Historians have no reliable data on whether this struggle actually originated in Japan, or whether it was introduced from the mainland. However, Japanese experts, who meticulously study the history of the emergence and development of sumo, reasonably believe that sumo appeared on the Japanese islands at least 2 thousand years ago.

Among Japanese myths and legends, there are many legends associated with sumo. So, in the oldest Japanese chronicles "Kojiki" ("Records of the deeds of antiquity") tells how the sun goddess Amaterasu-omikami (the main Shinto goddess who created the Japanese islands) sent a new appointee to the god Okuninushi no mikoto, who ruled the country Izumo Takemizuchi no kami so that he can take the reins into his own hands.

The son and heir of Okuninushi - the god Takeminakata no kami (then all the rulers were gods), who expected to gain power over the country from the hands of an aging ancestor, did not dare to directly disobey the order of the supreme goddess and told the appointed god: "Let's measure our strength, we will fight, and that whoever wins will become the ruler. " And so, two gods came together in a wrestling duel. Takemizuchi defeated and became the ruler of the country of Izumo.

This legend is significant in many ways.

Firstly, it was probably the first sumo fight in the history of Japan, and it took place in times immemorial - none of the historians will undertake to even approximately determine when these gods lived and ruled the country of Izumo.

Secondly, one of the first self-names of the Land of the Rising Sun is consonant with sumo. Maybe the ancient Japanese associated the very formation of their country with sumo ?! And the fun part! This, apparently, was the first case in history of a relatively peaceful outcome of the struggle for power!

In other ancient Japanese scrolls - "Nihonsoki" ("Japanese Chronicles"), a legend is set out about how on the 7th day, 7th month, 7th year of the Suining era (29 BC - 70 AD) AD) before the eyes of the Emperor, and according to legend, he was already the eleventh emperor of the country, two famous warriors, Nominosukune and Taimanokehaya, met in a sumo duel.

According to the ancient (lunar) calendar, the 7th month fell on August - the period of the first harvest of rice. Apparently, even in those days, sumo fights were held regularly on the days of festivities - thanksgiving to the gods for a rich harvest and were part of a religious ritual.

Thanks to legend, the winner of this fight - Nominosukune - was deified, became one of the Shinto gods, and is still revered in Japan as the ancestor of sumo.

Sumo in ancient Japan

By the 3rd-6th centuries. n. NS. include archaeological finds indicating the widespread distribution of sumo and the acquisition of new functions.

In those days, there was a rite of burial of rulers in high burial mounds - kofun. This period in the history of Japan is called the Kofun era.

Among the things found during the excavation of burial mounds, clay figurines of a haniwa were discovered, made in the form of rikishi (sumo wrestlers, literally - a strong warrior), as well as ritual and household pottery, on which murals depicting scenes of sumo fights have been preserved.

Apparently, sumo wrestling is also becoming a part of the funeral ritual. Interestingly, the founding god of sumo, Nominosukune, was also revered as the ancestor of a clan of potters responsible for making ritual dishes for the burial of emperors.

It is significant that the murals depicted not only rikishi couples who met in a duel, but also figures of spectators. This means that sumo in those days was already a spectacle.

Evidently, the first historically substantiated fact of holding a sumo tournament can be considered evidence from the same "Japanese Chronicles" (Nihonsoki)

Emperor Kougyoku in the first year of his reign (642 A.D.), on the 22nd day, on the 2nd month, receiving the envoy of the country of Kudar (southern part of the Korean Peninsula), gathered from all over the country, the best, chosen warriors-strongmen ( in Japanese - kondei, the same as in Russian - hero) and arranged a sumo tournament in his honor.

Japan in those days was, if not a colony, then a "younger brother", a satellite of the Korean kingdom: statehood on the Korean Peninsula began to take shape somewhat earlier than on the Japanese islands. That is why Emperor Kougyoku received an envoy from the country of Kudara as a high-ranking person.

The holding of a sumo tournament in honor of the Korean envoy testifies to the fact that by that time sumo was also becoming an integral part of the courtly, secular ritual.

Sumo in the early Middle Ages.

In the Nara era (710-794), the court ritual of "contemplating sumo" (sumai no sechie) began to take shape. Sumo tournaments are held right in the imperial palace. The appearance of the Emperor and his retinue in honorary spectator places, the exit of wrestlers and judges to the competition area becomes ritualistic.

During the Heian era (794-1185), sumo tournaments at the imperial court are regularly held several times a year. The main tournament was organized on the 7th, 7th month in honor of the duel between Nominosukune and Taimanokehaya. True, over time, these dates were no longer strictly observed.

Wrestlers, and they were called then sumaibito, were collected throughout the country. The breeders were the highest ranks of the Imperial Guard, who, before each tournament, traveled to the farthest corners of Japan and selected among the strongest sumaibito warriors.

By this time, a tournament system, a system of rules and judging had already been formed.

On the day of the tournament, the wrestlers were conditionally divided into two groups - "right" and "left" (on the right and left of the emperor). At the first stage, the "right" and "left" fought only among themselves. Each sumaibito had about 20 fights during the tournament.

Dohyo (fighting ground) was not there at that time; the fight took place on an unrestricted site, and the winner in the duel was the one who knocked his opponent to the ground. The fighters were forbidden to grab the opponent by the hair, punch in the head and kick with their feet.

And the winner of the tournament, as now, was already revealed by the ratio of victories and defeats. If for two sumaibito this indicator turned out to be equal, a decisive battle was arranged between them.

The referee was then called Idei, and he was the main and only referee. However, if the emperor thought that the outcome of the duel was doubtful, at his sign the head of the guard could give an order to re-fight (torinaoshi).

There were concepts of preparation, starting position (neryai) and re-start (shikirinaoshi), and therefore, the referee had to monitor the synchronization of the start of the wrestlers and appoint shikirinaoshi if any of them made a false start.

During this period, a certain tournament ritual took shape, the sumaibito equipment was also regulated. The wrestlers went to the fight in loincloths, which were then called tosagi. True, it is not clear whether they were tied in the same way as in modern sumo or simply tied around the belt.

Before the tournament, all sumaibito for a ceremonial appearance before the eyes of the Emperor wore a special hunting kimono kariginu over the tosagi, and a special shape of a pointed headdress with short, curved up brims, a crow's wing-colored headdress called eboshi, was put on their heads.

In more recent times, kariginu and eboshi become the main elements of the daily clothing of the samurai court nobility, and in modern ozumo - the uniform of the referee (gyoji).

Later, as the military estate (bushi) grew stronger and the imperial power weakened, court tournaments began to be held with long breaks, and in the 4th year of the Shoan era (1174), the "contemplation of sumo" as a court ritual was held for the last time, and four century this page of imperial rituals was closed.

Sumo in feudal Japan.

During the period of feudal fragmentation, in the Kamakura era (1185-1333), when the power of the shogun (supreme military ruler) was finally established in the country and, especially, in the Muromachi era (1392-1568), sumo was widely spread as a form of applied martial art , a means (way) of educating the spirit and strengthening the body of samurai warriors.

In the famous chronicles of that period, "The Oriental Mirror" (Azumakagami), compiled by the Minamoto government (a dynasty of shoguns who ruled in the Kamakura era), entire sections are devoted to "seeing sumo" as a ritual carried out at the shogun's court.

In the "Mirror" it is especially emphasized that the shogun was necessarily present (and maybe he himself participated) and knightly tournaments, regularly held at the main temple of the God of War Hachimangu in the city of Tsurugaoka, not far from the then headquarters of the supreme ruler, and watched the competitions of horse archers (yabusame), horse races (kema) and sumaibito fights.

In more late time, in the Muromachi era, when the Ashikaga shogun dynasty ruled, even special clerics appear at the Hachimangu temple - sumoshoku, who were responsible for holding sumo tournaments. The tournament ritual, the rules of wrestling and the regulation of refereeing are improving, and, in fact, during this period the foundations of professional sumo are laid.

Along with the applied, military type of this struggle, "folk" sumo is widely spread throughout the country. "People's" sumo traces its origins to the most ancient ritual duels in the days of festivities - thanksgiving to the gods for the harvest.

Sumo tournaments for harvesting, starting construction or opening a new bridge are held all over Japan.

In most cases, this was the so-called sumo sacrifice. Sumaibito fights were part of a plea for the harvest or ritual thanksgiving for the harvest. Later, charitable sumo tournaments were widely held, at which donations were collected for the construction of roads, bridges and other public works.

Peasants, artisans, merchants and other commoners take part in such tournaments. Fights often took place right on the streets and squares of cities and towns and gathered innumerable crowds of onlookers. There was no dohyo, no referee, no ritual attire of wrestlers at such fights. The winner was identified in the most democratic way, he was the one who pushed the opponent to the ground or pushed him into the crowd of spectators.

The image of this sumo today is guessed in various folk festivals and Shinto rituals, which are still widely held throughout Japan.

During the Sengoku Jidai period (the era of the Warring States) (1467-1568), in the second half of the Ashikaga shogun dynasty, when feudal fragmentation reached its limit, sumo became a truly massive folk spectacle. Both knightly and "folk" sumo are flourishing.

Large landowners, daimyo princes, striving to outdo each other and even the shogun, organized magnificent mass sumo tournaments in their castles, in which several hundred sumaibito took part.

