SUMO, Japanese national wrestling, one of the oldest varieties combat sports. Currently, it has become widespread in many countries of the world, including Russia. There are professional and amateur sumo. See also MARTIAL ARTS.

Rules, wrestling techniques and equipment in sumo. Sumatori (sumo wrestlers) fights take place on a doha: a special adobe platform covered with fine sand. In the center of a square (7.27 x 7.27 m) platform there is a circle with a diameter of 4.55 m. The sumo wrestler must either push the opponent out of this circle or force him to touch the surface of the circle with any part of the body - except the feet. Wrestlers are prohibited from striking each other with their fists, with the ribs of their palms and legs, strangling each other, or pulling hair - from the outside, sumo wrestling looks like persistent “pushing” each other. At the same time, sumo fights are extremely short-lived: they usually last one to two minutes; fights lasting more than five minutes are very rare.

The course of the fight is monitored by 4 side judges, the chief referee and a referee on the platform.

For sumatori, its own weight is important. Modern sumo wrestlers are large people. And since the technical arsenal of this type of wrestling does not include painful techniques and aggressive attacking actions, the bulk of the body mass of sumo wrestlers is not muscles, but body fat, which gives the fights a unique uniqueness: in fact, huge fat men perform in front of the audience, most of whom do not have an athletic physique. Along with physical strength a sumo wrestler must also have a good reaction and a sense of balance, which he can maintain during the fight, taking into account heavy weight rivals is very difficult.

The equipment of sumo wrestlers includes only special belts - mawashi, which are tied through the groin at the waist. The absence of any clothing on sumo wrestlers is not accidental; this emphasizes the “pure” nature of this noble, by Japanese standards, wrestling: opponents do not have the opportunity to hide weapons in the folds, for example, of the kimono in which judokas perform. The opponent's mawashi is often used by a sumo wrestler when making grabs and throws, since it is simply impossible to grab onto most parts of the body of an athlete burdened with a large fat mass. It is prohibited to deliberately tear a belt from an opponent, and the loss of a belt through the fault of the wrestler himself leads to his disqualification (although this happens extremely rarely).

Sumo seems simple and unpretentious only to the uninitiated viewer. It is not easy to throw a giant sumo wrestler onto the platform or push him outside the circle. This is hampered by the gigantic weight of the wrestlers. In addition, in sumo, as in any other form of wrestling, there is a set of techniques that allow the athlete to attack and defend technically competently. In modern Japanese sumo there are 82 basic techniques. The most common techniques include such techniques as “yorikiri” - a mutual grab in which the athlete, whose back is to the edge of the circle, is forced out by the opponent (on average, about 30% of victories in modern sumo are achieved with this technique), and “kakezori” – throwing an opponent over the hip. One of the most difficult and, at the same time, the most beautiful and spectacular techniques is “ipponzoi”, grabbing one of the opponent’s hands with both hands and then throwing him over the back (from 1990 to 2001, this most difficult technique brought victory to only one sumo wrestler - Kayo, who at own weight 170 kg managed to throw the 220 kg Musashimaru).

Unlike international tournaments in sumo, where fights are held according to weight categories, in classic Japanese sumo wrestlers participate in fights regardless of their weight. This gives it exceptional entertainment - and clearly demonstrates that in sumo not only weight is important, but also the technique of the athlete.

The duel is like a ritual. Japanese sumo being national species a sport with a long history, extremely conservative in nature. The fight is held according to traditions established centuries ago. Its ritual side is of no small importance.

Before the start of the fight, athletes are required to perform the traditional ceremony of shaking off the mortal dust from their hands: they fold their palms in front of them and then spread them to the sides, thereby showing their intention to fight “cleanly”. Then the wrestlers do half squats, resting their hands on their bent knees and looking into each other’s eyes (the so-called sonke position). Nowadays, such movements are nothing more than a tribute to tradition, but in ancient times it was a kind of psychological duel between fighters who tried to suppress their opponent morally with a stern look and a menacing pose. Such a “psychological confrontation” lasts, as a rule, several minutes – 3-4 times longer than the fight itself. The wrestlers sit down opposite each other 2-3 times, and then straighten up and move apart, thereby increasing the tension in the hall. These ceremonial preparatory actions are accompanied by the throwing of salt: the participants in the duel throw handfuls of it in front of them on the platform, which is a symbol of the expulsion of demonic spirits from sports ground. Only after such a rather long ceremony do the wrestlers sit down for the last time, rest their fists on the platform and, at the judge’s signal, rush at each other.

At the end of the fight, the winner again takes the sonke position - awaiting the official decision of the judges. After its announcement, the wrestler takes aside right hand palm down and only then leaves the platform.

Professional Japanese sumo.

Competitions. In modern Japan, professional sumo tournaments (or as it is called “ozumo” - literally “big sumo”) largely determine the national calendar, setting the cyclical rhythm of life throughout the country. The regularity of tournaments gives the Japanese confidence in the inviolability of ancient traditions and the stability of their own existence. Tournaments are held 6 times a year (on odd-numbered months, starting in January). Their locations are also constant: in January, May and September - in Tokyo, in March - in Osaka, in July - in Nagoya, in November - in Fukuoka. The duration of one tournament is 15 days. The first and last day of tournaments is always Sunday. Fights are held in six “rating” categories with a total of almost a thousand athletes participating. The highest category - makuuchi - currently includes 40 sumatori, who fight one fight per day, wrestlers of lower “divisions” fight once every 2 days. The winner of the tournament is the wrestler who achieves the greatest number of victories in fights (maximum 15). If two or more wrestlers have the same number of victories during the competition, additional fights are held between them to determine the strongest. The fights of the recognized leaders of sumo - "ozeki" (2nd rank wrestlers) and "yokozuna" (1st or higher rank wrestlers) usually begin at 16.30 and end at 18.00, when the traditional evening news broadcast of the NHK television company airs , which has owned the exclusive right to television broadcast sumo tournaments for many years.

