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mikawa

Interviews with Sumo Kids

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Whilst I was in Tokyo earlier this month, I took the opportunity to interview members of various sumo clubs about what prompted them to start learning sumo, and what they think are the benefits of learning sumo?

The interviewees ranged from your average sumo kids (like Sasaki Chikara's younger brother and Mitaka's Ogawa Yuto) to those who have appeared at the Wanpaku Tournament (such as Hanafusa Kai, Kiyomiya Itto, Yoshioka Yudai & Ryudai, Hirano Shurato etc). There are even Wanpaku Yokozuna amongst them, such as Uchida Kyota and Kodama Hayato, both of whom are also multiple Hakuho Cup winners.

Their responses are as follows. Hopefully they will provide a good insight into how Ozumo rikishi started their long journeys, and what motivated them to continue on that difficult path.


Kid #1

  1. わんぱく相撲(小学生6年の時に)に出たのがきっかけです
    Participated in the Wanpaku tournament back in Grade 6
     
  2. 股わりができるようになったこと、体力がついたこと
    Being able to do matawari, gained strength and stamina


Kid #2

  1. 父が相撲をやっていて体験したのがきっかけです
    My father does sumo, so I got to experience it too
     
  2. 相手に向かう気もちが強くなったこと
    Having a stronger mind when facing an opponent


Kid #3

  1. 父と兄がすもうをやっていたのでやってみたいとおもいました
    My father and older brother both do sumo, so I wanted to try it out
     
  2. かな川大会でゆうしょうできたこと
    Was able to win sumo tournaments in Kanagawa


Kid #4

  1. 父が相撲をやっていて体験したのがきっかけ
    My father does sumo so I got to experience it as well
     
  2. 相手に向かう気もちが強なったこと
    Having a stronger mind when facing an opponent


Kid #5

  1. わんぱく相撲に出たのがきっかけです
    Participated in the Wanpaku tournament
     
  2. 体力がついた
    Gained strength and stamina


Kid #6

  1. 兄が始めたからです
    Because my older brother started doing sumo
     
  2. 力がついた
    Gained strength


Kid #7

  1. 先生にいわれた
    My teacher told me to try it
     
  2. ちょと前でた
    It was a while ago (?)


Kid #8

  1. お父さんが高校の時やっていたから
    Because my father did sumo when he was at high school
     
  2. 力が強くなった
    I got stronger


Kid #9

  1. おじいちゃんがやってみなどってばりました
    My grandfather told me to try it out
     
  2. ともだちがふえた
    Made some friends


Kid #10

  1. ほいくえんですもう大会があってそこで優勝してさんかしたから
    I won a sumo competition back during kindergarten, so I decided to joined a club
     
  2. 技がすごくうまくなったから
    My skills were able to improve


Kid #11

  1. 市内のわんぱく相撲で優勝してそこから相撲が楽しくなったので相撲を始めた
    I won the Wanpaku qualifiers in my city and found it fun, so I decided to start learning sumo
     
  2. 大会などで勝ったり、今まで勝てなかった相手に勝ったりして強くなったと実感できたときが相撲をやっていて良かったと思います
    Won various competitions, won against opponents whom I would lose to in the past, able to feel stronger, so I think that it's good to do sumo


Kid #12

  1. わんぱく相もうでゆう勝したので相もうを始めた
    I started sumo because I won a Wanpaku competition
     
  2. 大会で勝つとみんながほめてくれるのがやっていてよかったことです
    It's very nice that everyone praises me when I win bouts during competitions


Kid #13

  1. あきる野市の学校の相撲大会で優勝したから
    Because I won a sumo competition at my school in Akiruno City
     
  2. たくさんトロフィーをもらったりメダルをもらえたこと
    Was able to receive many trophies and medals from doing sumo


Kid #14

  1. わんぱく相撲に出てまけたことがくやしくて、習いはじめました
    I regretted losing my bout at a Wanpaku competition, so I started learning sumo
     
  2. 試合を何回もすることでいろんな事をのりこえる強さを身につけた
    Through the countless bouts that I've participated in, I gained the strength to overcome difficult things


Kid #15

  1. けんこうのため
    For my health
     
  2. 足のきん肉がついたこと
    Got stronger muscles in my legs


Kid #16

  1. 大会で2位になって1位の子に勝ちたいと思い始めました
    I finished runner-up at a tournament and wanted to beat the kid who finished 1st, so I started learning sumo
     
  2. 相撲をやる前はいじめられたけどやり始めてからはいじめられなくなった事
    Before doing sumo I tended to give up easily. Since starting sumo I would no longer give up on things


Kid #17

  1. わんぱくすもう大会で2位になったら、小松竜道場だったんにさそわれて始めました
    I finished runner-up at a Wanpaku tournament, and was invited to start learning sumo with Komatsuryu Dojo
     
  2. 身体が大きくなったことと、関東大会で優勝できたこと
    My body was able to get bigger, and was able to win the Kanto tournament


Kid #18

  1. 親がやってみないかと言っていたのでやってみようと思ってわんぱく相撲に出たのがきかけです
    My parents told me to try it out and I wanted to give it a go, so I took part in my local Wanpaku tournament
     
  2. 色々な事が学べること
    Was able to learn various things


Kid #19

  1. なんとなく始めていた
    I started sumo for no particular reason
     
  2. きついことにたえられる
    Able to endure difficult things
Edited by mikawa
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