Local Sumo Customs

[Akinomaki 39,763]

Hitori-zumo 一人角力 on the 13^th at the Ōyamazumi-shrine in Imabari, Ehime.

Same cast as every year since 1999, both Ichirikizan 一力山 and gyoji.

This year another performance (hitori-zumo booms as well) before the main on the 21st this month - and reported live by Fuji TV like 2men-sumo, with an interview of Ichirikizan afterwards: "The spirit was strong again today".

http://www.fnn-news.com/news/headlines/articles/CONN00305142.html

A nice program for this year, with background reports

Edited July 8, 2016 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 39,763]

An ancient custom at a local shrine on Sep.1st in Itoshima-city, Fukuoka, Keya-kazedome-zumo 芥屋風止め相撲 - to stop the wind (it's the typhoon season) from destroying the harvest. Some ceremonial bouts of young and old amateur rikishi

but the nicest are the smallest rikishi - their dohyo-iri is the climax, the musubi of the event

As usual: to pray for a good harvest and for the babies to grow up healthy and sound.

http://mainichi.jp/articles/20160902/k00/00m/040/042000c

http://www.ito.town/detail/index_334.html

http://www.nihon-kankou.or.jp/fukuoka/detail/40230ba2212085469

 

[mikawa 1,794]

The annual dedicatory sumo event held at the Suwa Shrine in Tachikawa City (立川諏訪神社), which includes a few bouts of blindfold sumo, a fun twist to the sport. Most of the participants are members of the local sumo club - Tachikawa Renseikan Sumo Dojo (立川錬成館):

 

[Akinomaki 39,763]

On 12.8.2016 at 11:21, Akinomaki said:

When you hear kami-zumo you mostly will encounter the play with paper rikishi, so I put the right kanji into the title: not the kami=paper but kami=gods. Kami-zumo is said to be the oldest puppet show in Japan and is held every 4 years, dating back to 719, at the Hachimankohyō shrine in Yoshitomi town, Fukuoka.

Not just puppets, some real with that in the title exist as well, all intangible folk custom cultural assets.

Kids kami-zumo in Takamatsu-city, Kagawa, in Murecho, Tai 田井の子供神相撲, dates back over 1000 years and is also connected to Minamoto no Yoshitsune, one of the most loved tragic heroes in Japan (among them also Sanada Yukimura from this year's taiga drama) http://www.asahi.com/articles/ASJ9Q4VQ9J9QPLXB004.html

intai dohyo-iri after 6 years:

Last year with video: http://www.asahi.com/articles/ASH9R3FWXH9RPLXB00C.html

More pics: http://www.nihon-kankou.or.jp/kagawa/detail/37201ba2212083236

older video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gwjb_cyhy4

And I had this one already last year: Karatoyama Shinji-zumo 唐戸山神事相撲 http://www.hokkoku.co.jp/subpage/HT20160926401.htm

last year's pics and videos in the old post:

On 29.9.2015 at 15:38, Akinomaki said:

Said to have a 2000 year history: Karatoyama Shinji-zumo (Shinto ceremonial sumo) in Hakui-city, Ishikawa. Iwatsuku Wake-no-mikoto, enshrined as deity in the local Hakui shrine, had loved sumo. Each year on his death anniversary this sumo event takes place.
The city gets divided into upper mountain and lower mountain and from each part rikishi are paired and fight 2 bouts - thus a draw is possible. Those fighting in the last bout get the title ozeki.
These kind of shinto ceremonial sumo events were frequent in Ishikawa during the Edo period, but now only 3 remain.
Karatoyama Shinji-zumo was this year made prefectural intangible cultural asset. They do a dohyo-iri with kesho mawashi, sumo jinku and kept the ancient style, doing it at the shine of the special watch fire.

Edited September 27, 2016 by Akinomaki

[Jigoro 1]

 

Their shorts seem familiar...

 

Is the mawashi a (relatively) modern addition?  

 

[ScottyJoyJrBebe 97]

E Honda!

