Return of the Rikishi

It is March; there is palpable excitement in the air; Osaka is full of topknots, fragrant unctions and stomping giants — it is time, once again, for the Spring Sumo Tournament.

Sumo is one of the most exciting sports ever. Many people may not share this opinion, but after attending a live basho (sumo tournament), often opinions will change. Although it is a traditional Japanese sport, non-Japanese as well as natives have come to love it. Why this love for what appears to be just two nearly naked pudgy men pushing and grabbing at one another? When you go to the tournament you will soon find that this ‘appearance’ is not only overly simplistic, but way off as well. Hopefully this article will give the reader a little prior knowledge on what there is to love about sumo before going to witness it yourself at the Spring Basho here in Osaka this month.

Sumo may be the Japanese national sport, but an increasing number of top wrestlers are foreign-born and the fan base is continually growing in diversity as well. The tournaments are viewed by live bodies around the dohyo (ring), as well as, thanks to the internet, viewers from all over the world.

I asked many fans why they love the sport, but often the response was an “I don’t know”, it’s “unexplainable”. A few, though, were able to be specific. There is the social aspect of it. Whether you attend live, or stay home to watch it on TV or online, sumo provides a great reason to join friends in drink and shooting the breeze. Also, in many ways it’s much easier to watch and digest than other sports. After all, there are only two rikishi (wrestlers) in the dohyo at any time. The rules are simple. If a wrestler touches the ground or steps out of the ring first, then that wrestler loses. Other sports have much more complex rules and have anywhere from 10 to 20 competitors, all competing at the same time. Hanshin Tigers fans abound, but not that many can tell you every Tiger’s name and then go on to name all the opposing team players. Baseball was created in America, but not all Americans know all the rules, but without speaking or reading Japanese you can pick up the rules of sumo the first time you watch it.

As for the stereotype of ‘two fat men in diapers.’ that comes out to be basically nonsense. Watch a few matches and you’ll soon realize just how athletic these men truly are. Sumo requires fast moves, quick thinking, immense strength, and cunning strategy. If you’re wondering about the lack of clothing, anyone who has watched American football or basketball knows how easy it is to pull a player down or away from the ball with a quick tug on a loose shirt.

One fan summed up why sumo is so great in the following way: As a basketball player her team generally has a week to mentally and physically prepare for the next opponent. No such thing in sumo. The wrestlers have to be prepared for a 15-day tournament without knowing who they will be battling until a day or two before each match. They face each other in a small space, one on one, pushing and pulling to gain the victory. “It’s everything sports should be,” she said.

If remaining passive is not your thing, don’t worry, there are many wrestlers to cheer for; the Makuuchi Division (the highest division, where the best come to compete) has 42 rikishi. The following is a brief overview of possible wrestlers to look for at the tournament.

First of all, for those wanting to cheer for a local boy then Goeido is definitely a good consideration. An Osaka native, he has been climbing up the ranks, recently even reaching for a short time the rank of komusubi (the fourth highest rank). In the January basho he won an impressive 10 times and even came away with the Technique Prize. You’re likely to hear quite a few cheers and shouts for him from his ever growing fan base.

Another wrestler with many fans is Takamisakari. This wrestler is easy to pick out with his pre-fight ritual of slapping his chest, stamping his feet, and violently jerking his neck before hurling salt over the dohyo. He always fights with all his heart and the fans love him for it, win or lose.

Probably the easiest wrestler to spot is the giant Yamamotoyama. He is big, very big. Yes, almost all of the wrestlers are large, but all of them are nothing but half-pints when standing next to him. In other words, the man is absolutely gigantic.

Sumo is gaining international fans, but unfortunately seems to be losing native Japanese ones. The reason generally given for this is that there aren’t enough Japanese-born wrestlers in the top ranks. While some consider this sad, it does mean that there is a diversity in the stands as more and more new people are drawn in to cheer for compatriots.

Coming from Estonia is the sweet-faced Baruto. Currently he is ranked sekiwake (third highest rank) and appears ready to defend his status. Immensely strong, often he wins by simply picking his opponent up off his feet and escorting him out of the ring.

Harumafuji, from Mongolia, is one of the hottest wrestlers in sumo. He may be the second smallest (weight-wise) wrestler in sumo, but his technique and strength more than compensate. He has taken the Technique Prize an impressive five times as well as claiming the Outstanding Performance Award four times. Up until this year he went by the name Ama, but when he was promoted to ozeki (second highest rank, just under yokozuna) he changed his name, just in time for the January tournament.
Mongolia also has given sumo Hakuho and Asashoryu, the two current yokozuna. Both men have time and again proven their status as kings of the hill in the dohyo, but out of the ring they are nothing but black and white. Hakuho is more humble and traditional, whereas Asashoryu appears in the newspapers almost weekly with some ‘scandal’ or another. The latest was when, just after clinching the January tournament championship by defeating Hakuho in a playoff, he raised his fists in celebration. Sumo wrestlers are supposed to be humble in victory, but the crowd seemed to love it nonetheless. This consistent breaking of traditional rules has garnered him fans yearning for a Western kind of bravado as well as the women who like the ‘bad boys.’

Some fans find more than an appreciation of sporting skills in the wrestlers. Besides the bad boy Asashoryu, women I interviewed admitted having crushes on a few other wrestlers as well. Homasho has “beautiful skin,” Yoshikaze is “adorable,” Kotooshu (from Bulgaria) is “handsome,” Harumafuji is “cool,” and the Japanese press has been focused lately on new Juryo wrestler Okinoumi’s good looks.

So go and experience a bit of the 1,500-year-old tradition for yourself. After all, according to Playstation II, sumo is “the most powerful martial art.”

Text: Trevor Ruder

The Spring Basho will be held March 15-29 at the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium in Namba, Osaka.

• Time: see links below
• Getting there: five-minute walk from subway Midosuji,
subway Yotsubashi, JR, Kintestu, and Nankai Namba
stations (see map from links below).
• Admission: tickets are already on sale and vary greatly
in price. See links below.
• www.sumo.or.jp/eng/ticket/hanbai_jokyo/index.html
• www.sumo.or.jp/eng/ticket/osaka.html