The disadvantage of these competitions has long been considered the fact that representatives of the same sumo schools (or “rooms” - Japanese heya) cannot fight each other in them. According to tradition, representatives of one or another “room” (now there are more than 50 of them) must compete only against wrestlers from other schools, but not against their own comrades. The only exceptions are additional matches in the finals of the tournament.

In addition to six official tournaments, professional sumo wrestlers take part in demonstration performances V different cities Japan and abroad.

Yokozuna. The title "yokozuna" (literally, great champion) is awarded for excellent athletic results that a wrestler achieves over a long period of time (at least 3-5 years), as well as for outstanding achievements in the field of sumo. The title is awarded by a special commission that carefully and meticulously studies each candidate. Unlike ozeki, yokozuna is a lifelong title. It is awarded infrequently: over the past 300 years, only about 70 sumo wrestlers have been awarded it.

According to the rules, no more than five yokozuna can participate in one sports season. At the same time, there are seasons when there is not a single yokozuna among the tournament participants.

If an active yokozuna begins to lose ground, he must leave sumo.

Sumo is the sport of fat people. It is believed that the “exterior” of sumo wrestlers corresponds to Japanese ideas about the male ideal. Like the ancient Russian heroes, Japanese sumo wrestlers personify the greatness of powerful flesh and the good spirit clothed in this flesh.

It should be noted that the weight of sumo wrestlers has become truly gigantic only in recent decades. Moreover: until 1910, Japanese who weighed more than 52 kg were not allowed to participate in sumo. In 1926, those whose weight did not exceed 64 kg were allowed to compete in tournaments, and in 1957 the minimum allowable weight of a sumo wrestler was officially introduced - 66.5 kg; the Japanese Sumo Association (formed in 1927) refused the maximum limit.

Currently, sumo schools accept teenagers with a height of at least 173 cm and a weight of at least 75 kg. The average weight of a modern professional wrestler ranges from 120–140 kg, although recent history sumo knows how unique giants (for example, the Hawaiian Konishiki in different years his sports career weighed from 270 to 310 kg), and lively “kids” (one of the few sumo wrestlers with a higher education, Mainoumi, weighed less than 95 kg).

The basis of sumo wrestlers' nutrition is, as a rule, fatty hot soups with meat and vegetables, which wrestlers eat twice a day, up to 3 kg in one sitting, washed down with beer.

As practice shows, after finishing their sports career, most sumo wrestlers lose weight: their weight drops to 85–90 kg.

Historical information. Initially, sumo was hand-to-hand combat between warrior-wrestlers, identical to those that existed in the Tatar-Mongol armies. Its historical roots have not yet been precisely determined, but most researchers are inclined to believe that the chronology of sumo goes back at least 2000 years, and it came to Japan from Mongolia in the 6th–7th centuries. (There is also a “Japanese” version of the origin of sumo, according to which the Shinto god Takamikazuchi won a hand-to-hand fight with a barbarian deity, after which heaven allowed the Japanese to settle on Honshu, the main island of the Japanese archipelago.) The first mention of sumo in Japanese historical documents dates back to 642 year.

Since the 12th century, there has been a division of sumo into combat and sports. In the XIII–XIV centuries. it acquired the status of Japanese folk wrestling, competitions were held according to the agricultural calendar - in connection with the end of autumn field work, and later for other “economic reasons”. In addition, sumo tournaments began to coincide with certain religious (Shinto) holidays.

The heyday of sumo dates back to the 17th century, when tens of thousands of Japanese became its avid fans, and sumo wrestlers became public favorites. Competitions were held on the occasion of national and local holidays. It was in the 17th century that the basic principles of sumo were fully formed as wrestling, the rules for holding tournaments were clearly regulated, which are observed to this day.

For a long time, Japanese sumo remained a sport exclusively “for its own people.” Until the end of the 60s. In the 20th century, non-Japanese were not allowed there: rare exceptions were naturalized foreigners - the Chinese and Koreans. Since the late 60s. “ordinary” foreigners began to compete in Japanese sumo. Starting from the second half of the 80s, some of them, primarily immigrants from the Hawaiian Islands, began to achieve noticeable success in Doha.

At the end of the 20th century there was a noticeable development in different countries received amateur sumo. In 1992, the International Sumo Federation (ISF) was created: initially it included 25 countries, in 2002 there were already 82. In the same 1992, the World Sumo Championship debuted. Three years later, the European championship was played for the first time. At first, representatives of other types of martial arts participated in such competitions, having simultaneously mastered the technique of sumo wrestling, but by the end of the 90s an elite of “pure” sumo masters had formed.

Amateur tournaments are held in four weight categories: light (up to 85 kg), medium (85–115 kg), heavy (over 115 kg) and absolute (athletes participate in fights regardless of their weight). Women sumo wrestlers have the same categories: light (up to 65 kg), medium (65–80 kg), heavy (over 80 kg) and absolute. Amateur competitions are held in both individual and team competitions.

Currently, the strongest sumo wrestlers in the world, besides the Japanese themselves, are considered to be wrestlers from Brazil, Mongolia, Russia, Poland, Germany and the USA.

