"Sumo The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally. It is considered a ""gendai budō"", which refers to modern Japanese martial art, but the sport has a history spanning many centuries. Many ancient traditions have been preserved in sumo, and even today the sport includes many ritual elements, such as the use of salt purification, from Shinto. Life as a wrestler is highly regimented, with rules regulated by the Japan Sumo Association. Most sumo wrestlers are required to live in communal sumo training stables, known in Japanese as ""heya"", where all aspects of their daily"
"sometime during the Edo period. The Yoshida clan was a prominent ""gyōji"" family. The ceremony is done to purify and concentrate the ""dohyō"", while also inviting the kami (Shinto deities) down to watch sumo. The ceremony is lead by one of the ""tategyōji"" (head referee) along with two other ""gyōji"". The ""gyōji"" take the place of Shinto priests. The ""tategyoji"" will pray for the safety and well-being of the wrestlers. In the middle of the ""dohyō"" a square hole is cut in where the ""tategyoji"" will then place inside: torreya nuts, dried chestnuts, salt, washed rice, dried squid or cuttlefish,"
"ring, called the dohyō is reminiscent of a Shinto shrine, the officiator is dressed in garb very similar to that of a Shinto priest, and the throwing of salt before a bout is believed to purify the ring. Prior to becoming a professional sport in the Tokugawa period, sumo was originally performed on the grounds of a shrine or temple. The present ""dohyō"", which is still considered sacred, is in honor of the days when matches were held on the sacred grounds of shrines and temples. The roof over the ""dohyō"" called ""yakata"" originally represented the sky for the purpose"
"purification ritual in its own right, and is occasionally performed at Shinto shrines for this purpose. Every newly promoted ""yokozuna"" performs his first ring-entering ceremony at the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo. Shinto origins of sumo The Shinto origins of sumo can easily be traced back through the centuries and many current sumo rituals are directly handed down from Shinto rituals. The Shinto religion has historically been used as a means to express Japanese nationalism and ethnic identity, especially prior to the end of World War II. In its association with Shinto, sumo has also been seen as a bulwark of"
"the top divisions before the start of their wrestling day are derived from sumo rituals. This ceremony involves them ascending the ""dohyō"", walking around the edge and facing the audience. They then turn and face inwards, clap their hands, raise one hand, slightly lift the ceremonial aprons called kesho-mawashi, and raise both hands, then continue walking around the ""dohyō"" as they leave the same way they came in. This clapping ritual is an important Shinto element and reminiscent of the clapping in Shinto shrines designed to attract the attention of the gods. The yokozuna's ring-entering ceremony is regarded as a"
"of emphasizing the sacred nature of ""dohyō"", which symbolizes the earth. On the day before the beginning of each tournament, the ""dohyō-matsuri"", a ring-blessing ceremony, is performed by sumo officials called ""gyōji"". They are the referees on the ""dohyō"", who judge each sumo match. Their elaborate, colorful costumes are based on ceremonial court robes of the Heian period (AD 794 – 1185). Also their black hats are exact copies of the hats worn by Shinto priests depicted in various Heian art. Dressed in the white robes of a Shinto priest ""gyōji"" purify and bless the ""dohyō"" in a solemn ceremony"
"Mawashi In sumo, a is the belt (loincloth) that the ""rikishi"" (or sumo wrestler) wears during training or in competition. Upper ranked professional wrestlers wear a keshō-mawashi (see below) as part of the ring entry ceremony or ""dohyō-iri"". For top ranked professional ""rikishi"", it is made of silk and comes in a variety of colours. It is approximately in length when unwrapped, about two feet wide and weighs about . It is wrapped several times around the ""rikishi"" and fastened in the back by a large knot. A series of matching colour, stiffened silk fronds, called ""sagari"" are inserted into"
"to the next grade (Zelator). In Shinto, a common form of ritual purification is misogi, which involves natural running water, and especially waterfalls. Rather than being entirely naked, men usually wear Japanese loincloths and women wear kimonos, both additionally wearing headbands. Ritual purification Ritual purification is the purification ritual prescribed by a religion by which a person about to perform some ritual is considered to be free of ""uncleanliness"", especially prior to the worship of a deity, and ritual purity is a state of ritual cleanliness. Ritual purification may also apply to objects and places. Ritual uncleanliness is not identical"
