Sumo and the martial arts
In this chapter:
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Sumo wrestling is Japan's national sport and it is the oldest sport
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Sumo wrestling has developed from a ritual to honour the Shinto gods into the competitive sport that it is today
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The practices that made a bout a Shinto ritual have remained with sumo wrestling matches and are still a part of the sport today
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Martial arts are learnt by most schoolchildren in Japan
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Martial arts are a way of defending oneself. A huge component of the practice involves the training of the mind and not just the body
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Most of the martial arts are unarmed. There are, however, arts specific to the use of a sword and bow
Sumo
Sumo wrestling is the national sport of Japan. Sumo, which began around 200AD, is probably Japan's oldest sport. The first sumo tournaments were held at Shinto shrines. The original referees were Shinto priests. Wrestling tournaments were a ritual. The bouts were dedicated to Shinto gods praying for things like a good harvest. Later on, rules were introduced to sumo bouts, and with rules, techniques were developed. See Image 1
There is a ceremony before every fight. These ceremonies usually last longer than the fight. One ritual that is performed prior to a fight is sprinkling salt. In Japan, salt is part of a purification ritual. The wrestlers throw handfuls of salt into the ring, several times, before a match starts.
The fighting ring is about 4.6 metres in diameter. In Japan, sumo wrestlers are called rikishi. Sumo wrestlers can weigh up to 150 kilograms. 800 sumo wrestlers take part in six tournaments every year. Each tournament lasts15 days. Tickets for these tournaments sell very quickly, but they are also shown on television. Tournaments take place every two months. They are held in four of Japan's cities: Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka. See Image 2
The winner of a sumo match is the wrestler who either throws his opponent out of the ring, or throws them to the ground. It is rare for a fight to go on longer than over a minute, they are usually over in seconds. There is a hierarchy of sumo wrestlers, with the top position being yokozuna, grand champion. This title cannot be lost. If a wrestler who is a yokozuna begins to lose, he is expected to retire. Wrestlers are trained athletes who abide by a very strict regime. In order to gain weight they go to bed straight after eating. They live in special sumo wrestling places were they improve their skills and live the life that is appropriate to being a wrestler.
Martial arts
The martial arts in Japan are sports that were developed from the skills of the samurai. Most schoolchildren learn at least one of the martial arts. Martial arts are a form of self-defence. There are two martial arts that use a weapon. One uses a sword and the other a bow. The remaining forms are unarmed combats. Practice of each martial art begins with meditation, which is done to focus.
Karate, the way of the empty hand
Karate is an art of defence that uses fists, elbows and feet. Performances are either done alone, with a group, or as a fight. A fighter or group of fighters perform their skills in front of judges, this is kata. Kumite is a fight between two people. This is a mock fight, however, The fighters will stop just before they make contact with their opponent's body.
Judo, the way of gentleness
Judo was developed from another martial art in the nineteenth century. Professor Jigoeo Kano developed Judo from the ancient martial art called jujutsu. Judo is about training your body and spirit, as well as winning fights. In judo it is technique, not stamina and strength, which are important.
Aikido, the way of spiritual harmony
This marital art is defined by the concept that a person with very little strength can beat an opponent. Aikido students aim to achieve spiritual harmony. The training of the mind is as important as the body.
Kendo, the way of the sword
Swords have been used in combat in Japan for many years. The ancient samurai used them as their primary weapon. Today a person practising Kendo would use a bamboo sword. This is a method used to protect those practising the martial art. Again, as in all the martial arts, the training of the mind is equally as important as training of the body. See animation 1
Kyodo, the way of the bow
This is Japanese archery. A bow was also a weapon of the samurai, like the sword. In ancient times this was also used for hunting. This is a popular practice in Japan that takes place in a special place called a kyudojo. These facilities are found in recreational centres and schools. Kyodo requires a bow of about two metres long. The targets are stationary and set at either 28 or 60 metres away. Training the mind, as in the other martial arts, is very important, however in Kyodo the most important aspect is the ritual before each shot. See Image 3
See animation 2