So in 1568 alone, two largest tournament, which, probably, can be safely called Sumo Games, since in one of them, in the province of Omie, 300 wrestlers took part, and in the other - in Kyoto, 1500 (!) sumaibito gathered.

At the end of this era, the first professional associations of sumotori appeared - the prototype of modern professional house-clubs (heya). They even had their own charter, but they were extremely small in number - 8-10 people, and in many respects depended on the financial and material support of local daimyo.

The "golden age" of sumo.

New impetus for further development Sumo received in the Edo era (1703-1868), when, after the unification of the country through the efforts of the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, a new political and socio-economic situation emerged in Japan, favorable for the development of trade, crafts, and arts.

"People's" sumo spreads especially rapidly during this period. Fights and mass sumo tournaments were regularly held by peasant communities, communities of artisans and traders. Worried about the threat of erosion of the foundations of "pure", knightly sumo, the shogunate tried in the early 18th century. prohibit "street" sumo by a special decree.

This attempt was, of course, unsuccessful, and after a few years the decree was practically annulled. The new decree encouraged the holding of "charity" tournaments in specially designated places.

Restrictions were imposed on "street" sumo, because when determining the winners of fights held in squares and crossroads of cities without any refereeing, there were massive brawls and even armed clashes between the townspeople.

In the three largest cities of Japan - Osaka, Kyoto and the new capital of Japan - Edo (Tokyo) in the 18th century. there were already professional Rikishi Communities, like artisans' associations.

However, sumotori had a higher social status than artisans and merchants. Since most of them came from a military background, they were equated with the out-of-place samurai.

The shogunate began to regulate the activities of the rikishi communities with permissive measures. In "charity" tournaments from the end of the 18th century. only members of these communities were eligible to participate. From these tournaments, the history of modern sumo is already directly conducted.

In the same period, special sites for sumo wrestling appeared. They were at first square, later inside the site with bags of earth they began to shield the circle in which the fight took place. Thus, the dohyo was born, which gave the ancient struggle a special spectacle and emotional color.

The rules of wrestling, the regulations and the ritual of the tournaments are finally formed, the refereeing system is approved, with minor changes that have survived to this day. At the same time, the system of ranks in sumo began to take shape. the supreme lifelong title of yokozuna also appeared.

The Edo era is rightly called the "golden age" in the formation and development of sumo. Tournaments of professional rikishi (basho) from the end of the 18th century. held regularly twice a year.

Having become an integral part of the life of the Japanese people, sumo has had a serious impact on the culture and art of the country. Literary works appear in which sumo tournaments are described in a chronicle-reportage style, performances are staged in the traditional Japanese Kabuki theater, where popular rikishi become the protagonists.

In the now world famous color Japanese ukiyoe engraving, even an independent genre, sumoe, has developed. Color engraving portraits of wrestlers - favorites of the public or pictures-sketches of hot sumo fights were affordable even for low-income Japanese people, and were sold throughout the country in huge print runs at that time. This genre of ukiyoe is alive and well in modern ozumo.

Sumo in modern and modern times

Hard times Japanese sumo had to endure after the Meiji Restoration of 1868, when the shogunate regime was overthrown in the country, the autocratic imperial power was restored, and the young bourgeoisie rose to the political arena.

Japan, after almost three centuries of seclusion, under the threat of the guns of the American squadron, was open to the outside world and eagerly began to absorb everything new, Western.

Japan's rapid modernization has had a huge impact on nascent public opinion. Supporters of the primordially Japanese, distinctive phenomena in the cultural and social life of the country were loudly proclaimed retrogrades and reactionaries. Sumo was also violently attacked.

The most zealous Japanese progressives demanded by law to ban sumo as a relic of the feudal era.

Sumo lost the support of its patrons. Professional clubs (heya) and an entire army of rikishi were left without a livelihood. The most popular wrestlers were forced to look for additional sources of income.

So, in Edo, renamed Tokyo, by the decision of the Sumo Community, an independent fire department was organized, in which 56 rikishi of a whole professional division worked heroically.

The crisis was overcome thanks to the universal love of the people and the efforts of the Sumotori themselves. The community was transformed into the Tokyo Sumo Association, which, under the influence of general democratization, made several progressive amendments to the tournament regulations.

In 1873, women spectators were allowed to participate in sumo tournaments, who immediately became furious fans and supporters of the revival of the former glory of sumo.

The emperor put an end to the struggle for the future of the ancient Japanese struggle. By his highest permission in 1885 in special hall Enryokan held a demonstration sumo tournament in the presence of His Majesty. The emperor thus reminded his subjects of the ritual of "contemplating sumo" and made it clear that sumo was in the sphere of his close attention and care.

Until the beginning of World War II, sumo in Japan developed without any cataclysms, finally winning the love and support of the entire nation, from the emperor to the commoner.

The history of sumo during this period is marked by such important events as the construction in 1909 in Tokyo, in the Ryogoku area of ​​the Sumo Palace - Kokugikan, in which from now on all Tokyo basho were held, and the unification in 1927 of the regional Sumo Communities into a single Greater Japan Sumo Association. , which became a commercial organization, i.e. purely professional.

The most popular figure in the ozumo of this era was Yokozuna Hitachiyama, who during his performances in the top division - makuuchi - achieved an outstanding result: his ratio of wins and losses was 150-15. Hitachiyama was, among other things, an intelligent, highly educated person.

Thanks to his efforts, a new regulation of the behavior of rikishi in society was adopted in the ozumo, according to which the sumotori had to appear in the world "dressed strictly and beautifully" in a kimono corresponding to their rank and "behave politely and politely, as befits a knight."

Hitachiyama conducted extensive educational activities, in every possible way contributed to the popularization of sumo, not only in Japan, but also abroad. In 1909 he visited the United States, where he was received by President T. Roosevelt and gave several demonstration performances.

An important stage in the development of sumo in 1928 was the beginning of direct radio broadcasts from sumo tournaments. Some changes took place in the rules for conducting fights: two white starting lines - shikirisen - were applied on the dohyo, and the dohyo itself was somewhat expanded in diameter from 13 (about 4 m) to 15 shaku (4.55 m).

The number of judges was increased: to the dohyo referee - gyoji and the four side judges - shimpan, the main judge - simpancho was added. Tournaments, thanks to these innovations, have become more dynamic and spectacular.

The pre-war years were marked by the appearance of the brightest star Ozumo the Great Yokozun - Futabayama. Climbing sumo in the spring of 1936, Futabayama during three years did not know defeat. He won 69 fights and won 5 bass in a row with an absolute result.

In March 1939, the day after Futabayama's first defeat in three years by the famous rikishi Akinoumi, all Japanese newspapers burst into special issues and sold out in huge print runs. This was a nationwide event, much more significant than the resignation of the Cabinet of Ministers.

In 1941, the Pacific War began, and the life of Ozumo, like everything else in Japan, froze for five long years.

In the early post-war years, sumo had to go through the test again. At the height of the new wave of democratization, zealous supporters of the country's modernization again tried to anathematize the historical heritage of the Japanese people. But, like a century earlier, the popular love and attention of the upper strata of Japanese society helped sumo to survive.

In the spring of 1946, the first post-war tournament was held in Tokyo, and since 1947, a number of reorganizations were carried out in Ozumo under the influence of general democratic processes. In particular, the order of the basho was slightly changed, their number was increased from 3 to 6 (now they are held not only in Tokyo, but also in Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka).

Since the mid-60s, the Japan Sumo Association, in order to propagate the ozumo, began to regularly hold demonstration performances abroad, and the first tour of Japanese rikishi took place in 1965 in Moscow and Khabarovsk. So, Russians got to know sumo before many other nations.

To be an athlete, you don't have to worry about the fit and beauty of your body. Sumo wrestlers, for example, eat to the bone, regularly drink beer, sleep lazily after dinner and get fat with all the responsibility inherent in the Japanese.

Konstantin Kudryavtsev

Thank you for your help in preparing the material of our expert, three-time European champion, President of the Moscow Sumo Federation, Honored Master of Sports and Honored Coach of Russia. If you want to know more about sumo than we did, go to moss

It is believed that sumo appeared in Japan more than two thousand years ago, and the first duel, according to the chronicles, took place between the Shinto gods Takemikazuki and Takeminakata, who were arguing for power over the Japanese islands. Takemikazuki became the winner, and therefore the Japanese emperors consider him the ancestor of their dynasty.

However, the founder of sumo is not an imaginary deity, but a real wrestler Nomi-no-Sukune. It is known that at the beginning of our era, he participated in the battles in the palace of the Emperor Suining, held in honor of a good harvest. Nomi-no-Sukune broke his opponent Taima-no Kehaya, first the rib, then with the same leg - the lower back. Apparently, it was for this that he was not only named the father of sumo, but also deified. The battles of that time were the privilege of warriors and nobles and took place in the presence of emperors. True, they (fights, not emperors) were similar not to modern sumo, but to fights without rules: the winner was the one who wins the majority of fights, while weight categories did not have.

New story

Sumo flourished in the 18th century: then about the same number of people were involved in sumo as there are now photography. Successful wrestlers became idols of the country, and scribblers like us dedicated poetry and plays to them. At the same time, the title "yokozuna" (great champion) appeared, which is awarded for life and is the pinnacle of the wrestler's professional career.

