Last week I visited the Japanese Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden, especially the sumo demonstration emceed by author Mina Hill (The Big Book of Sumo: History, Practice, Ritual, Fight.) Much of what I mention here came from her comments, as well as my own reading. I found myself in the middle of a group of camera-wielding enthusiasts who all showed up a good half-hour early, staking out their front-row spot. I wondered how many of them were like me, first drawn to the ritualistic sport because of the men's big and powerful bodies. To bake in the sun was worth it.

Sumo most likely evolved from harvest rituals in ancient Shinto (the traditional religion of Japan.) It's mentioned in the early 7th century Japanese book Kojiki, which chronicles the history of the gods. In archetypal times, two gods wrestled for control over the islands of Japan. About 2,000 years ago, men got into the act, and in the very early years, "sumo" meant any unarmed fight (sometimes to the death.) Much later, in the early 17th century, sumo took on many of its formal competitive aspects and has been "Japan's national sport" ever since.


The two rikishi in the demonstration were retired wrestlers originally recruited in the 1990s from Hawaii.

Sunahama, 6'2", 550 lbs.

Koryu, 6'4", 280 lbs.

Sumo is more than simply a sport, though. As Mina Hall put it, "It is hard to imagine the aura which surrounds sumo wrestlers in Japan." Professional wrestlers (rikishi, or "strong men") are expected to live a disciplined and honorable life which reflects Japanese tradition. They wear only the mawashi (wrapped belt) while training and competing. In public, they don the kimono or yukata (a lightweight cotton kimono worn in summer.)

Starting wrestlers grow their hair out, and when it is long enough, they tie it up into the chonmage, or topknot. The hair is especially sacred - wrestlers are sanctioned for hair-pulling during a match. Traditionally, if a wrestler went bald and lost his topknot, he would no longer compete (although today there is the rare bald rikishi.) Also, according to Mina Hill, if a wrestler loses one of his many training bouts, the winner may drag him around the ring by the hair afterwards, as a humiliation.

Rikishi train for flexibility as well as strength. For instance, every man has to be able to do the matawari (below), where in a full split he leans over and touches his belly to the floor. If a rikishi can't do it, another one will lean his weight on him to force him into the position.

Sumo matches are extremely short. Many last a few seconds; rare matches may go on for about a minute. They end when one wrestler is thrown out of the ring, or when any body part other than the sole of the foot touches the ring. There are no weight classes in sumo (although a minimum weight of 165 lbs. and height of 5'6" are required to start.) Thus the need for size - although smaller rikishi are not always at a disadvantage if they can use a larger opponent's weight against him and throw him off balance.

Much of the match reflects Shinto observance. The men face each other and clap to get the gods' attention. They spread out their hands to show they have no weapons. Then they begin niramiai, what we might call a "stare down," or intimidation, because the sport is as much psychological as physical. When they finally clash (tachiai), it's easy to imagine the gods coming together with full force, in masses of living thunder. The men are stoic; they're not supposed to show emotion at either a win or loss. They bow, and the winner moves on to the next challenger.

A man from the audience was picked to challenge the rikishi. Below, 20 year old college student Mike is getting wrapped with the mawashi. Koryu in the picture is remarking favorably on his size, and wondering if the mawashi will only need to be wrapped "three times" (mawashi are all one size, and the smaller the man, the more the number of wraps.) Mike only needs three wraps, it turns out.

The mawashi is usually wrapped tightly, "To protect the family jewels," Sunahama quipped in his lilting Hawaiian accent. Nothing is worn underneath it in professional sumo, so it can chafe painfully until the wrestler gets used to it. The guys were nice to the young man; they let him keep his shorts on.


In martial arts as well as the Japanese language, the belly (hara) is seen as the physical and spiritual center of the human being. Buddha statues are broad-bellied because the Buddha was entirely and perfectly "centered." The soul traditionally resided in the belly. And the rikishi, the "strong man" of sumo, finds his stability and center there as well. Below, Sunahama in the sonkyo (meditation) position.



I had to get just a little fan-girling in as well.

Sumo matches involving non-ranked wrestlers, or those which don't affect a wrestler's rank are called "hanazumo" (flower sumo.) Sometimes they're light and humorous, as this demonstration was. Below is a video of a September 2006 sumo wrestling demonstration at the Botanical Garden, very similar to what I saw. But photographs, television broadcasts, or even videos don't convey the sweet toughness of these men, or their impressive physical presence in person. Just watching it again puts a smile on my face, especially at 1:10 when Sunahama does his "little turn on the catwalk."