Portrayed by a Samoan no less in the movie.

[Kuroyama 715]

9 hours ago, Jigoro said:

Is the mawashi a (relatively) modern addition?  

They don't look so much like shorts to me as hakama that have been hiked up to bare the legs. I wish the video started at the beginning of the ceremony. But just guessing now, the other clothes and katana laid down on the steps behind them suggest they're miming two samurai who meet and decide to settle their differences by wrestling rather than dueling, the wrestling match having been converted into a purely ceremonial act.

The mawashi is simply a form of the fundoshi, traditional Japanese men's underwear which they used for many centuries prior to the mid-20th. So it's unlikely to be a recent addition. In old illustrations of sumo bouts you can see it was at one time nowhere near as wide and heavy as it is now. I'd guess it evolved into its present form simply because getting hauled up by narrow loincloth is, to say the least, uncomfortable. Particularly when you weigh 150kg or more.

[Akinomaki 39,763]

18 hours ago, Kuroyama said:

They don't look so much like shorts to me as hakama that have been hiked up to bare the legs. I wish the video started at the beginning of the ceremony.

This full version of the Nettei-zumo video shows a bit more

 

Edited February 25, 2017 by Akinomaki

[Kuroyama 715]

Thanks! I'm sure the gentleman at 2:25 is explaining all about it, but I use up pretty much all my Japanese with "konnichi wa".

[Akinomaki 39,763]

On 26.2.2017 at 06:49, Kuroyama said:

Thanks! I'm sure the gentleman at 2:25 is explaining all about it, but I use up pretty much all my Japanese with "konnichi wa".

He's only talking a bit about the history, the link to the explanation is given on the YouTube video page: http://www.city.yabu.hyogo.jp/3520.htm

[PawnSums 59]

!Dumb question alert!

is it the same ichirikizan? forever?

[Akinomaki 39,763]

As forever as the top gyoji in ozumo has the name Kimura Shonosuke, the rikishi fighting the spirit for that particular hitori-zumo event will have the name Ichirikizan. If it gets very popular, they also may mention what generation of Ichirikizan it is, like the 36th Shonosuke forever remains that still after intai.

[Akinomaki 39,763]

Yesterday was the traditional Kaizu rikishi matsuri in Makino town, Takashima, Saga. The festival dates back to about 300 years ago. Youths working at the harbor's cargo stores pose as rikishi, but only in respect to wearing kesho-mawashi, otherwise just a normal matsuri.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/local/shiga/news/20170429-OYTNT50129.html

http://www.kyoto-np.co.jp/sightseeing/article/20170430000022

2013: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dn9PGpFCPGA

2015: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wF3sDRacvBw

Edit: I forgot the overview for baby cry sumo - it's the season again - Jiji DB with English captions

and Asahi

o

Edited April 30, 2017 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 39,763]

It's again naki-zumo season - the bouts for the babies, but I only show their dohyo-iri this time

As part of the 70th Matsuura adult sumo tournament in Karatsu, Saga: the 1 year old first sons of the son and the 2 daughters of an OB (66) who took part 6 times - with a set showing kanji of their first names http://www.saga-s.co.jp/news/saga/10105/460774

Shin 真 , Gou 鋼 , Sousuke 颯助 http://www.saga-s.co.jp/news/saga/10105/461325

the older kids do it on their own - The Komoro Hachimangu Hassaku sumo dates back to 1691, it started by the order of the Komoro daimyo

o

Edited September 9, 2017 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 39,763]

On 5.9.2017 at 19:39, Akinomaki said:

As part of the 70th Matsuura adult sumo tournament in Karatsu, Saga

7 about 1 year old boys had a dohyo-iri, Saga shimbun shows the other 4 as well, with age, name, shusshin and parents listed http://www.saga-s.co.jp/news/saga/10105/461047

2 with proper and visible kesho mawashi: 彪斗（Hyuuto 8m） 律（Ritsu 1y）

Edited September 7, 2017 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 39,763]

On 11/27/2013 at 17:38, Akinomaki said:

At the 160year old traditional Otoi-Ōzumō on the 26^th, 27^th in Nomura-cho, Seiyo city, Ehime pref., sekitori etc. took part: local Kataonami-oyakata; Shohozan and Goeido at a baby dohyo-iri.