True, the sumo wrestlers did not bathe in the people's love for long: in 1868, Japan ceased to be a closed state, and difficult times began for sumo, which was declared a relic. Interest in wrestling did not return until several decades later. By this time, Europeans began to import bread into the country (earlier, the locals did without baking, eating rice), and the bans on the use of meat were lifted. With the advent of new products, the wrestlers began to gain mass intensively and were called "rikishi" (hero). In 1909, the Kokugikan Sumo Palace opened in Tokyo to host annual tournaments, and in 1927, regional communities decided to unite into the All Japan Sumo Association.

For an amateur

There are two directions in sumo: professional and amateur. Professional sumo (ozumo) exists only in the Land of the Rising Sun and is supervised by the All Japan Sumo Association (JSA). There are about a thousand people in the organization: about eight hundred wrestlers, oyakata (trainers and mentors), gyoji (judges), yobidashi (auxiliary judges) and tokoyama (hairdressers - wrestlers are given special hairstyles). The Association holds six big tournaments every year - Basho. A sumo wrestler participating in such competitions is obliged to belong to one of 52 clubs (by the way, each club may have a limited number of foreigners).

As for the amateur sumo, it was created for him International Federation Sumo (ISF) is headquartered in Tokyo.

Only calm

The behavior of a professional wrestler is based on the concept of dignity - hinkaku, which unites everything that concerns the appearance, worldview and actions of a sumo wrestler. The wrestler's hinkaku is watched over by the oyakata, the head of the club. Any questionable deed (breaking an engagement, playing the sweepstakes, etc.) negatively affects a wrestler's career (for example, he risks never getting the title of yokozuna). One of the manifestations of hinkaku is calmness. “Whatever happens around, be it a flood or an earthquake, great sorrow, great joy, victory or defeat, the rikishi must remain unperturbed. Whatever emotions rage inside him, outside he must be as impenetrable as armor, ”says our expert, three-time European champion, President of the Moscow Sumo Federation Igor Kurinnoy. Hinkaku is instilled in clubs where professional wrestlers live permanently. In amateur sumo, there is neither reverent attitude to the hinkaku, nor the rule of permanent residence at school.

Working day

So, about the most interesting thing - the harsh training regime of professional wrestlers. Young rikishi wake up early: at about five in the morning the first training session begins. Older comrades pull up later (hazing is revered in sumo: beginners even wash clothes and wash the backs of more experienced colleagues). In training, wrestlers practice the ability to stand firmly on their feet, flexibility and strength. During the warm-up, in addition to the familiar push-ups and squats, athletes do the main stretching exercise (siko) hundreds of times, lifting one or the other leg to the maximum height. The next exercise (also for stretching) is called "matavari" and is performed with the participation of a partner who gently presses on the back of the sumo wrestler, and he, spreading his legs as much as possible (almost on a split), bends forward and tries to touch the ground with his stomach. Striking and pushing techniques are practiced at a high wooden pole (teppo), on which the wrestler pounds with his bare palms. After the warm-up, the athletes spar either according to the moshai-geiko system (the winner fights with a new partner) or butsukari-geiko (the athlete stands in a stance, and his comrades one after another run into him from a running start, trying to push him out of the arena). “A rare day goes by without bruises and bruises, because sparring takes place in Spartan conditions - on clay and sand,” says the expert. At 11 o'clock comes the first break: the wrestlers take a hot bath and have a meal. “Having worked up an excellent appetite, athletes eat without restrictions,” our consultant licks his lips. After eating, all the rikishi enjoy an afternoon nap and then head off to an evening workout. The day ends with dinner, at which, by the way, tired athletes do not particularly limit themselves to alcohol - beer or sake.

Sumo hazing is a good tradition. Sumo beginner endures humiliation from more successful colleagues, and there is barely enough money to buy food

The working day of amateur sumo wrestlers is held in more humane conditions. Training does not start so early and does not take place in a clay arena - dohyo, but in a softer plastic arena. Amateurs even have a day off - usually Monday. “On Saturday and Sunday, intensive training takes place in order to accustom the biorhythms of athletes to a surge in loads at the end of the week, when competitions are usually held,” the expert explains.

A matter of technology

In sumo, there are a total of 82 moves, five higi (one's own mistakes, for which a defeat is counted, - for example, touching the ground without the help of the enemy) and four prohibited actions (you cannot punch, pull the hair, strangle and wring your fingers). Sumo techniques are divided into three groups of techniques: strikes, pushing and grabs with throws. Sumo wrestlers are fleeting: the winner is usually determined within a few seconds after the start of the bout. If the fight drags on, the referee encourages the wrestlers by shouting "Nokota!" ("Not yet!"). The closer the wrestlers are to the edge of the arena, the faster the command is pronounced. At the end of the fight, the hero modestly squats down and waits for his name to be announced, then touches his heart with his hand and thanks the gods for the victory, and the sponsors for the prize money (kesho), which he will receive in a moment right on the arena. By the way, sponsors do not support all, but only the most interesting fights of wrestlers of the highest categories. However, for some reason, all wrestlers make a gesture of gratitude.

For both cheeks

The origin of the word "sumo"

According to one version, the name of the fight comes from the word "sumau" - "fight, dance naked." On the other - from the ancient Chinese wrestling Xiangpu: the Japanese reading of the hieroglyphs denoting it is consonant with "sumo".

Keeping balance is the main principle of sumo. No matter how effective and beautiful the throws are, losing balance even for a moment will lead to a loss. To lower the center of gravity and become more stable, rikishi stubbornly get fat. For a professional career, the weight of a wrestler must be more than 120 kg, the ideal fighting weight of champions is 130–160 kg. If a sumo wrestler is lighter or heavier, he has negligible chances of a brilliant career. The selection of the optimal weight for each athlete takes place empirically. To do this, mentors assess the performance and frequency of injuries (from abrasions and bruises to joint injuries). The food of heavyweights is called "chanko" and is prepared like this: a broth is cooked in a cauldron, where a vinaigrette of products is placed - meat, vegetables, mushrooms, seafood, soy sauce and spices. A wrestler can eat up to 3 kg of chaanko and 0.5 kg of rice per day.

It's hard in battle

Fights in amateur and professional sumo are held according to the same rules. In general, there are three differences: in amateur sports, women are allowed to compete, athletes are divided into weight categories, and there are practically no rituals. “There have been cases when promising amateur athletes, especially native Japanese, moved to the more prestigious Ozumo,” the expert says. In competitions, the wrestlers converge on the dohyo. Victory can be achieved in three ways: push the opponent out of the arena, make him touch the ground with his hand, or wait for the opponent to untie the mawashi - a silk or cotton belt in which athletes enter the ring (rikishi don’t wear anything else).

Table of ranks

The highest rank in professional sumo is yokozuna. The rest of the wrestlers of the top division, called "makunouchi", have titles (in ascending order): maegasira, komusubi, sekivake, ozeki. To become a yokozuna, you need to win two championships in a row in the title of ozeki, have an impeccable reputation and possess a hinkaku. The decision to award this title is made by the Sumo Association at its own discretion. “The second, lower, professional division is called juryo and consists of 28 wrestlers. All other divisions (there are four of them) are student divisions, ”says our consultant. The transition of a wrestler from division to division (both up and down) is carried out according to the ratio of victories and defeats in tournaments. Although professional sumo and indoor sports, outsiders sometimes manage not only to become worthy athletes, but also to achieve absolute success. The current Yokozuna Hakuho, for example, was born in Mongolia and came to the Land of the Rising Sun at the age of 17 (he then weighed an insignificant 72 kg). Whatever schools he turned to, the teachers refused. When a desperate young man, who had dreamed of becoming a sumo wrestler all his adult life, began packing his bags to return home (among other things, his Japanese visa was running out), one oyakata took pity on him. Two years later, the world learned the name of the new great champion (he already weighed 160 kg). In amateur sports, titles depend on the country where the wrestler is training. For example, in Japan, an athlete receives a dan. In Russia, according to the classification preserved from the USSR, they first assign the third category, then the second and first, then - the candidate for master of sports and, finally, master of sports. And if you work hard, you can become an honored master of sports.

You have a summons

Seasonal food sales and hamburger discounts won't make you a sumo. To get into professional sumo, a wrestler must graduate from nine classes, be in good health, at least 167 cm tall, weigh from 67 kg and like an oyakata (teacher). Ten years is the optimal age for starting a career. “Sumo is accepted until the age of 23, but the earlier a wrestler begins to practice, the more chances he has to become a great champion,” says the expert. "In the Russian sections, there is no specific age limit for admission." Children with us usually begin to study at the age of ten, and a year later they take part in competitions. “Both ordinary adolescents and those who, according to natural data, are not allowed to enter other sports, come to the section. For example, a ten-year-old boy weighing 60 kilograms will never be accepted into gymnastics, swimming or volleyball. And a sumo coach will be happy to start working with him, giving him an eventful youth, will help to overcome complexes and become self-confident, ”assures our consultant. In addition to children and mere mortals, former athletes from other types of wrestling come to the section, for whom participation in sumo competitions is an excellent way to extend their careers, because fleeting fights do not require such high endurance as, for example, in sambo and judo.