Sumo is included in the World Games program (World Games are competitions in sports disciplines that are not included in the official program Olympic Games, held since 1980). The issue of assigning it the status of an Olympic sport is being considered. According to the IOC rules, a sport is declared Olympic only if male and female varieties of a given sports discipline are cultivated in different countries of the world. Now women's sumo is actively developing in the USA, Germany, Russia and many other countries - except Japan. There sumo is still considered pure masculine looking sports There are some sumo wrestlers in the country, but so far they cannot count on universal recognition and holding their own tournaments. And therefore the quick recognition of sumo Olympic form sports is very problematic.

Sumo in Russia. Initially, a sumo section functioned under the Russian Judo Federation. In 1998, the Russian Sumo Federation was established, which currently holds championships in Moscow and St. Petersburg, a number of other regional competitions, and also plays a national championship.

Our sumo wrestlers successfully perform at international amateur sumo competitions. The Russian team had no equal at the European Championships in 2000 and 2001, as well as at the 2000 World Championships. The most titled Russian sumo wrestlers today are Ayas Mongush and Olesya Kovalenko.

In recognition of the merits of our sumo wrestlers, Russia received the right to host the 2002 European Championships and the 2003 World Championships.

In 2000, 16-year-old Buryat schoolboy Anatoly Mikhakhanov was the first Russian to debut in professional sumo - under the name Asahi Mitsuri. In 2002, he was accompanied by two more immigrants from Russia - brothers Soslan and Batraz Boradzov.

Alexandra Vlasova

Sumo is a type of wrestling in a loincloth (mawashi) on a specially equipped area (dohyo).

The following weight categories are defined in sumo competitions:

• Boys 13-18 years old: up to 75 kg, up to 100 kg, over 100 kg and absolute weight category.
• Men: up to 85 kg, up to 115 kg, over 115 kg and absolute weight category.
• Women: up to 65 kg, up to 80 kg, over 80 kg and absolute weight category.

Cloth

Competitors must wear a loincloth - mawashi. However, in amateur sumo it is allowed to wear swimming trunks or tight black shorts under the mawashi. The width of the mawashi is 40 cm, there is no specific length prescribed, but the mawashi must be long enough to be wrapped around the athlete's torso 4-5 times.

Athletes are prohibited from entering a fight wearing objects that could injure the opponent. This primarily applies to metal jewelry (rings, bracelets, chains, etc.). The wrestler's body must be completely clean and dry, his fingernails and toenails must be cut short. Emblem of the club, federation, number, etc. it is allowed to attach (tie) to the mawashi.

Venue: Dohyo

Sumo competitions are held on a square area with a side of 7.27 m, which is called dohyo.

There are two types of dohyo:

• mori-dohyo - a clay or earthen trapezoid 34-60 cm high;
• Hira-dohyo is a flat dohyo, which is used for training and for competitions in the absence of a mori-dohyo.

The bout arena is a circle with a diameter of 4.55 m, the center of which is the intersection of two diagonal lines of the square specified in clause 5.1. The perimeter of the fighting arena is limited by a rope of rice straw - Cebu Dawara.

In the center of the circle on the eastern and western sides of the dohyo, two white starting lines (shikirisen) are applied to the surface at a distance of 70 cm from each other. The length of the shikirisen is 80 cm, width is 6 cm.

The inside of the circle is sprinkled with sand. Sand is also scattered outside the circle, along the Sebu-Dawara, to a width of about 25 cm, to form a “control” strip - janome. In controversial cases, the presence or absence of marks on the janome helps to correctly determine the outcome of the fight.

Composition of the panel of judges

IN panel of judges includes: the chief judge of the competition, the deputy chief judge, the chief secretary, judges, informants and other service personnel.

The Chief Judge is responsible for the implementation of all provisions relating to general rules refereeing, including the appointment of referee panels.

Composition of the judging panel

The refereeing panel should consist of 6 people:

• team leader - simpante,
• referee - gyoji,
• 4 side judges - simpans.

Wrestling rules

Except in special situations, the following provisions determine the winner of the bout:

• the wrestler who forces the opponent to touch the dohyo with any part of the body outside the sebu-dawar wins;
• The winner is the wrestler who forces the opponent to touch the dohyo with any part of the body other than the soles of the feet, within the cebu-dawar.

Special situations include the position of shinitai (“dead body”) - a complete loss of balance, inevitably leading to defeat.

The attacker does not lose the fight by touching the dohyo with his hand in order to soften the fall and avoid injury when completing a technical action, as a result of which the opponent ends up in the position of shinitai. This situation is called kabaite.

The attacker does not lose the fight by stepping behind the sebu-dawara in order to soften the fall and avoid injury when completing a technical action, as a result of which the opponent ends up in a shinitai position. This situation is called kabaiashi.

The attacker does not lose the fight by standing up for the Sebu-Davara when he, having lifted the enemy, takes him out and lowers him behind the Sebu-Davara. This situation is called okuriashi. However, the attacker loses the fight if, while carrying out this technical action, he goes behind the Sebu-Dawar with his back forward.

The attacker does not lose the fight if, when performing a winning throw, the rise of his leg touches the dohyo.

It is not a failure if the horizontal front part of the mawashi (orikomi) touches the dohyo.

A wrestler may be declared defeated by a decision of the judges in the following cases:

1. If he cannot continue the fight due to injury,
2. If he performs kinjite (prohibited acts),
3. If he ends the fight on his own,
4. If he deliberately did not rise from his starting position,
5. If he doesn't follow the gyoji's commands,
6. If he does not appear in the waiting sector after the second official call,
7. If the maebukuro (codpiece) of the mawashi comes untied and falls off during a fight.

If the fight lasts longer than the set time, but the winner is not determined, it is stopped and the fight is repeated.

Prohibited actions (kinjite):

• Punching or finger poking.
• Kicks to the chest or stomach.
• Hair grabs.
• Grab by the throat.
• Grabs the vertical parts of the mawashi.
• Wringing the opponent's fingers.
• Biting.
• Direct blows to the head.