This is the long-time unique tournament event with ama-pro bouts.

Not only hype rikishi in ozumo get stamps - also Otoi-ozumo got some, though this year due to the scandal no pro-rikishi took part in the bouts. Old pics are used, but for a reason - it's Nomura local Tamakasuga helping with the baby dohyo-iri etc.

1000 sheets went on sale on the 28th in Ehime and around and one week later on the net. http://www.post.japanpost.jp/kitte_hagaki/stamp/frame/detail.php?id=409

[orandashoho 720]

I should have used sumo stamps for my letters and packages when I was in Japan!

[Akinomaki 39,763]

In Japan there are new year events of "...-beginning" (-zome/-hajime) or (hatsu-) "first- ..." for all kinds of things - the first budo keiko events on the 8th include also sumo

one event in Yaizu

o

Budo-hajime for sumo in the Tokyo Budokan

 

Edited January 9, 2018 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 39,763]

This time of the year, sumo tournaments on a snow dohyo are held for kids

one at the Shinjo snow festival, at 1 min in the NHK video http://www3.nhk.or.jp/lnews/yamagata/20180210/6020000049.html

o

and in Mitakeumi's hometown the On-snow Sumo Agematsu-basho - like at the 1st last year he's watching over it as a snowman

o

last year http://www.keiho-news.com/keiho_hn/2017/mitakeumi/

the winner got a calligraphy with his sign

[Akinomaki 39,763]

On 10/14/2013 at 15:15, Akinomaki said:

Hitori-zumo 一人角力 on the 13^th at the Ōyamazumi-shrine in Imabari, Ehime.

Same cast as every year since 1999, both Ichirikizan 一力山 and gyoji.

This year the first event of 2 events was on June 18th. There had been a break of 15 years till 1999, with no suitable candidates for the job. This present Ichirikizan and gyoji pair then wanted to have the custom revived, and now they are 43 and 45. The performer trains for the role of Ichirikizan with walking and mountain climbing: "I'll do it while the body lasts." The records show that already in 1707 there were 2 performances, then on May 5th and Sep. 9th.

The 2015 news video had claimed that the tradition goes on for 650 years now https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpWNx95nKLk

o o

[Akinomaki 39,763]

On 27/11/2013 at 17:38, Akinomaki said:

At the 160year old traditional Otoi-Ōzumō on the 26^th, 27^th in Nomura-cho, Seiyo city, Ehime pref., sekitori etc. took part: local Kataonami-oyakata; Shohozan and Goeido at a baby dohyo-iri.

This is the long-time unique tournament event with ama-pro bouts.

On 04/08/2018 at 15:47, Akinomaki said:

Kataonami-oyakata on the 2nd was on a visit to his hometown Nomura in now Seiyo-city, Ehime, where 5 people had died due to floods from the torrential rain. He met with the mayor, went to a shelter to cheer up the locals and to the Otoi hall. Nomura is famous for the Otoi-ozumo event in November, where the pros meet amateurs - (ex-)Tamakasuga always was a regular guest. The hall with the dohyo had been nearly filled up to the ceiling with water. Now it's a mess and mushrooms grow out of the straw bales of the dohyo.

Otoi-ozumo had started in 1852 after 4 villages had burned down completely, to pray for protection from fire - this time a flood disaster. It may be difficult to get the hall ready again till November, but even if the location has to be changed, they want to somehow have the event this year as well - and Kataonami wants to help any way he can. http://mainichi.jp/articles/20180803/k00/00m/050/106000c

oo

The dohyo for Otoi-ozumo is prepared at another location, the Nomura public hall - to be ready on the 20th. The event is 1 day only this year, on Nov 27th, free entry. Invited is Ikioi. http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/local/ehime/news/20181015-OYTNT50289.html

the repairs in the Otoi hall will take some more time

o

from the past http://www.jprime.jp/articles/-/13541

o o

[Akinomaki 39,763]

22 hours ago, Akinomaki said:

The dohyo for Otoi-ozumo is prepared at another location, the Nomura public hall - to be ready on the 20th. The event is 1 day only this year, on Nov 27th, free entry. Invited is Ikioi.