About money and terms

The wrestlers who have achieved high results receive not only the boundless love of the people and the right to sign autographs in the form of handprints, but also large bank accounts. Having come to Ozumo and performing in the student divisions, the wrestler suffers humiliation, and the prize money from the tournaments is only enough for pocket money. The situation changes if the athlete trains hard and wins. First, the Sumo Association awards the first small salary. A sumo wrestler has much to strive for: rikishi of the juryo category receive about 8 thousand dollars a month, yokozuna - more than 20 thousand dollars. You will be surprised, but salaries are not the main income of eminent wrestlers. Prizes from sponsored clubs, gifts from cheerleaders can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Sometimes sponsors provide prizes in kind - in the form of an annual supply of rice, a barrel of sake, or several tons of gasoline.

Modern sumo has its origins in the Edo period (after 1603). At the beginning of the 17th century, peace was established in Japan, exhausted by prolonged internecine wars. Favorable conditions for trade were created, the class of merchants increased. A powerful new class was looking for new amusements. Sumo wrestling became a favorite pastime. It was in the Edo era that about 70 canonical techniques were finally formed (throws, trips, sweeps, grabs, jerks, etc.), the ritual was established, the rules of competition were improved, which have survived almost unchanged to our days. In order to win sumo, it is enough to push the opponent out of the circle or force him to touch the surface of the circle with any part of his body, except for the feet. Due to the small size of the ring, the slightest mistake made by a wrestler leads to defeat. Therefore, in sumo, an athlete must constantly monitor his balance, have an instant reaction, be able to use the strength and movements of the opponent to his advantage, feel his center of gravity and support area.

There are three components of victory in sumo: fighting spirit, technique and mass.

And in that order. The athlete's weight is only in third place. It is interesting to trace how the weight of the sumo wrestlers changed. From ancient times until 1910, people with a weight of at least 52 kg were allowed to sumo fights. There were no requirements for growth. This was due to the fact that the Japanese ate mainly plant foods (Buddhism forbade eating meat, and flour products had not yet been imported from Europe) and were equally stunted.

Sumo is well known for its strict hierarchy system. Wrestlers are in a "room" (heya) run by an oyakata who is a trainer and mentor. The younger wrestlers should prepare and serve the more experienced wrestlers every day. Students are admitted to sumo clubs at the age of 10-15 years. Although preference is given to boys of sturdy build and tall, none of them, of course, even remotely resembles the famous giants of the ring. The formation of the wrestler's body occurs exclusively during training, due to muscle growth and weight gain

SUMOTORI

Having met the summers in the city, you can isolate him from the crowd of undersized Japanese in size and characteristic hairstyle, a knowledgeable person will easily determine his rank. Inspection to determine its status should be carried out from the bottom up: wooden slippers (geta), worn on bare feet, means that you are dealing with wrestlers of the lower two divisions. If a wrestler wears a traditional dressing gown (yukata), he is undoubtedly from the lower division (zenokuchi), and if a kimono, then from the following - a jonidan.
If a rikishi (a professional sumo wrestler) has putta on his bare feet (sandals with leather soles), and in addition he is dressed in national dress clothes (haori, hakama), then he is from the fourth division - sandamme.

The presence of socks (tabi) in addition to setta and cape coats in addition to (haori, hakama) means belonging to the third division of makushita.

Body culture in sumo is highly developed. Interestingly, after retiring, many rikishi manage to return to normal weight, turning into an "ordinary" person. Besides food important role while playing massage, water treatments, sophisticated daily exercise flexibility and stretching that allow the obese wrestler to perform with ease gymnastic bridge, "twine" and similar complex figures. Emphasized attention to the body and constant care for its very peculiar beauty are an integral part of the life of a rikishi.

Also, much attention is paid to colorful hairstyles, which the wrestlers attach no less importance to than the medieval geisha attached to their intricate quaffures.

Hair tied in a knot at the crown makes it possible these days to unmistakably distinguish the sumo wrestler in the crowd. When Emperor Meiji issued a decree on cutting hair in 1871, only rikishi, thanks to the patronage of high-ranking government officials, escaped the common fate. The high hairstyle, according to the sumo wrestlers, not only serves as an attribute of the traditional decor, but also absorbs the blow when falling. Today's famous rikishi, like their predecessors in the Tokugawa era, proudly wear an oi-chomage on their heads, a lush knot in the shape of a gingko leaf. Their brethren, who have not yet reached the title of master, are content with a more modest hairstyle - ten-mage. Throughout Japan, there are a little more than thirty true connoisseurs of sumo hairstyles, first-class tokoyama barbers. Most clubs make do with apprentices.

Sumo day is usually built on a schedule. Getting up with the first rays of the sun, morning toilet, then from about six in the morning on an empty stomach, a workout begins, which lasts four to five hours, requiring full dedication and maximum concentration. At eleven, the big break. The wrestlers take a hot bath (furo) and have breakfast. By this time, they work up a good appetite and eat without any restrictions, as much as the soul asks. Rikishi has been found to eat five to six regular servings on average. What kind of food do the giants prefer?

The heavyweight's breakfast (chanko-nabe) always consists of chanko, a high-calorie and quite tasty meat dish like a stew with vegetable spices, sometimes with rice garnish. Chanko is cooked in a cauldron over low heat, and every sumo wrestler should know the secret of its preparation, since the club has special kitchen attendants who alternately prepare a meal for the whole team. The Japanese claim that the word chanko itself is borrowed from the Nagasaki dialect, where it means "Chinese stew".

After breakfast, a two-three-hour sleep follows, necessary for the assimilation of food and the restoration of expended energy. Then a short training session and a light supper. It is curious that rikishi, unlike other athletes, do not limit themselves to alcohol. They are allowed to drink a good bit of beer or sake at dinner.

Although the giants only eat twice a day, their diet, combined with a regimen, promotes rapid muscle and body fat gain. It has been noticed that the most active sumo wrestler gets fat before reaching the title of master (dzyuryo), and then stabilizes and only maintains weight, which is very important in wrestling without weight categories.
After each championship, new ozeks appear, but the highest rank of yokozuna is rarely awarded, once every few years.

BANDZUKE - TABLE ABOUT RANKS IN OZUMO

Professional sumo (ozumo) has a strict hierarchical structure. It is subdivided into 6 divisions. In the top division (makuuchi), wrestlers have ranks like sports categories, the highest of which - yokozuna - is given for life, the rest - ozeki, sekivake, komusubi and maegasira - are won and confirmed by wrestlers during tournaments. The ranks of the wrestlers of the lower divisions - juryo, makushita, sandamme, jonidan, zenokuchi - are also referred to as the name of the division with the addition of a number corresponding to the position in the ranking.

The hierarchical structure of ozumo, the ranking of rikishi, the status of judges, etc., in general, everything that determines the position of the members of the Association is reflected in a unique rating list called bandzuke and also has a long history.

Bandzuke is primarily a sumotori ranking list published on Monday 13 days before the start of each of the six basho. The only exception is the bandzuke, which is published before the January Hatsu basho, since it is released even before the New Year holidays, about 16 days before the tournament.

The bandzuke tradition dates back to the late 17th century, when the first rating list was made, which was a wooden plaque with the names of rikishi.

This document is still created by hand by a high-category gyoji, who inscribes the names of all active sumotori into it, using a special method of writing hieroglyphs - sumomoji.

At all-Japanese championships from the late Middle Ages to the present day, all participants were distributed according to geographic affiliation between the teams "East" and "West". The first included representatives of the eastern and northeastern provinces of Japan with the center in the capital of the shogunate - Edo. In the second, representatives of the western and southwestern provinces, centered in the wealthy and merchant city of Osaka.

In tournaments the rikishi of the lower three divisions wear mawashi made of cotton.
Rikishi receive both salary and other remuneration in accordance with their position in the table of ranks. So, sumotori, playing in the four lower divisions, receive money only for participating in tournaments - 700, 750, 850, and 1200 dollars, respectively, and for winning a tournament in their division 1000, 2000, 3000 and 5000 dollars. (naturally in yen). True, they live on everything that is ready.

The gap between the bottom four and the top two is enormous. The Rikishi of the top two divisions are called sekitori, and they already receive a regular salary every month. In other words, sekitori are top-level professionals.

At tournaments, they dress in silk mawashi with laces of the same color (sagari), which are attached to the mawashi in front and removed after the bout. The rituals in sekitori fights are richer and more varied. They have the right to throw salt before the fight and drink "water that gives strength" (tikara-mizu), and also participate in the solemn exit to dohyo (dohyo-iri), wearing a ceremonial apron - kesho-mawashi.

Sekitori life is attractive, but, as evidenced by long-term statistics, only one in 10 rikishi reaches this status.

They have the right to a separate room, get up later than others, are freed from all housework (cooking, shopping, washing, etc.), they tie a white mawashi to workouts, take a bath first and sit down at the table. To maintain discipline and educate negligent youth, they are allowed to use a bamboo cane. They have the right to orderlies (tsukebito) who serve them in every possible way, and when they go out into the city, they are also their bodyguards. In addition, sekitori receive the right to give autographs in the form of a palm print (tagata), have their own fan club (koenkai), use an umbrella (representatives of the junior divisions get wet in the rain), do an oicho hairstyle, and also carry their things in a special bamboo suitcase - akeni ...

