of Shakagatake’s death, as a memorial. The monument is a cylindrical pillar with a height of 2.27 meters.
Although it may not be apparent at first glance, all of these monuments are enormous.
The author is 177cm tall and weighs 95kg, illustrating the difference.
The name of Rikidozan, a Zainichi Korean who the founder of Japanese professional wrestling, is also engraved here.
Yokozuna Wrestler Monument
In 1900, a monument was erected by the 12th Yokozuna Jinmaku Kyugoro to honor all the Yokozuna from the first, Akashi Shiganosuke, to the 72nd, Kisenosato. It measures 3.5 meters in height, 3 meters in width, and weighs 20 tons. When a new Yokozuna is promoted, a naming ceremony is held under the supervision of the Sumo Association, and the new Yokozuna’s ring-entering ceremony is dedicated here.
41. At Tomioka Hachiman Shrine, there is also a shrine dedicated to Nomino Sukune.
Ekoin Temple
During the Edo period, sumo tournaments were primarily in the form of Kanjin Sumo, a type of fundraising event for public social projects. The first Kanjin Sumo held in the Ekoin Temple precincts took place in September 1768, and Ekoin Temple was considered the center of Kanjin Sumo tournaments.
After the influence of Westernization, sumo’s popularity waned for a while, but it regained its popularity with the Tenran Sumo (sumo tournaments watched by the Emperor) held in 1884.
From 1833, Ekoin Temple became the regular venue for two tournaments in spring and autumn, and for 76 years until the completion of the old Ryogoku Kokugikan in 1909, sumo tournaments were held at Ekoin Temple.
Ekoin Temple Rikozuka
The Rikozuka monument was erected by the Sumo Association in 1936 to commemorate the old masters of sumo. It is now also visited as a monument where new disciples pray for strength.
By the way, there is also an Ekoin Temple in Minami-Senju, which was a place where executions were carried out during the Edo period (the samurai era), and it is now a facility to mourn the souls of those executed. For more information, please see the punishments of the samurai era.
Kuramae Shrine
During the Edo period, sumo tournaments were held on the shrine grounds, where wrestlers like Raiten performed.
This area, along with the former Kuramae Kokugikan, is considered a holy site for sumo. The Dai Nippon Sumo Association has donated a company emblem and stone walls.
Sumo Woodblock Prints
One aspect of sumo culture is the woodblock prints of sumo wrestlers. Please enjoy the vibrant and powerful depictions of sumo wrestlers.
The Secret of the Banzuke
This poster, commonly seen in izakayas and other dining establishments, is a sumo banzuke (ranking chart).
The font used, known as sumo moji, is part of the Edo moji, along with kagomoji and rakugo’s yose moji. Just as the characters on the poster are crowded together, it is believed that the presence of customers in the restaurant will lead to prosperity in business.
As you go down the rankings, it becomes increasingly difficult to find names, but parents who have entrusted their children to sumo stables are said to enjoy watching the wrestlers’ children rise through the rankings little by little at each tournament.
References:
Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine http://www.tomiokahachimangu.or.jp/htmls/sumou.html
Ekoin Temple https://ekoin.or.jp
Koto Ward Cultural Community Foundation https://www.kcf.or.jp/cms/files/pdf/original/8012_%E8%B3%87%E6%96%99%E9%A4%A8%E3%83%8E%E3%83%BC%E3%83%88103.pdf
Kuramae Shrine https://kuramaejinja.tokyo
Japan Sumo Association https://www.sumo.or.jp/KokugikanSumoMuseum/nominosukune
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Photo Attributions
- Utagawa Kunisada , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Guilhem Vellut, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Image by Rain from Pixabay
- Image by Rain from Pixabay
- Image by Rain from Pixabay
- RainによるPixabayからの画像
- Yoshitoshi , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- “「日本史略図会」「壱」「神武天皇日向高千穂の峰に登り東夷征伐を議し給ふ」「「二」「野見宿祢清涼殿の南庭に於て当麻の蹴速を蹴殺す」” by Art Research Center Collection, Ritsumeikan University” (arcUP9540) is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0 (cropped)
- しんぎんぐきゃっと, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- See page for author, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- “Procession of Sumô Wrestlers for Fund-raising Tournament (Kanjin ôzumô dohyô iri no zu)” by Utagawa Yoshiiku, Bequest of William Perkins Babcock to the MFA, MFA Boston is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0
- “秀ノ山 (Hidenoyama)” by Kunisada Utagawa (first generation)/illustrator, Tokyo Museum Collection is licensed under CC BY 4.0
- Image derived from the National Diet Library Digital Collection. “National Diet Library”, Japan is in the Public Domain, CC0
- 相撲繁栄溜り入の図 西ノ方御用木, Utagawa Kunisada , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
15- 24. Utagawa, Kunisada, 1786-1864, artist, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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