Rituals

Sumo, like other traditional martial arts in Japan, maintains and honors rituals and etiquette.

The rituals consist of ritsu-rei (standing bow), chiritezu (water purification) and shikiri (preparation).

Chiritezu is a unique ritual that originates from the ancient Japanese custom of washing a warrior before battle.

Chiritezu is performed by both wrestlers simultaneously when entering the dohyo. They squat down in a sonoke position, balancing on their toes. The heels are lifted off the floor, the torso and head are held straight, the hands are placed on the knees. The wrestlers lower their hands and nod to each other. Then the athletes bring their outstretched arms together at chest level, spread them to the sides with their palms down and again bring them together in front with a clap of their palms, straighten their arms and spread them to the sides parallel to the ground with their palms up, and at the end of the ritual turn them with their palms down.

Sikiri— pre-launch preparatory movements. The wrestlers squat down with their legs spread wide and their torso bent forward. At the same time, the hips and shoulders are held horizontally, and the hands, clenched into fists, rest on the surface of the dohyo along the shikirisen, without touching, which corresponds to the “ready!” position.

The transition from shikiri to tachiai (starting jerk-lift) must be carried out by athletes simultaneously.

Rituals are an integral and important part of sumo and must be performed without haste, with dignity and calm, emphasizing the harmony and greatness of sumo.

Fight

The duration of the fight is:

• For age group 13-15 years old - 3 minutes;
• for the age group 16-17 years - 5 minutes;
• for adults 18 years and older - 5 minutes.

If after the specified time the winner is not determined, a re-fight (torinaoshi) is scheduled.

There is no break between contractions. The next contraction begins immediately after the end of the previous one.

Calling participants

Competitors enter the dohyo-damari in the following order:

• V team competitions the two teams that will compete next must leave and position themselves in the dohyo-damari before the end of the previous match;
• in individual competitions, the wrestler must be in doha-damari 2 grabs before his own.

While on dohyo and dohyo-damari, competition participants must behave with dignity and avoid rude expressions so as not to hurt the feelings of others.

Wrestlers are invited to the dokhio by the judge-informant via a microphone in a loud and clear voice 2 times. If, after the second official challenge, the participant does not enter the dohyo, he is considered a defeat.

Presentation of participants

Wrestlers take part in the competition under the numbers they received in the draw. The informant judge introduces all wrestlers in each weight category at the beginning of the competition by name. Before the start of each fight, the participants are introduced by name, indicating their data (age, height, weight), titles and ranks.

The beginning of the fight

The fight begins at the command of the gyoji after performing the necessary rituals.

Stopping the fight

Gyoji may stop the bout one or more times due to injury, improper clothing (mawashi), or any other reason beyond the participant's wishes.

The time spent on breaks per wrestler may be established by the Competition Regulations.

End of the fight

The fight ends when the gyoji, having determined the outcome of the fight, announces: “Sebu atta!” - and pointing with his hand in the direction of the dohyo (East or West), from which the winner began the fight. The wrestlers on this team must stop wrestling.

Announcement of the winner (katinanori)

After the end of the fight and the announcement of “Cebu atta!” gyoji and wrestlers return to their original positions.

The loser bows (rei) and leaves the dohyo. The winner assumes the sonkyo pose and, after the gyoji, pointing at him with his hand, announces: “Higashi no kachi!” (“Victory of the East!”) or “Nishi no Kati!” (“Victory of the West!”), extends his right hand to the side and down.

If the bout is terminated due to the use of a prohibited technique by one of the wrestlers, the winner is declared in the prescribed manner.

If it is impossible for one of the wrestlers to continue the fight due to injury, his opponent assumes the sonkyo position, and the gyoji, in the established order, declares him the winner.

If one of the wrestlers fails to appear, the wrestler who comes out in doha assumes the sonkyo position, and the gyoji, in the prescribed manner, declares him the winner.

One to one

wrestlers, entwined with silks,—
autumn day...
Ransetsu, XVIII century.

While in Japan, English photographer Paolo Patrizi took a series of photographs “Sumo”, illustrating the daily life of Sumo wrestlers.

Opening a popular magazine or Sunday edition of a newspaper, a modern Japanese reader can easily find, next to the names of movie stars and pop idols, a column dedicated to the masters sumo —rikishi. Handsome, portly giants are shown in the ring and with their families, at a friendly dinner and at the hairdresser. Their gigantic bodies, exotic outfits and high hairstyles make up a seemingly striking contrast with the entire way of life of the average Japanese of the 20th century. And yet sumo invariably remains the same symbol of Japan as geisha(currently receiving education in special institutes), ikebana, tea ceremony, dry gardens, netsuke, judo, karate. Representing something between traditional martial art, sports and variety shows, sumo, just like two hundred years ago, attracts millions of fans. Well, they can be understood. Anyway, going to the match sumo or sitting comfortably in front of the TV screen, every Japanese can console himself with the flattering thought: such a spectacle cannot be found in any country in the world.

Of all the martial arts known in the world sumo without any exaggeration it can be called the most spectacular. For all its cultural originality, there is probably no struggle on our planet that is more popular and attractive. Although for many uninitiated fans sumo is something mysterious and inexplicable. However, probably the same as the Land of the Rising Sun itself, incomprehensible to Europeans.