Sekitori's salary is $ 8,700 and the reward for winning the tournament is $ 20,000.

They come out into the world wearing tabi and setta and donning a special cut of haori and hakama, and from the representatives of makushita, first of all, they are distinguished by their hairstyle and all the other attributes mentioned - akeni, umbrella, tsukebito.

Sekitori, performing in the top division - makuuchi, and there are only 40 of them, can have one of 5 ranks: maegasira, komusubi, sekivake, ozeki and yokozuna. The three ranks - komusubi, sekivake and ozeki - have one general name - sanyaku. The salary in the makuuchi ranges from 11,000 for the lowest rank to 20,000 US dollars for the highest. In addition, there are a different number of bonuses and bonuses.

ANNUAL SUMO CHAMPIONSHIPS

There are now six major sumo championships held annually in Japan: three in Tokyo and one each in Osaka, Nagoya and Kyushu. Competitors are traditionally divided into two teams - "East" and "West". The championship lasts 15 days. Each participant fights once a day with different opponents. The winner on the day of the end of the competition is awarded the Imperial Cup. In addition, three more prizes have been established: for the master who performed most successfully in the battle with the champion, for fighting spirit and for technical excellence. To earn any of the awards, the wrestler must win at least eight bouts out of fifteen offered to him.

Tournaments - bass - are held in a special arena - doha. It is made of clay (and it is mined in strictly defined places, which only the "initiates" know about), and a thin layer of sand is poured on top. Doha can be built in any room. 72 hours are allotted for this, no more and no less. Exactly 42 yobidasis are engaged in the construction of the arena: they are both builders, and later - the leaders of the tournament. During the construction of the doha, they necessarily perform a sacred ritual: chestnuts, the fruit of the Chinese miscanthus, dried cuttlefish, seaweed, washed rice and salt are buried in the center. Before the start of the tournament, all this is poured with consecrated sake. Women are strictly forbidden to step on the doha. However, the audience does not see these ritual mysteries.

But they become witnesses of the grandiose opening ceremony of the tournament - doheiri (entry of the tournament participants onto the platform): dressed in special clothes - kese-mawashi (these are hand-sewn silk belts, embroidered with gold and silver threads, intended only for the opening ceremony), to the rhythmic sounds wooden sticks on the doha are sumo wrestlers. Everyone must clap their hands, which symbolizes getting rid of evil spirits. Then comes the most solemn moment: the yokodzuna, a wrestler who has reached the highest title in the wrestling hierarchy, enters the platform. He is accompanied by two squires. Yokozuna claps his hands, attracting the attention of the gods, then stretches out his hands, palms up, showing that he is unarmed, and finally, raising his legs high, stomps, expelling evil spirits from the doha. The solemn ceremony is concluded by the appearance on the platform of judges - gedzi, dressed in old kimonos. Each gedji has a fan in his hand, with which he will indicate the winner of the fight. At the end of the ceremony, the actual competition begins. The tournament also ends with an impressive ceremony: the winner performs a dance with a bow (the ritual has been preserved for a long time, when the winner received a bow as a reward).

2016 Sumo Championships Schedule:

2017 Sumo Championships Schedule:

I have great respect and attention to the culture of Japan. It is interesting, although not always understandable to a European, and sometimes it seems simply paradoxical. Sumo is one of the integral parts of the culture of this island state. Frankly speaking, I love this kind of philosophy. It is philosophy, and not just sports and (or) martial arts, as it is commonly believed. Fortunately, now, with the help of the Eurosport channel, it is possible to follow all the twists and turns of the bass, as well as the skill of those rikishi that I like.

It is amazing, but if I mention in a conversation that I am a long-time and devoted sumo lover, then in 80% of cases the reaction of our people is the same: “I don’t understand what could be interesting in pushing fat-swollen fat men with their stomachs” or “a circus of freaks”. At its best, "sumo is not aesthetically pleasing."

I believe that this is due to only one thing: very few people understand what is happening on the dohyo, almost no one knows the rules and ceremonies, and most importantly, it is very difficult to accept the idea that sumotori are not ridiculous, overgrown with fat and clumsy gluttons, but coordinated , flexible, well-trained and very strong fighters. I do not indulge myself with illusions that my article can change anything in the public consciousness, but, in any case, I will try (dreams, dreams!) To reveal the truth to someone. So let's start with the basics - history.

Sumo is primarily a religious ritual. In Japan, developed its own, rather interesting philosophy, which later turned into a religion, which was called Shinto. I will not now dwell on this belief in detail, for whoever wishes will find a lot of literature about it. I will only say that the order of the current competitions, the system of judging, even the preparation of the site for martial arts are nothing more than somewhat modified and modernized religious rituals. In essence, even a duel between two fighters is an allegory of the competition between spirits, man and God, chthonic forces of nature.

Sumo was first mentioned in written sources of the 8th century. Since about the 9th century, martial arts (under the name "sumai") ​​has been an indispensable attribute of the ceremonies of the "Chrysanthemum Throne" (of the Japanese imperial dynasty). At the same time, a set of rules is being developed, which are still in effect. However, the popularity of wrestling and philosophy spread beyond the palace premises. Spontaneously began to develop "folk sumo", which at first was brutally suppressed, and only after the restoration of the Meiji dynasty all segments of the population were able to learn about the rules and rituals of "true" sumo. This is martial arts and philosophy is deeply traditional for the Japanese, and how much this nation respects its traditions, you probably know.

Wrestlers

Sumo people are called rikishi, or sumotori. Professional sumo exists only in Japan, and in order to practice it, one must enter the so-called heya (sumo school). There are no special requirements, other than age requirements (not less than 18 and not more than 25 years old), are not imposed on a potential fighter, however, it is difficult to enroll in a hei, since school leaders, called oyakata (usually retired former fighters), try to identify the newcomer's talent , physical potential and desire to win. If one of these qualities is missing, one cannot dream of going to school.

Heya is a closed system where wrestlers live, train, work and study together, the order resembles a monastery. In addition to rikishi, heya is also usually home to shisho (school owners), yobidashi (assistants), tokoyama (hairdressers), and oyakami-san, the spouses of oyakata who perform administrative functions.

To receive privileges and indulgences in work and training, as well as to live outside the hei, one must achieve certain success, namely, become a heyagashira (a senior fighter) or, even better, a sekitori.

Who are the sekitori? There are now six divisions in professional sumo. The lowest, the 6th, is called zenokuchi, the fifth is jonidan, the fourth is sandamme, and the third is makushita. All Sumotori training in these lower divisions are called deshi. But the fighters of the two main divisions, juryo and makuuchi, are called sekitori. We are most interested in makuuchi, since the best masters hold their fights in this particular division.

Finishing the story about heya, I note that the number of schools is limited to 105. There can be no more, but less - as much as you like. Currently, there are 52 hei, the most famous in recent years are Miyagino, Azumazeki and Isegahama.

The area for the duel, requirements and rituals

Fights are held on a special platform made of compacted clay and called dohyo. The height of the dohyo, translated into our metric system, is 65 centimeters, and it takes up to 12 tons of clay to erect, specially brought from a place known only to the initiated. The clay is delivered three days before the bass, and layer by layer is tamped to the desired condition. The dohyo itself is usually rectangular in shape, but the competition area is a circle with a diameter of 4.55 meters, outlined using the so-called tawara, that is, a rope made from intertwined rice straw. Before laying the tawara, the gyoji judges perform a Shinto ritual. Six objects are buried in the dohyo: chestnut (symbolizing victory), rice (prosperity and wealth), dried squid (happiness), seaweed (continuation of the family and life), the Chinese miscanthus bush (patience and endurance) and salt (cleansing from evil spirits) ... Tavara is thrown around the ritual "sowing" of these objects, the resulting circle is covered with a thin layer of sea sand, signifying the purity of the thoughts of the fighters and judges, and the circle is poured over with ritual sake. According to the rules, it is strictly forbidden for a woman to step on the dohyo.

Two parallel lines are drawn inside the circle, indicating the starting positions of the wrestlers before the fight. A special shed, called a yakata, is erected over the dohyo, similar to the roof of a Shinto shrine. Special flags and four multi-colored brushes are hung there. The flags symbolize the constant movement of the heavens, and the brushes represent the four cardinal directions and the four seasons. Brushes have a specific color: white means autumn, black means winter, green means spring, red means summer.

Tournaments

Wrestling tournaments are called basho. Six basho are usually held per year: January (venue - Tokyo), March (Osaka), May (Tokyo), July (Nagoya), September (Tokyo), November (Fukuoka).

The first day of the tournament is the first or second Sunday of the month. Its duration is 15 days. Fights are organized so that higher ranked wrestlers fight more strong opponents, fighters with a lower rank - with weaker opponents. The main thing is that the students of the same hei cannot meet at dohyo.

At the end of the tournament, a wrestler can have only two results: katikoshi (prevalence of victories) or makekoshi (prevalence of defeats). If two or more wrestlers have the highest indicators at the same time, additional fights are announced, including for “great champions” and for representatives of the same hey. They are held at the end of all meetings on the last day of the tournament. The number of victories determines what place in the makuuchi hierarchy the rikishi will occupy before the start of the next basho, and also determines the winner of the tournament, who receives a special prize - the Emperor's Cup.