"Harae Harae or harai (祓 or 祓い) is the general term for rituals of purification in Shinto. Harae is one of four essential elements involved in a Shinto ceremony. The purpose is the purification of pollution or sins (tsumi) and uncleanness (kegare). These concepts include bad luck and disease as well as guilt in the English sense. ""Harae"" is often described as purification, but it is also known as an exorcism to be done before worship. ""Harae"" often involves symbolic washing with water, or having a Shinto priest shake a large paper shaker called ōnusa or ""haraegushi"" over the object"
"sumo. The name literally means ""horizontal rope"" and comes from the most visible symbol of their rank, the worn around the waist. The rope is similar to the ""shimenawa"" used to mark off sacred areas in Shinto, and like the ""shimenawa"" it serves to purify and mark off its content. The rope, which may weigh up to , is not used during the matches themselves, but is worn during the ""yokozuna"" ""dohyo-iri"" ring entrance ceremony. As the sport's biggest stars, ""yokozuna"" are in many ways the public face of sumo and the way they conduct themselves is highly scrutinized, as"
"purification ritual ""harae"" is represented when Susano-o is removed from heaven. There are various ways in which ""harae"" is practiced. In Ise, “the holiest of all Shinto shrines”, wooden charms named ""o-harai"", another name for ""harae"" or ""harai"", are hung all over the shrine. In all Shinto religious ceremonies, ""harae"" is performed in the beginning of the ritual to cleanse any evil, pollution or sins away before anyone gives offerings to the ""kami"". Often, water and salt are used for the ceremonies to rinse hands and the face, as well as the shrine before it is prepared with offerings of"
"purification ritual that incorporates the exchange of sake between the couple before they are married. The ceremony typically takes 20 to 30 minutes. Food items, including salt, water, rice, sake, fruit, and vegetables, are left at a ceremonial wedding altar, which also holds the wedding rings. A Shinto priest stands to the right of the altar, while a shrine maiden, ""Miko"", stands to the left. The couple will often stand in the center of the room, while closest family members stand behind tables containing sake and small fruits. The priest will purify the shrine and call the attention of benevolent"
"and an exercise in self-discipline. During practice, wrestlers throw a few handfuls of dirt onto their own bodies and that of their opponents as a form of blessing, which also provides for a better grip. Once the arena has been prepared a prayer is offered to the gym's patron deity, most commonly Hanuman. Every training hall has a small makeshift altar for this purpose, where incense is lit and small yellow flower garlands are offered to the god. This is followed by paying respect to the guru by touching the head to his feet, a traditional sign of respect for"
"into the air by the low ranking wrestlers as a way of sending off the kami and officially ending the tournament. Dohyō The dohyō (土俵) is the ring in which sumo wrestling bouts are held. A modern ""dohyō"" is a circle of rice-straw bales 4.55 meters in diameter, mounted on a square platform of clay 6.7m on a side, and 34 to 60 cm high. The surface is covered by sand. A new ""dohyō"" is built prior to each tournament by the ""yobidashi"" (ring attendants), who are responsible for this activity. The process of building the ""dohyō"" takes three days,"
"generally undergo some sort of preliminary purification. Such things as prayers, fasting, or some sort of physical activity is common. Generally, women put on a special white kimono (robe) and a headband and men put on a fundoshi (loin cloth) and head band. They then begin ""furitama"" (降り魂) or ""spirit shaking"" by clenching their hands in front of the stomach and shaking them up and down, vibrating the upper torso. The purpose of this is to become aware of/unified with the spirit's presence within. Following this is a ""warm-up"" or calisthenics (""tori-fune"" 鳥船 or ""bird boat"" rowing). These two aforementioned"
"Tsuyuharai In professional sumo, the tsuyuharai (Japanese: 露払い, literally ""dew sweeper"") is one of the two attendants that accompany a ""yokozuna"" when he performs his ""dohyō-iri"" or ring entrance ceremony. The other attendant is called the ""tachimochi"". During the ceremony the ""tsuyuharai"" will precede the ""yokozuna"" into the ring. He will usually be following the ""gyōji"" who leads the three wrestlers, or ""rikishi"" to the ""dohyō"". As the ""yokozuna"" performs the ceremony he will squat on his left hand side. After the ""yokozuna"" has completed his ceremonial dance the ""tsuyuharai"" will once again precede him away from the ""dohyō"". The"