Story sumo roots in the deepest antiquity. Already in Chinese historical and literary monuments of the end of the 1st millennium BC. e. mentioned martial arts Xiangpu. The hieroglyphs of this name in Japanese reading give the word sideways, and in modern sound - sumo. Another hieroglyphic designation of the word sumo traces its genealogy to Chinese folk struggle juedi, which has also developed since prehistoric times. More scrupulous researchers find references to a certain variety sumo in the canonical Buddhist Lotus Sutra, where bunk(Indian version sumo) is mentioned among other useful sciences that a virtuous husband should master. They also refer to the biography of Siddhartha Gautama, who, before becoming Buddha, was diligently involved in wrestling and fist fighting. However, all these facts are very indirectly related to Japanese sumo, although they make it possible, to a certain extent, to identify its prototypes in the distant past.

The first information about the real sumo are contained in the “Records of Ancient Affairs” (“Kojiki”, VIII century), published in 712 and covering the period from the “era of the gods” to 628, a collection of cosmogonic and historical myths that put forward a version of the divine origin of the Yamato race. It is narrated, in particular, how during the advance of the Japanese to the northeast of the island of Honshu, the leader of the local tribes, Takeminakata no kami, challenged the Japanese commander to a duel. The prize for the winner was to be all the movable and immovable property of the loser. In a fight that took place without the use of weapons, the arrogant warrior was defeated, and all his possessions legally passed to the Yamato tribe.

“...and he took his hand like a reed, grabbed it and crushed it and threw it away” (scroll 1, chapter 28). And although it is probably not worth treating this episode as a description of sumo specifically, since both gods used magic during the fight to achieve victory, the Japanese insist on the opposite.

Another episode concerning a struggle like sumo, can be found in another written source - “Nihon Shoki” (“Annals of Japan”), which appeared in 720. It tells the story of a duel between two strong men. One of them was called Kekaya, he was a resident of the village of Taima and was famous throughout the area for his invincibility. When rumors of this reached the ruler of the country, he ordered that another strongman be found so that they could fight. Worthy - Nomi no Sukune was from Izumo, and then on the 7th day of the 7th month of the 7th year of the reign of Emperor Suinin (29 BC) “they stood opposite each other and kicked alternately with their feet. And Nomi no Sukune broke Taima no Kehai’s rib, and then broke his lower back with his foot, and so killed him” (scroll 6, chapter 4). As the book further narrates, all the property of the murdered man was given to the winner, but he himself remained to serve at court, and after his death he became the patron god of wrestling, as well as pottery masters.

However, both the first and second mentions relate, rather, to legends. The very word " sumo"(sumachi) is first found in the Nihon Shoki (in the 9th month of the 14th year (469) of the reign of Emperor Yuryaku). The word “sumo” was transformed from the noun “sumahi” from the ancient Japanese verb “sumafu” (“to measure strength”) and over hundreds of years it became first “sumai” and then “sumo”. Many believe that wrestling came to the Japanese islands from Korea. And this is not surprising, because the Japanese state was built on the model of the Land of Morning Freshness. This is also evidenced by the etymological similarity of the name: another Japanese reading of the hieroglyphs “sumo” - “soboku” is very similar to the Korean “shubaku”.

Reliable information about the competition sumo date back to 642, when, on the instructions of the emperor, a holiday was held at court in honor of the Korean ambassador. Soldiers from the palace guard and Koreans from the embassy guard took part in the wrestling competition. Let us note, by the way, that in Korea there has long been a struggle shubaku, related to Japanese sumo both in hieroglyphic writing and in internal content. Since then, competitions have been held annually at court sumo. They were timed to coincide with Tanabata, the holiday of the end of field work and the beginning of autumn, which is celebrated in Japan on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. With the end of rice harvesting (Japanese) sumai) is also associated with the origin of the name sumo. Long before the establishment of ritual holiday competitions sumosechi wrestling was part of the entertainment program for peasants at Tanabata, one of the busiest folk festivals of the calendar cycle. Tournament sumo at court, it usually followed a poetry tournament, and often the participants sought to equally demonstrate their creative talent and military prowess.

Before the start of the fight, the sumotori clap their hands and, raising their legs high, hit them forcefully on the floor. Wrestlers in the top two divisions also rinse their mouths and scrub their bodies with cleansing, “strengthening” water. Some superstitious wrestlers lightly touch the beautiful woman. During the fight, sagari (special braids) are attached to the tori-mawashi (a belt for fighting measuring 80 cm x 9 m).

The tradition of holding palace championships sumo developed already in the Heian era - the time of the Japanese Renaissance (794-1192). To select the strongest, the court heralds left the emperor's palace in the spring, so that soon after the Tanabata holiday, which falls on the 7th day of the 7th month lunar calendar, fighters from all over the country could measure their strength before the ruler in the “capital of peace and quiet” Heian (Kyoto).

There was no referee as such; the fight was watched in turn by the military leaders of the palace guard, who prevented the use of prohibited techniques (hitting the head, grabbing the hair, kicking the fallen), and also monitored the synchronized start. If the result of the fight was doubtful, then a person from the aristocracy was asked to judge, but in the case when this judge hesitated, the emperor himself acted as the supreme arbiter, and his decision was final. The absolute winner was awarded the title of champion and received valuable gifts. Since large-built wrestlers took part in the tournament, regardless of class, quite paradoxical situations also occurred. For example, peasant wrestlers, due to a tournament that occurred during the harvest period, were not engaged in their main activities, therefore, according to the law, upon returning home they were subject to imprisonment. The governors who recommended them also got it. The last tournament was held in 1147, shortly before the establishment of samurai power in the country.

Several hundred years sumo was in decline, but thanks to the Japanese commitment to their culture and traditions, it did not disappear. Its rise began during the Azuchi-Momoyama period (1573–1603). Large feudal lords of the Middle Ages (daimyo) kept the best wrestlers, from time to time organizing tournaments. At the same time, the first professional sumotori appeared from among the ronin - samurai who had lost their master.