Hierarchy

All makuuchi wrestlers fall into two categories: the rikishi of the west and the rikishi of the east. The lower rank-and-file fighter is considered the maegasira (they are counted according to the rank - from the sixteenth to the first). For example, our Alan is now the fifth maegasira of the east. The next step is kumusubi (promising), then comes the title of sekivake (young champion), after him the second most important title - ozeki (champion), and, finally, the “great champion” of yokozuna.

Wrestlers receive one or another title by decision of the Japanese Sumo Association. Moving up the steps of a maegasira, say, from fifth to third, depends on performance in one tournament, just like getting the title of kumusubi. For the title of sekivake, the prevalence of victories in two tournaments is considered. Obtaining the rank of ozeki is even more difficult. It is necessary to successfully perform at three tournaments in a row, while the number of defeats should be minimal. Losing this title is easier than acquiring: it is enough that in two tournaments in a row the number of defeats exceeds the number of victories, then the sumo association will decide to withdraw the title.

The highest rank in the sumo hierarchy is the yokodzuna. There are no clear rules for awarding the title. What is absolutely essential to have is the title of ozeki, the most victories and Emperor's Cups won in three consecutive tournaments. The so-called hinkaku principle, that is, the ratio of dignity, grace, art and behavior of the applicant, also contributes to the overall stable growth of the wrestler's skill. It is very difficult to meet all these requirements, so the amount of yokozuna has never been large. The current "great champion" Hakuho Syo (Mongolian Davajargal Munkhbat) is only 69th in a row since the 17th century, and many honored fighters, for example, ozeki Kayo Hiroyuki, despite their immense popularity, more than 100 Basho and five won imperial cups until he became a yokodzuna.

It remains to add that collectively the fighters of the four highest ranks of the yokodzuna, ozeki, sekivake and komusubi are called sanyaku.

Personalization of the wrestler

Let's start with the most important thing - the name. Upon entering hei, a person changes his surname to the so-called shikona (pseudonym). The sikona also contains the first and last name, with the last name written first and is exactly that part of the individualization by which the wrestler is recognized. For example, the 68th yokodzuna, Mongol Dolgorsurengiin Dagvadorj took a shikon Asashoryu Akinori and went down in history as Asashoryu.

Mention should be made of hairstyles. Rikishi make a special complex hairstyle, in which the hair must be styled in a special way in the form of a leaf of the ginkgo biloba plant.

This is painstaking work that takes a long time, which is why tokoyama (hairdressers) live in heya. In addition to the hairstyle, each sumotori has a special mawashi silk belt. It is very long (up to 10 meters) and wrapped around the waist and hips several times, tied with a special knot behind the back. The so-called sagari, that is, amulets and charms, are usually attached to the mawashi. The color of the mawashi depends on the hei of the fighter. In addition to the combat belts, each sekitori has an individual belt used for rituals, which resembles an apron. It is called kese-mawashi.

These are very beautiful pieces, often embroidered with gold and even decorated with precious stones. The pattern, colors and cost depend solely on the fighter's imagination and the size of the wallet of his sponsors. The only requirement is that the drawings reflect the content of the history or legends of the Land of the Ascending Sprout (one of the self-names of Japan).

The yokozuna outfit is worthy of special mention. Over the kese-mawashi, the "great champion" wears a special rope woven from rice straw called seminawa or zuna. The rope can weigh up to 20 kg and symbolizes the heavy burden of the champion.

Pre-fight rituals

The ritual that opens any basho is called dohyo-iri (entering the platform). Kesho-mawashi wrestlers appear in strict accordance with their rating. First, the summers of the east come out, and then - the west.

They line up along the dohyo and clap their hands loudly in order to ward off evil spirits.

Then comes the time of the yokozuna. He walks with two squires carrying the ceremonial sword. The "Great Champion" enters the center of the circle, loudly claps his hands to attract deities and ancestor spirits, then stretches his arms out to the sides, palms up, demonstrating that he has no weapons or dark secret thoughts. After this, the yokozuna raises one leg high and lowers it to the platform, starting a ritual dance. The yokozuna dance procedure is quite complicated, there are even two separate styles, but I deliberately omit these details as not so significant in our narrative.

So, the procedure for driving evil spirits out of the dohyo is over. Gyoji can now climb onto the platform. They are dressed in luxurious, expensive silk garments. You can start fights. Each rikishi throws salt on the platform before the fight - to cleanse himself and his thoughts before the fight, and also as an "offering" to the heavens so that they give victory.

The ending ceremony of every day of basho is also very colorful. One of the sumotori goes to the platform and performs the so-called "bow dance". This is the ancient tradition of sumo.

Duel rules

On the one hand, they look simple, on the other, as always with the Japanese, not everything is as simple as it seems.

The one who loses:

a) touches the dohyo with any part of the body (even the tip of the hair), except for the feet;
b) touched the dohyo outside the circle even with his feet;
c) who lost his mawashi during the fight.

It would seem that difficult? The one who is heavier and more impressive goes to the platform and wins the victory with ease. But it was not in vain that I mentioned at the beginning that rikishi are very strong, flexible and, most importantly, technical people. Simple power pressure often does not work, since the opponent easily readjusts and uses your advantages in weight and size against you. There are at least 50 different combinations of attacks and ligaments to achieve victory, and believe me, sanyaku not only know them by heart, but also understand how to assess the possibility of opposition in a matter of moments. Moreover, there are such interesting combinations as izori - overturning an opponent with a throw back. Sumotori sits down under the opponent, grabs his knee with both hands and makes a throw. Or, say, kakezori - throwing the opponent back after diving under his attacking hand using the toe opposite leg enemy from the outside. Naturally, such techniques are not used very often, although all sumo fans still remember how in the November 2000 basso Kayo defeated yokozun Musashimaru with a magnificent throw over the back with a hand grab. In sumo, this technique is called ipponzo and is very rare. The special piquancy of this victory is given by the fact that the dimensions of Kayo (height 185 cm, weight 170 kg) are much more modest than that of Musashimaru (height 192 cm, weight 235 kg). So, the one who believes that the victory in sumo goes to the most difficult and massive is deeply mistaken.

Personalities

Everyone can find a fighter who is worth watching closely and "cheering" on. Nowadays, the sumo world is very diverse. Despite the fairly young age, the already mentioned Kayo Yokozuna Hakuho is popular. At the age of 26, he has already won the Emperor's Cup 18 times. Two Europeans carry the high title of ozeki. This is the good-natured Estonian Kaido Hevelson, called Balt, and the tallest (203 cm) and purposeful Bulgarian Kaloyan Stefanov Makhlyanov, performing under the sikon Kotoosyu.

There are three Georgians - Gagamaru, Totinosin and Kokkai, many Mongols, a rising star, the Brazilian Kaisei. And, of course, we must "root" for our Alan Gabaraev. It is difficult for him, but his fights are always beautiful and interesting.

As a fan, I preferred the first yokuzuna - not the Japanese Akebono and the cheerful lover of football and the joys of life Asashoryu. But my main favorite is a master who was great not only in dohyo, but also beyond it. He is known in history as Takanohana. Great Sumotori!

I hope, after reading this, you will now take a different look at sumo and observe at least one day of competition. You might even like it.

One to one

wrestlers, entwined with silks, -
autumn day ...
Ransetsu, 18th century

While in Japan, English photographer Paolo Patrizi took the “Sumo” series of photographs illustrating daily life Sumo wrestlers.

Having opened a popular magazine or a Sunday edition of a newspaper, the modern Japanese reader can easily find a column dedicated to the masters next to the names of movie stars and pop idols. sumo —rikishi... Cute, burly giants are shown in the ring and in the family circle, at a friendly dinner and in the hairdresser. Their gigantic bodies, exotic outfits and high hairstyles make up a seemingly striking contrast to the whole way of life of the average Japanese of the 20th century. And yet sumo invariably remains the same symbol of Japan as geisha(currently receiving education in special institutes), ikebana, tea ceremony, dry gardens, netsuke, judo, karate... A cross between traditional martial arts, sports and variety shows, sumo, as well as two hundred years ago, attracts millions of fans. Well, you can understand them. Anyway, going to the match sumo or sitting comfortably in front of the TV screen, every Japanese can indulge himself with a flattering thought: such a sight cannot be found in any country in the world.

Of all the martial arts known in the world sumo without any exaggeration, it can be called the most spectacular. For all its cultural originality, there is probably no struggle on our planet that is more popular and attractive. Although for many uninitiated fans, sumo is something mysterious and inexplicable. However, probably the same as the Land of the Rising Sun, incomprehensible to Europeans.

History sumo goes back to the deepest antiquity. Already in the Chinese historical and literary monuments of the end of the 1st millennium BC. NS. mentioned combat combat xiangpu... The hieroglyphs of this name in Japanese reading give the word dog, and in modern sound - sumo... Another hieroglyphic designation of the word sumo traces its genealogy to Chinese folk wrestling juedi, also developed from prehistoric times. More scrupulous researchers find mentions of a certain species sumo in the canonical Buddhist Lotus Sutra, where bunk(Indian variant sumo) is mentioned in a number of other useful sciences, which a virtuous husband should master. They also refer to the biography of Siddhartha Gautama, who, before becoming a Buddha, diligently engaged in wrestling and fistfighting. However, all these facts are very indirectly related to Japanese sumo, although they allow, to a certain extent, to reveal its prototypes in the distant past.