"Tsuyuharai In professional sumo, the tsuyuharai (Japanese: 露払い, literally ""dew sweeper"") is one of the two attendants that accompany a ""yokozuna"" when he performs his ""dohyō-iri"" or ring entrance ceremony. The other attendant is called the ""tachimochi"". During the ceremony the ""tsuyuharai"" will precede the ""yokozuna"" into the ring. He will usually be following the ""gyōji"" who leads the three wrestlers, or ""rikishi"" to the ""dohyō"". As the ""yokozuna"" performs the ceremony he will squat on his left hand side. After the ""yokozuna"" has completed his ceremonial dance the ""tsuyuharai"" will once again precede him away from the ""dohyō"". The"
"Kamizumo Originally, was practiced as a Shinto ritual, part of the shrine dedication ceremony at the Hachiman shrine in Yoshitomi. Every four years, performers use articulated wooden dolls, manipulated from below by puppeteers known as ""odoriko"" to enact a sumo bout at the shrine. Up to twelve puppets are used, representing the ""kami"" of the East and West. The outcome is prearranged; in the second round, the West triumphs thanks to the appearance of the ""kami"" Sumiyoshi. More recently, has developed into a children's game, in which two paper or cardboard effigies of sumo wrestlers are placed facing each other"
"and two other ""gyōji"" acting as Shinto priests will perform the ""dohyō matsuri"" (lit. ring festival) where they will concentrate and purifies the ring. They also officially lead the ring entering ceremonies. During a tournament they announce the following day's matchups. They also are responsible for keeping the records of wrestlers' results, and determining the technique used by a particular wrestler in winning a bout. At the end of the tournament one ""gyōji"" will stand in the center of the ring and will be tossed into the air by lower ranked wrestlers as a way of sending off the ""kami"""
"Yobidashi A is an announcer who calls a professional sumo wrestler, or ""rikishi"", to the ""dohyō"" (wrestling ring) immediately prior to his bout. He does this by calling the name of each wrestler fighting in turn whilst holding a traditional folding fan. The outfit worn by the ""yobidashi"" is loosely based on an old style Japanese workman's outfit, with leggings and split-toed ""tabi""-like boots. In keeping with their workman outfits, the ""yobidashi"" are actually the Japan Sumo Association's handymen, or odd-job men, and have a wide variety of tasks. These include on match days: sweeping the ring, providing purification salt,"
"rikishi may be given many of these ""keshō-mawashi"". ""Yokozuna"" have matching sets of three ""keshō-mawashi"", with two being worn by his wrestler ""assistants"" (his ""tachimochi"" and ""tsuyuharai"") during his ring entrance ceremony. In the Edo period the ""keshō-mawashi"" also served as the wrestler's fighting ""mawashi"". However, as the aprons become more ornate, eventually the two functions were split apart. In this period wrestlers were normally sponsored by feudal ""daimyō"" or overlords, whose clan crest would therefore appear on the ""keshō-mawashi"". Mawashi In sumo, a is the belt (loincloth) that the ""rikishi"" (or sumo wrestler) wears during training or in competition."
"bales on top of a platform made of clay mixed with sand. A new ""dohyō"" is built for each tournament by the bout callers (or ""yobidashi""). At the center are two white lines, the ""shikiri-sen"", behind which the wrestlers position themselves at the start of the bout. A roof resembling that of a Shinto shrine may be suspended over the ""dohyō"". Women are traditionally forbidden from entering or touching the ring. Professional sumo is organized by the Japan Sumo Association. The members of the association, called ""oyakata"", are all former wrestlers, and are the only people entitled to train new"
"rules can be used to determine the winner. For example, a wrestler using an illegal technique (""kinjite"") automatically loses, as does one whose ""mawashi"" (belt) comes completely undone. A wrestler failing to show up for his bout (even if due to prior injury) also automatically loses (""fusenpai""). Bouts consist solely of a single round and often last only a few seconds, as usually one wrestler is quickly ousted from the circle or thrown to the ground. However, they can occasionally last for several minutes. Each match is preceded by an elaborate ceremonial ritual. Traditionally, sumo wrestlers are renowned for their"
"belts of today. During the Edo period, wrestlers would wear a fringed decorative apron called a ""keshō-mawashi"" during the match, whereas today these are worn only during pretournament rituals. Most of the rest of the current forms within the sport developed in the early Edo period. The winner of a sumo bout is generally either the first wrestler to force his opponent to step out of the ring, or the first wrestler to force his opponent to touch the ground with any part of his body other than the bottom of his feet. Also, a number of other less common"
"including a referee dressed as a Shinto priest, and a ritual where the competitors clap hands, stomp their feet, and throw salt in the ring prior to each match. To win a match, competitors employ throwing and grappling techniques to force the other man to the ground; the first man to touch the ground with a part of the body other than the bottom of the feet, or touch the ground outside the ring with any part of the body, loses. Six grand tournaments are held annually in Japan, and each professional fighter's name and relative ranking is published after"