The power of the Tokugawa shoguns established at the beginning of the 17th century and the subsequent isolation of the country contributed to the growth of folk crafts and the development of fine and performing arts. The famous wrestlers were incredibly famous, like actors in the Noo or Kabuki theaters. The popularity reached the point that printing houses began to publish lists of wrestlers listing their titles and features (bandzuke), which have survived to this day. Engravings depicting famous sumotori were printed in huge quantities and were always in demand. Sumo had its golden age. The rules for conducting fights, the system of ranks and champion titles were almost completely formed; with some additions, all these settings still exist today. Yoshida Oikaze introduced the title of yokozuna to distinguish the best of the best. During the Tokugawa period, 72 canonical sumo techniques, called kimarite, were established.

After the reform of the army and the beginning of Westernization of the country, Sumotori remained, perhaps, the only ones who did not lose their originality and the magnificent samurai hairstyle temmage. Some proponents of deep reform tried to ban sumo as a relic of samurai Japan, but, fortunately for everyone, this did not happen. Thanks to the support of Emperor Mutsuhito, who came to power in the country, sumo was not abolished; moreover, in 1909, a huge Kokugikan complex was built to hold annual championships.

In modern Japan sumo is an integral part of culture, carefully preserved by generations. A true sumotori goes through a difficult path that few can achieve. Anyone who one day decides to become a fighter must devote himself to this cause without reserve. The entire life of members of the Japanese Professional Sumo Federation is strictly regulated and resembles the life of a military man rather than an athlete. To become a sumotori major league, it takes years of hard training and persistent striving for advancement in the table of ranks. A person who comes to sumo needs to think about two seemingly incompatible things: flexibility training and weight gain. And they achieve this - all sumotori, even those that reach a weight of up to 300 kg, can stand on the floor with extraordinary ease. gymnastic bridge or do the splits. Although not only weight is important for victory, agility and intelligence play an equally important role in the actions of wrestlers. Judge for yourself: in one of the fights at the 8th World Championships, held in 1999, the 105-kilogram Russian Yuri Golubovsky managed to defeat the American Yarbrow, who weighed 350 kg.

Having ascended to the lowest level of the hierarchical ladder, wrestlers begin to advance to the top, annually competing in tournaments of the professional, so-called “big sumo” - oodzumo. Despite the fact that there are no strictly designated weight categories, wrestlers no lighter than 70 kg and no less than 173 cm tall are allowed to compete (by the way, until 1910 there was no height limit, weight had to be at least 52 kg, but already in 1926 the rules were tightened to 64 kg and 164 cm ).

Each of the six championships sumo(hombasho) is an unforgettable, colorful spectacle, every action of which strictly obeys the ritual established in ancient times. 13 days before it starts, the Japan Sumo Federation releases a banzuke (table of ranks), in which all sumotori are listed in descending order. This document is drawn by hand, in a special font, and the higher the merits of the wrestler, the larger his name is written. The names of the beginners are written in almost with a needle. Until the document is released, all information is kept in the strictest confidence, and those responsible for it are under “house arrest.”

During the 15-day tournament, each major league wrestler competes one match per day. Sumotori of the lower divisions must have 7 fights. Thus, in order to become the owner of any prize, each sumotori must defeat from 8 to 4 opponents. There are prizes for technical skill, for fighting spirit, for best performance. Each prize comes with a cash reward equivalent to approximately $20,000. The main prize is a 30-kilogram Imperial Cup along with prize money (about 100 thousand dollars). The cup is awarded to the winner temporarily, until the next tournament, but a smaller copy of it remains with him. Gifts from sponsors are also provided. If bets have been placed on the fight, the referee presents the envelopes with the money won to the winner on the fan.

Immediately before the bout, both wrestlers synchronously perform the “washing off the dirt” ritual, then stand in their starting position on the starting lines. With their legs spread wide and their hands clenched into fists, the wrestlers look intently into each other's eyes, trying to psychologically defeat the opponent even before the fight. In past centuries, this psychological duel (shikiri) could last indefinitely, and sometimes it happened that one of the participants gave up without a fight. These staring contests are repeated 3-4 times.
Professional sumo is divided into 6 divisions: jo no kuchi, jonidan, sandamme, makusta, juryo and the highest - makuuchi, in which performers best wrestlers with the ranks of maegashira, komusubi, sekiwake, oozeki (in increasing order).

All of the above titles are won and confirmed at regular championships, held 6 times a year: three times in Tokyo and once each in Osaka, Nagoya and on the island of Kyushu. Rank absolute champion(yokozuna) is awarded on the recommendation of the Japan Sumo Association extremely rarely - only to the most successful sumotori, who managed to win the title of oozaki two times in a row and establish himself among his comrades with the most the best side. This title is for life, however, in order to maintain a high brand, the recipient must constantly delight fans with a beautiful and undefeated performance. In the entire history of Japan, only a few dozen people have been awarded this title.

First, two sumotori and a referee (gyoji) appear in the ring (dohyo). Another 4 judges (simpan) watch the fight from 4 sides outside the ring. The fight of champions is judged by the chief referee (tate-gyoji).

The fight begins at the referee's sign. The wrestlers must begin wrestling at the same time by touching the ring with their hand. In case of a false start (if one of them did not touch the ring), they start all over again, and the culprit is subject to a fine of $500 to $1,000.

As soon as the result of the fight becomes clear, the referee raises his fan and says “Shobu atta!” (“end of the fight”), and after this the winner is confirmed and the result is announced, indicating the technique used, and instead of the name of the sumotori, the side from which the winner competed is called - “west” or “east” (this custom dates back to the historical Edo period, when the main opponents in the fights were sumotori from the west of the country (from Osaka and Kyoto) and the east (from Tokyo).