The first information about the real sumo contained in the "Records of Ancient Affairs" ("Kojiki", VIII century.), which was published in 712 and covering the period from the "era of the gods" to 628., a collection of cosmogonic and historical myths that put forward a version of the divine origin of the Yamato race. It tells, in particular, how during the advance of the Japanese to the northeast of the island of Honshu, the leader of the local tribes Takeminakata no kami challenged the Japanese commander to a duel. The prize for the winner was to be all movable and immovable property of the defeated. In a fight that took place without the use of weapons, the arrogant warrior was defeated, and all his possessions legally passed to the Yamato tribe.

“... and took his hand like a reed, grabbed it and crumpled it and threw it away” (Scroll 1, Chapter 28). And although it is probably not worth treating this episode as a description of sumo specifically, since both gods used magic to achieve victory during the fight, the Japanese insist on the opposite.

Another episode concerning a struggle like sumo, can be found in another written source - "Nihon seki" ("Annals of Japan"), which appeared in 720. It tells about a duel between two strongmen. One of them was called Kakaya, he was a resident of the village of Taima and was famous throughout the region for his invincibility. When rumors about this reached the ruler of the country, he ordered to find another strong man so that they could fight. Worthy - Nomi-no Sukune was from Izumo, and then on the 7th day of the 7th month of the 7th year of the reign of Emperor Suining (29 BC) “they stood opposite each other and kicked alternately. And Nomi-no Sukune broke the rib of Taima-no Kehai, and then he broke his lower back with his foot, and thus killed him "(scroll 6, chapter 4). As the book further narrates, all the property of the murdered was given to the victor, but he himself remained to serve at the court, and after his death he became the patron god of struggle, as well as pottery masters.

However, both the first and second references are more likely to be legends. The very word “ sumo"(Sumakhi) is first encountered in" Nihon seki "(in the 9th month of the 14th year (469) of the reign of Emperor Yuryaku). The word “sumo” was transformed from the noun “sumah” from the ancient Japanese verb “sumafu” (“to measure strength”) and over hundreds of years turned first into “sumai”, and then into “sumo”. Many believe the wrestling came to the Japanese islands from Korea. And this is not surprising, because the Japanese state was built on the model of the Country of morning freshness. This is evidenced by the etymological similarity of the name: a different Japanese reading of the hieroglyphs "sumo" - "soboku" is very similar to the Korean "shubaku".

Reliable information about the competition sumo date back to 642, when, at the behest of the emperor, a holiday in honor of the Korean ambassador was held at the court. Warriors of the courtyard guard and Koreans from the embassy guard took part in the wrestling competition. Note, by the way, that there has long been a struggle in Korea. shubaku related to Japanese sumo both in hieroglyphic writing and in internal content. Since then, competitions have been held annually at the court. sumo... They were timed to coincide with Tanabata, the holiday of the end of field work and the beginning of autumn, which is celebrated in Japan on the seventh of the seventh lunar month. With the end of rice harvesting (jap. sumai) connects and the origin of the name sumo. Long before the establishment of ritual festive competitions sumoseti wrestling was part of the peasants' entertainment program at Tanabata, one of the busiest folk festivals in the calendar cycle. Tournament sumo at court, he usually followed a poetic tournament, and often the participants sought to equally show their creative talent and military prowess.

Before the start of the fight, the sumotori clap their hands and, raising their legs high, hit them with force on the floor. The wrestlers of the two top divisions also rinse their mouths and wipe their bodies with cleansing water, "giving strength." Some superstitious wrestlers lightly touch a beautiful woman with their hand before the start of the competition. For the duration of the fight, sagari (special pigtails) are attached to the tori-mawashi (a belt for a fight measuring 80 cm x 9 m).

The tradition of holding palace championships in sumo developed already in the Heian era - the time of the Japanese Renaissance (794-1192). To select the strongest, the court heralds left the emperor's palace in the spring, so that soon after the Tanabata holiday, which falls on the 7th day of the 7th month after lunar calendar, fighters from all over the country could measure their strength before the ruler in the "capital of peace and quiet" Heian (Kyoto).

The judge, as such, did not exist, the military leaders of the palace guards alternately watched the fight, suppressing the use of prohibited techniques (hitting the head, grabbing the hair, kicking the fallen), and also watching the synchronized start. If the result of the fight was doubtful, then they asked to judge a person from the aristocracy, but in the case when this judge also hesitated, the emperor himself acted as the supreme arbiter, and his decision was final. To the absolute winner the title of champion was awarded and valuable gifts were presented. Since the tournament was attended by wrestlers of large physique, regardless of class, there were also quite paradoxical situations. For example, the peasant wrestlers, because of the tournament, which fell on the harvest season, did not engage in their main activities, therefore, according to the law, upon returning home, they were awaited by imprisonment. The governors who recommended them also got it. The last tournament was held in 1147, shortly before the establishment of samurai rule in the country.

Several hundred years sumo was in decline, but thanks to the commitment of the Japanese to their culture and traditions, it has not disappeared. Its rise began during the Azuchi-Momoyama period (1573-1603). The large feudal lords of the Middle Ages (daimyo) kept the best fighters at their place, from time to time organizing tournaments. At the same time, the first professional sumotori appeared from among the ronin - samurai who had lost their master.

The power of the Tokugawa shoguns established at the beginning of the 17th century and the subsequent isolation of the country contributed to the growth of folk crafts, the development of the fine and spectacular arts. The famous wrestlers were incredibly famous, like the actors of the Noo or Kabuki theaters. Popularity reached the point that printing houses began to issue lists of fighters listing their titles and features (bandzuke), which have survived to this day. Engravings depicting famous sumotori were printed in huge editions and were always in demand. Sumo has entered the Golden Age. The rules for the conduct of fights, the system of ranks and the titles of champions were almost completely formed; with some additions, all these settings still exist today. Yoshida Oikaze introduced the title of yokozuna as a distinction of the best of the best. During the Tokugawa period, 72 canonical sumo techniques, called kimarite, were also established.

After the reform of the army and the beginning of the westernization of the country, the sumotori remained, perhaps, the only ones who did not lose their originality and magnificent samurai temmage hairstyle. Some proponents of deep reform tried to ban sumo as a holdover from samurai Japan, but fortunately for everyone, this did not happen. Thanks to the support of the Emperor Mutsuhito, who came to power in the country, sumo was not abolished, moreover, in 1909, a huge Kokugikan complex was built to hold annual championships.

In modern Japan sumo Is an integral part of culture, carefully preserved by generations. A real sumotori goes through a difficult path that few can do. Anyone who one day decides to become a fighter must devote himself to this cause without a trace. The whole life of members of the Japanese professional sumo federation is strictly regulated and is more like the life of a military man than an athlete. It takes years of hard training, a stubborn pursuit of advancement in the rankings, to become a big league swashbuckler. A person who has come to sumo has to think about two seemingly incompatible things: flexibility training and weight gain. And they achieve this - all the summers, even those that reach a weight of up to 300 kg, can stand on a gymnastic bridge or sit on a twine with extraordinary ease. Although not only weight is important for victory, agility and ingenuity play an equally important role in the actions of fighters. Judge for yourself: in one of the fights at the 8th World Championship, held in 1999, the 105-kilogram Russian Yuri Golubovsky managed to defeat the American Yarbrow, who weighed 350 kg.

Having ascended to the lowest rung of the hierarchical ladder, the wrestlers begin to advance to the top, annually performing in professional tournaments, the so-called "big sumo" - oozumo. Despite the fact that there are no strictly designated weight categories in it, wrestlers not lighter than 70 kg, not less than 173 cm tall (by the way, until 1910 there were no restrictions on height, the weight should have been at least 52 kg, but already in 1926, the rules were tightened to 64 kg and 164 cm).

Each of the six championships in sumo(hombasho) is an unforgettable, colorful show, every action of which is strictly obeyed by the ritual established in antiquity. 13 days before its start, the Japan Sumo Federation issues a bandzuke (table of ranks), in which all sumotori are inscribed in descending order. This document is drawn by hand, in a special font, and the higher the merits of the fighter, the larger his name is written. The names of beginners fit almost like a needle. Until the release of the document, all information is kept in the strictest confidence, while the persons responsible for it are under “house arrest”.

During the tournament, which lasts 15 days, each major league wrestler has one fight a day. Sumotori of the lower divisions must play 7 matches. Thus, in order to become the owner of any prize, each sumotori must defeat from 8 to 4 opponents. There are prizes for technical skill, for morale, for the best performance. Each prize has a cash prize equivalent to approximately $ 20,000. The main prize is the 30-kilogram Imperial Cup, coupled with prize money (about 100 thousand dollars). The winner is awarded the cup temporarily, until the next tournament, he also has a reduced copy of it. Gifts from sponsors are also provided. If bets have been placed on the fight, the referee presents envelopes with the won money to the winner on a fan.