And for the pro-ama bouts, Naya and Hoshoryu plan to be there -  and they might fight again their opponent at last year's kokutai final and sf, local Sumiki. http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/article?a=20181016-00013541-jprime-ent&p=3
 

There are other local events that have the name "ozumo" in the name also without pros taking part - basically these events have entry fees, so ozumo just means it's business and not just for fun.

In Takaoka-city, the 29th Fushiki-basho ozumo was on Sep. 2nd. This ozumo has a makuuchi (general) division, with banzuke and sanyaku - k/s/o - and preparations the whole year, reported by the local paper, which is the promoter.

o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HTWwgtgS6w

And as special jungyo, this basho has e.g. events in local (nursery) schools - with the basho gyoji and yobidashi: here 2 kids got appointed police chief for a day

o o o

 

And plenty of events have pros as guests, with or without them having bouts (always with some against the kids)

Tsuna-uchi for the east/west dohyo-iri at the 46th chibikko-sumo tournament in Hita city - the NSK supports most sumo events for kids in the country, and also the Otoi-ozumo, but not unrelated ozumo like the Fushiki-basho http://www.sumo.or.jp/pdf/kyokai/zaimu/h29_jigyo_hokoku.pdf

oo

Last year, with Sadogatake-beya guests - pics: http://www.hita-k.org/oyama/archives/5535

apparently the Minato-beya connection got lost

On 27/11/2013 at 17:38, Akinomaki said:

Minatosho and Minatoryu from Minato-beya were with kids at a local primary school sumo tournament in Hita city, Oita.

The event had a rikishi bout refereed by Kimura Motoki and ōichō preparation by a tokoyama.

On 28/11/2015 at 19:03, Akinomaki said:

Ichinojo and others from Minato-beya visited a primary school in Hita-city, Oita, which held its 40th sumo tournament. The school has close connections to heya with this tournament, dating back 40 years to the former Minato- and then Tatsutagawa-oyakata, Yutakayama.

Edited October 19, 2018 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 39,763]

Nemari sumo is an ancient tradition in the Tsugaru region in Aomori, with regular kids tournaments in Hirosaki, again one yesterday.

Sumo on the knees - the samurai of the Edo period did it in winter to resolve the problem of insufficient exercise. The term is said to be derived from the dialect expression nemaru for suwaru, sit.

local NHK vid http://www3.nhk.or.jp/lnews/aomori/20181214/6080003334.html

http://www.toonippo.co.jp/articles/-/127997

a video from an event in August https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KG115qUuazs

Edited December 15, 2018 by Akinomaki

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

In some martial traditions, suwari-waza (techniques practiced kneeling rather than standing) are used as a training tool to work on technical abilities, as it can reduce height and weight advantages.

Edited December 16, 2018 by Otokonoyama

[Akinomaki 39,763]

Baby cry sumo gets more and more professionally organized

https://www.nakisumo.jp/

"Baby cry sumo is the graduation ceremony for the baby"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8x0dUfvEa0

the merits for the 13 000 yen to take part: prayer at the shrine

vivid weep is a win for the baby

strong legs for the baby with shiko training

doing back stretch drumming

 

 a memorial tegata - the hand-made shikona helmet is a present as well - the parents have to think of a shikona

which is put on a banzuke - another present - and a photo shoot with kesho mawashi - 100 varieties to rent

hand-crafted dohyo - 1 on 1 bouts - but all who cry win

https://www.nakisumo.jp/about

Edited February 9, 2019 by Akinomaki