Text: Kirill Samursky

And now some interesting details:

* In some countries close to Japan, such as Mongolia and Korea, wrestling styles similar to sumo are common.

* According to one version, until the 16th century. an analogue of the dohyo was located on a hill, and beyond it there were sharp stakes. Historical data confirms the existence of this type of “sport”, but it is not clear whether it is related to sumo.

* Students are accepted into sumo rooms at the age of 10-15 years. In addition, sumo is replenished with amateurs, as a rule, after they graduate from university, if they have been able to prove themselves. Particularly advanced amateurs begin their performances immediately from the 3rd division (makushita). The upper age limit is 23 years for debutants and 25 for amateurs from student sumo.

* The proportion of fat in the mass of an average sumo wrestler is almost the same as that of an average person of the same age. With large overweight, muscle mass is also very big. A number of sumo wrestlers, for example, the great Chiyonofuji, were significantly drier than average.

* A fighter's access to life's blessings is almost entirely determined by his success. The level achieved by the wrestler determines what clothes and shoes can be worn, whether he can use a mobile phone, the Internet, sleep in a common ward or his own room. The same level determines the type and volume of household responsibilities - for example, junior wrestlers get up before everyone else, clean and prepare food.

*Wrestlers of any level are prohibited from driving independently. Those who violate this rule will face punishment, for example, Kyokutenho, who was caught in 2007, was disqualified for one tournament, which meant a significant loss in rank.

* Whether contractual fights exist or not is still not clear. Existing suspicions are most often based on the fact that wrestlers perform noticeably better if the match means a lot to them (for example, when the score is 7-7). However, with the same success, this fact can be explained by increased motivation.

Sumo wrestlers train at a summer camp at a newly built base in Soma, in Fukushima Prefecture in northern Japan. The photo was taken on August 6, 2011. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

For many Japanese, the arrival of sumo wrestlers became a symbol that life in the region goes on, and radiation is still not as terrible as it previously seemed. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

The founder of the training base, Hayao Shiga (in the center, with his back to the camera), watches the athletes train. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

Sumo wrestler Otsuma (center) throws his opponent. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

The metal roof is the only thing left of the summer gym at the “manege” after a terrible earthquake with a power of 9 points, which triggered a tsunami and turned Soma into a pile of garbage. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

But especially for the arrival of sumo wrestlers, who have been coming to the training camp for 20 years, sports arena rebuilt. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

7. Preparation by a sumo wrestler of a circle for fights. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

8. The return of sumo wrestlers to this region affirms life and lifts the spirits of the surviving people. This should contribute to faster recovery and renewal of life destroyed by a large-scale disaster. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

9. A junior sumo wrestler watches an older comrade eat. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

10. The founder of the training base, Hayao Shiga, oversees the training of athletes. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

11. Sumo wrestlers on rest after training. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

12. Sumo wrestlers before lunch. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

13. Preparing for lunch at the training base in Soma. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

14. A sumo wrestler training at a summer camp. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

15. Wrestlers before lunch after training. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

16. Tamanbel wrestler Yushima gives a boy an autograph after training. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

17. Wrestlers training on the street at a summer camp. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

18. Training at the summer camp for sumo wrestlers on the restored sports base in the city of Soma, in Fukushima Prefecture. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

19. A sumo wrestler does stretching. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

20. The Japanese view the return of athletes to the place of their usual summer activities as a sign of the victory of life over the elements. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

21. A boy shows off a booklet signed by one of the sumo wrestlers. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

22. Sumo wrestler in the sand. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

23. A sumo wrestler prepares a towel to wash the founder of the training base. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

24. Let us recall that an earthquake off the coast of Japan occurred on March 11, and the tsunami it caused claimed the lives of more than 13 thousand people. The same number have gone missing. The earthquake also caused an accident at the Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

1. Only a little over a decade ago did foreigners reach such a level of skill that they were able to take the lead in sumo competitions. At a recent tournament in Nagoya, only one Japanese took part in the competition in the two highest categories. The fighter himself high category, Baruto, pictured on the right, is from Estonia.

2. Kiosk with souvenirs. Bath towels sold at Nogaya Basho in July feature new sumo heroes. Together with the Estonian Baruto, two Mongolian wrestlers can be seen on the towels top division. According to 67-year-old Koya Mizuna, a spectator at the Nagoya competition, foreign wrestlers are trying hard and deserve to win, but Japanese spectators watching competitions in their national sport feel resentful that there are no such wrestlers in Japan at the moment. strong fighters that could compete with them.

3. Photo archive. Photos show Saitama Sakae High School's proud wrestling team the best team sumo wrestlers in Japan.

4. School grounds. Members of Saitama Sakae's school sumo club hang up their belts while other students at the school learn to play the trombone.

5. Michinori Yamada, right, is the coach successful team Saitama Sakae High School. At the same time, he is a teacher and replaces his father with his ward. He says that in the past, Japanese families sent their children to sumo classes because they made sure they were well fed. Children in Japan today have every opportunity to eat whatever they want, they go to college and don't want to study hard.

6. Training. Sumo embodies the national spirit of the Land of the Rising Sun, more than other athletic sports. According to Yamada High School teacher, sumo itself is not a subtle sport, its grace lies in preserving traditions. This is what gives Japan its uniqueness.

In the ring. Training battle of students during a morning lesson.

Main hopes. 18-year-old Daiki Nakamura, weighing 132 kilos, trains in Saitama Sakae. He says that seeing so many foreign wrestlers in sumo awakens in him, as a true Japanese, the desire to become successful in this sport.

