Sumo Wrestling

相 撲xiāng pū

By: Alston Chung

Nick Katoh

Kristine Sarnlertsophon

History of Sumo ( 相撲 )

Sumo plays a part in Japanese legend.

Sumo has been tied with religion since it started.

The Imperial Court held annual wrestling festivals, changing sumo to what it is today.

The Ring ( 土俵 – tǔ biǎo)

Sumo matches take place in a ring called a dohyō

The circle is bounded by rice-straw bales called tawara ( 俵 -biǎo).

At the center are two white lines, the shikiri-sen ( 分切器線 – fēn qiē qì xiàn)

Around the ring is finely brushed sand called the hebi-no-me ( 蛇の目 snake's eye) ( 舷窗 xián chuāng)

The Match

The object of a sumo match is to force one’s opponent outside of the ring or to the ground.

There are a few other ways one can win a sumo match.

A sumo bout is preceded and followed by many traditional ceremonial actions.

Sumo Celebrities

Sumo wrestlers are very popular today.

In the Middle Ages the sumo wrestlers were also like heroes.

Musahimaru Koyo

Samoan1.91m tall;

weighed over230kg

http://www.chijanofuji.com/Musashimaru1.html

Other Sumo Celebrities

Yokozuna Futabayama Ozeki Konishiki Chanko-nabe

News

Japan’s Super Six is to start soonYokozuna try to win the tournaments

which take place every two months.The tournaments last 15 days for the

Emperor's Cup. Those interested are advised to go to

the Kyushu-basho in Fukuoka.

Resources http://www.sumo.or.jp/eng/index.html

– For ticket sales information, current stats on tournament http://www.thisisthelife.com/view/language/

change/en.do?inputPage=/public/experience_listing.jsp?currentExperienceId=33&pageLanguage=zh&categoryId=18– News

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumo_wrestling– History, rules, links