Immediately before the fight, both wrestlers synchronously perform the ritual of “washing off the mud”, then stand in the starting position on the starting lines. With their legs wide apart and their hands clenched into fists, the wrestlers are intently looking into each other's eyes, trying to psychologically defeat the opponent even before the fight. In past centuries, this psychological duel (sikiri) could last indefinitely, and sometimes it happened that one of the participants surrendered without a fight. These "peepers" are repeated 3-4 times.
Professional sumo is divided into 6 divisions: jo-no kuchi, jonidan, sandame, makusta, juryo and the highest - makuuchi, they perform in it best fighters with the ranks of maegasira, komusubi, sekivake, oozeki (progressively).

All of these titles are won and confirmed at regular championships held 6 times a year: three times in Tokyo and one each in Osaka, Nagoya and Kyushu. The title of absolute champion (yokozuna) is awarded on the basis of the Japanese Sumo Association extremely rarely - only to the most successful sumotori, who managed to win the oozeki title twice in a row and establish himself among his comrades with the most better side... This title is for life, however, in order to keep a high brand, the one who received it must constantly delight fans with a beautiful and unbeatable performance. In the entire history of Japan, only a few dozen people have been awarded this title.

First, two sumotori and a referee (gyoji) appear in the ring (dohyo). 4 more judges (simpan) watch the fight from 4 sides outside the ring. The fight of champions is judged by the head referee (tate-gyoji).

The bout starts at the sign of the referee. The wrestlers must start the fight at the same time, touching the ring with their hand. In the event of a false start (if one of them did not touch the ring), they start all over again, and the culprit is fined from $ 500 to $ 1,000.

As soon as the result of the fight becomes clear, the referee raises the fan and says "Shobu atta!" ("End of the bout"), and after that the winner is confirmed and the result is announced with an indication of the technique used, and instead of the name of the sumotori, the side the winner was on is called "west" or "east" (this custom started from the time of the historical Edo period, when the main opponents in the fights were the summers of the west of the country (from Osaka and Kyoto) and the east (from Tokyo).

Text: Kirill Samursky

And now some interesting details:

* In some countries close to Japan, such as Mongolia and Korea, wrestling similar to sumo is common.

* According to one version, before the 16th century. the analogue of the dohyo was located on a dais, and beyond it there were sharp stakes. Historical data confirm the existence of this kind of "sport", but it is not clear whether it is related to sumo.

* Students are admitted to sumo rooms at the age of 10-15 years. In addition, sumo is replenished by amateurs, as a rule, after they graduate from university, if they were able to prove themselves. Particularly advanced amateurs start their performances immediately from the 3rd division (makushita). The upper age limit is 23 for debutants and 25 for student sumo amateurs.

* The proportion of fat in the mass of an average sumo wrestler is practically the same as that of an average layman of the same age. With a lot of overweight, muscle mass is also very large. A number of sumo wrestlers, such as the great Chienofuji, were substantially drier than average.

* The availability of a fighter of life's benefits is almost entirely determined by his success. The level reached by the wrestler depends on what clothes and shoes can be worn, whether it is possible to use a mobile phone, the Internet, sleep in a common ward or in your room. The same level determines the type and volume of household duties - so, junior wrestlers get up before everyone else, clean up and prepare food.

* Wrestlers of any level are prohibited from driving a car on their own. Anyone who violated this rule will be punished, for example, Kyokutenho, who was caught in 2007, was disqualified for one tournament, which meant a significant loss in rank.

* Whether or not contractual fights exist is still not clear. Existing suspicions are most often based on the fact that wrestlers perform significantly better if the fight means a lot to them (for example, when the score is 7-7). However, with the same success, this fact can be explained by increased motivation.

Sumo wrestlers train at a summer camp at a newly built base in Soma, Fukushima Prefecture in northern Japan. Photo taken on August 6, 2011. REUTERS / Yuriko Nakao

For many Japanese, the arrival of the sumo wrestlers has become a symbol of the fact that life in the region continues, and the radiation is still not as terrible as it seemed before. REUTERS / Yuriko Nakao

The founder of the training base, Hayao Shiga (center, with his back to the camera), oversees the training of athletes. REUTERS / Yuriko Nakao

Sumo wrestler Ozuma (center) throws his opponent. REUTERS / Yuriko Nakao REUTERS / Yuriko Nakao

The metal roof is the only thing left of the summer gym in the "arena" after the terrible earthquake with a magnitude of 9, which provoked a tsunami and turned Soma into a heap of garbage. REUTERS / Yuriko Nakao

But especially for the arrival of the sumo wrestlers who have been coming to the training camp for 20 years, the sports arena was rebuilt. REUTERS / Yuriko Nakao

7. Preparation of a circle by a sumo wrestler for holding fights. REUTERS / Yuriko Nakao REUTERS / Yuriko Nakao

8. The return of sumo wrestlers to this region is life-affirming and uplifting for survivors. This should contribute to a faster recovery and renewal of life destroyed by a large-scale catastrophe. REUTERS / Yuriko Nakao

9. Junior sumo wrestler watching a senior comrade's meal. REUTERS / Yuriko Nakao REUTERS / Yuriko Nakao

10. The founder of the training base, Hayao Shiga, oversees the training of athletes. REUTERS / Yuriko Nakao

11. Sumo wrestlers at rest after training. REUTERS / Yuriko Nakao

12. Sumo wrestlers before lunch. REUTERS / Yuriko Nakao

13. Preparing for lunch at the training base in Soma. REUTERS / Yuriko Nakao

14. Sumo wrestler in training at a summer camp. REUTERS / Yuriko Nakao

15. Wrestlers before lunch after training. REUTERS / Yuriko Nakao

16. Wrestler Tamanbel Yushima gives the boy an autograph after training. REUTERS / Yuriko Nakao

17. Training of wrestlers on the street in the summer camp. REUTERS / Yuriko Nakao

18. Training in the summer camp of sumo wrestlers at the restored sports base in the city of Soma, Fukushima Prefecture. REUTERS / Yuriko Nakao

19. Sumo wrestler stretches. REUTERS / Yuriko Nakao

20. The return of athletes to the place of their usual summer activities is considered by the Japanese as a sign of the victory of life over the elements. REUTERS / Yuriko Nakao

21. A boy shows off a booklet signed by one of the sumo wrestlers. REUTERS / Yuriko Nakao REUTERS / Yuriko Nakao

22. Sumo wrestler in the sand. REUTERS / Yuriko Nakao

23. Sumo wrestler prepares a towel to wash the founder of the training base. REUTERS / Yuriko Nakao REUTERS / Yuriko Nakao

24. Recall that the earthquake off the coast of Japan occurred on March 11, and the tsunami caused by it claimed the lives of more than 13 thousand people. The same number were missing. The earthquake also caused an accident at the Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant. REUTERS / Yuriko Nakao

1. Only a little over a decade ago, foreigners reached such a level of skill that they were able to seize the leadership in sumo competitions. At a recent tournament in the city of Nagoya, only one Japanese took part in the competition in the two highest categories. The highest rank wrestler, Baruto, pictured on the right, is from Estonia.

2. Kiosk with souvenirs. The bath towels sold in Nogaya Basho in July feature the new sumo heroes. Together with Estonian Baruto, two Mongolian top division wrestlers can be seen on towels. According to Koy Mizun, 67, a spectator of the Nagoya competition, foreign wrestlers are trying very hard and deserve to win, but the Japanese viewer who watches their national sport feels resentful that there are no such strong wrestlers in Japan at the moment. that could compete with them.

3. Photo archive. The pictures show the Saitama Sakae High School wrestling team, which is proud of itself the best team sumo wrestlers in Japan.

4. Territory of the school. Members of Saitama Sakae's high school sumo club hang their belts while other students at the school learn to play the trombone.

5. Michinori Yamada, right, is the coach successful team Saitama Sakae High School. At the same time, he is a teacher and replaces his father with his charges. He says that in the past, in Japanese families, children were sent to the sumo sections because they made sure they were well fed. Modern children in Japan have every opportunity to eat whatever they want, they go to college and don't want to study hard.

6. Training. Sumo is the embodiment of the national spirit of the Land of the Rising Sun, more than other athletic sports. According to high school teacher Yamada, sumo itself is not a sophisticated sport, its grace lies in the preservation of tradition. This is what gives Japan its uniqueness.

In the ring. Pupils' practice fight during the morning class.

Main hopes. 18-year-old Daiki Nakamura, weighing 132 kilos, trains in Saitama Sakae. He says that seeing so many foreign wrestlers in sumo, like a true Japanese, awakens in him a desire to become successful in the sport.

The blows of fate. After several practice contractions, one of the students has a cut lip, while the other has a bleeding elbow. According to Yamado, the daily training of sumo wrestlers is akin to an accident.

Fitness. Flexibility is a key factor in the length of time in this sport, which is why Saitama Sakae devotes a lot of time to stretching.

A young wrestler sweeping the ring after training is one of the daily tasks of a student. "When we visit retirement homes, old people love to touch us, and sometimes they have tears in their eyes," says Yoshkhinori Tashiro, a retired sumo wrestler known as Toyoyama. "Sumo has some kind of spirituality."

sources
http://muz4in.net/news/interesnye_fakty_o_sumo/2011-08-21-22081

http://bigpicture.ru
http://sportpicture.ru
http://fight.uazone.net/?page_id=149

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At the expense of the interesting traditions of Japan, you can still read about or