"best have a separate ring entry ceremony (""dohyō-iri"") from the remaining top division wrestlers. The ""dohyō-iri"" is a ceremonial presentation of all the top division wrestlers which is held before the competitive bouts of the day. The normal ceremony for top division wrestlers is to be introduced and form a circle around the wrestling ring (""dohyō"") wearing specially decorated heavy silk ""aprons"", called ""keshō-mawashi"". A brief symbolic ""dance"" is carried out before filing off to change into their fighting ""mawashi"" and prepare for their bouts. A ""yokozuna"", however, is introduced after the lower ranked wrestlers and is flanked by two"
"modern Japan, the Sumo Association employs specialist hairdressers called ""tokoyama"" to cut and prepare sumo wrestlers' hair. The chonmage is of such symbolic importance in sumo that snipping it off is the centerpiece of a wrestler's retirement ceremony. Dignitaries and other important people in a wrestler's life are invited to take one snip, with the final one taken by his trainer. Outside Japan, so-called ""samurai buns"" have been worn by a minority of young British, Australian, Canadian, European, and American men during the mid-2010s. Unlike the traditional chonmage, the hair on top of the head is kept long, and the"
"to past wrestlers. Today it has become a place where apprentice wrestlers come to pray for power. After World War II, sumo tournaments moved to various venues in Tokyo and then to the Kuramae Kokugikan arena in Taitō, Tokyo, before returning to the Ryōgoku district in 1985. The current Ryōgoku Kokugikan arena is located only about 400 meters from the temple. Ekō-in , also known as Honjo Ekō-in, is a Pure Land Buddhist temple in Ryōgoku, Tokyo. The formal name of the temple is , reflecting its founding principle of Pariṇāmanā, or the spreading of Amida Buddha's benevolence to all"
"Dohyō The dohyō (土俵) is the ring in which sumo wrestling bouts are held. A modern ""dohyō"" is a circle of rice-straw bales 4.55 meters in diameter, mounted on a square platform of clay 6.7m on a side, and 34 to 60 cm high. The surface is covered by sand. A new ""dohyō"" is built prior to each tournament by the ""yobidashi"" (ring attendants), who are responsible for this activity. The process of building the ""dohyō"" takes three days, and is done with traditional tools. The clay used is taken from the banks of the Arakawa River in Saitama Prefecture."
"of people. This ritual is practiced mostly in June and December to purify the nation, as well as after a disaster occurs. The practice is also performed at the year-end festival and also before major national festivals. ""Shubatsu"", a cleansing ritual performed by sprinkling salt, is another practice of the Shinto religion. Salt is used as a purifier by placing small piles in front of restaurants, known as or , for the two-fold purposes of warding off evil and attracting patrons. In addition, sprinkling salt over a person after attending a funeral is also practiced commonly in the Shinto religion."
"gohan (rice), mochi (rice cake), and sake (rice wine) are all typical offerings. On holidays and other special occasions the inner shrine doors may be opened and special offerings made. Misogi means purification. Misogi harai or Misogi Shūhō (禊修法) is the term for water purification. The practice of purification by ritual use of water while reciting prayers is typically done daily by regular practitioners, and when possible by lay practitioners. There is a defined set of prayers and physical activities that precede and occur during the ritual. This will usually be performed at a shrine, in a natural setting, but"
"when it gets wet. A regular sumo ring circle is made of rice-straw bales which deform with water. The illuminating decoration is managed by Honda’s disciples from a backroom. According to the backstory Honda was raised in a large bathhouse since a young age. Since Honda loves both sumo and hot baths he decided to combine both and made a sumo ring in the public bath. In his backstory in ""Street Fighter II"", E. Honda is mentioned to have begun his training as a child, singularly focused on becoming the greatest sumo wrestler of all time. He would eventually achieve"
"the bout, which is then announced to the audience. On rare occasions the referee or judges may award the win to the wrestler who touched the ground first. This happens if both wrestlers touch the ground at nearly the same time and it is decided that the wrestler who touched the ground second had no chance of winning, his opponent's superior ""sumo"" having put him in an irrecoverable position. The losing wrestler is referred to as being ""shini-tai"" (""dead body"") in this case. Sumo matches take place in a ""dohyō"" (土俵): a ring, in diameter and in area, of rice-straw"