Blows of fate. After several practice bouts, one of the students has a cut lip, while another is bleeding from his elbow. As Yamado says, the daily training of sumo wrestlers is akin to a traffic accident.

Fitness. Flexibility is a key factor in how long you can stay in this sport, so Saitama Sakae's program focuses on stretching. large number time.

A young wrestler sweeps the ring after training, this is one of the student's daily tasks. “When we visit nursing homes, the old people like to touch us, and sometimes they get tears in their eyes,” says Yoshinori Tashiro, a retired sumo wrestler who competed under the name Toyoyama. “There is some kind of spirituality in sumo.”

sources
http://muz4in.net/news/interesnye_fakty_o_sumo/2011-08-21-22081

http://bigpicture.ru
http://sportpicture.ru
http://fight.uazone.net/?page_id=149

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At first glance, Japanese sumo wrestling looks strange: overweight men dressed in huge bikinis push each other in a small circle, and...

From Masterweb

21.04.2018 06:00

At first glance, Japanese sumo wrestling looks strange: overweight men dressed in huge bikinis jostle in a small circle, and the preliminary ceremony is usually longer than the fight itself. However, dig a little deeper and you will discover a unique and technical sport with a rich history and wrestlers whose rigorous training regimen and dedication are nothing short of impressive.

Sumo is a form of wrestling that has long been a national sport in Japan. Its origins date back to the Yayoi period (circa 300 BC – 300 AD). It incorporates many elements of the Shinto religion in the form of various rituals and ceremonies that usually last much longer than the fight itself. Until now, competitions in this sport are considered a sacred event, and the pavilion in which the fights take place is equated to a Shinto shrine.

Origin and development

The origins of sumo wrestling are lost in the mists of time, but it is believed to have been first practiced during the Yayoi period as part of a Shinto ritual where "kami" or spirits were summoned to fight.

Traditionally, the very first fighter is considered to be Nomi no Sukune, who was ordered by Emperor Suyinin (29 BC - 70 AD) to fight Tagima no Kehai. Nomi no Sukune won, although naturally, since he was a descendant of Amenohoha, the son of the sun goddess Amaterasu.

Figures of sumo wrestlers surrounded the most ancient Japanese burials, and clay toys depicting them from the Kofun period were also found.

Sumo wrestling competitions in Japan became an important ritual in the 8th century. n. e. The fights, known as tsuji-zumo, were fought by samurai. They were no different a large number rules often ended in death, and the prize was cash. Another type of fighting was kanjin-zumo, which was held in temples to raise money for their upkeep.

After the 12th century, this struggle almost disappeared as the decline of the power of the Imperial Court and the emergence of the samurai class led to political instability. The last official sumo-seti was held in 1174. Under the shoguns, public matches were prohibited, but martial arts were encouraged among the samurai. There are several paintings of people practicing this type of wrestling in full gear outside the doha area.

It is believed that the circle separating the wrestlers from the spectators appeared in the 16th century. at a tournament organized by the main military leader of Japan, Oda Nobunaga. Back then, sumo wrestlers wore loose loincloths rather than the much stiffer mawashi of today. During the Edo period, wrestlers wore edged kese-mawashi during a fight, but today they are worn only during pre-tournament rituals. Most of the rest sports uniform, used in given time, appeared in the same era.

The modern history of the rules and techniques of sumo wrestling began at the Tomioka Hachimangu Shinto Shrine in Tokyo. Regular fights have been organized here since 1684. In particular, former samurai Ikazuchi Gondaiu created the rules and arena that are still used today. Sumo wrestlers, popularly called "rikishi", later became professional athletes, and wrestling itself is a national sport. As before, it continues to be considered sacred.

Shinto rituals

The explosive physical strike of sumo wrestling is preceded by a long series of rituals and postures that originate from ancient duels and the Shinto religion. One such ritual involves the competitor lifting one leg and striking the ground hard with it several times. It comes from the archaic practice of warriors making such movements before battle to frighten the enemy, which is called "siko". The same ritual was performed by the goddess Amaterasu when she encountered the disobedient brother Susanoo in Shinto mythology.

Also, wrestlers clap their hands before the fight. This is another Shinto tradition: the worshiper claps to indicate the beginning and end of a prayer.

Another ritual involves athletes periodically scattering salt. It is an act of purification that is practiced at Shinto shrines to drive away evil spirits.

Finally, the referee of a sumo match is a striking sight in itself, as he wears a robe similar to those worn in medieval times by the Japanese imperial court and worn by Shinto priests today.

Ground for wrestling

Two wrestlers face each other while standing on a raised square platform of compacted clay covered with a layer of sand. The width of the sumo wrestling area measures exactly 5.7 m on each side and 34–60 cm in height. The ring or dohe is a perfect circle with a diameter of 4.57 m, marked with braided rice straw. After each competition the site is dismantled. Raised high above the platform is a canopy with colored tassels hanging from its 4 corners, and the entire ensemble has the status of a sacred Shinto shrine, which it closely resembles.

The winner of the bout must either push his opponent out of the straw circle or force him down. If any part of a wrestler's body other than his feet touches the clay floor, he loses. Athletes with their hair tied in an elaborate knot in imitation of medieval samurai wear a "mawashi" or large belt that an opponent can grab onto to wrestle or lift the wearer, pushing him out of the circle or knocking him down. In the fastest bouts, this task may take only a few seconds, but the difficulty lies in the sheer size of the wrestlers. Many sumo wrestlers weigh 150 kg, but the mass of individual giants can exceed 200 kg.

Organization

Some sumo wrestlers in Japan are superstars, especially tournament winners who receive the prestigious title of "yokozuna" or grand champion. However, participation in the sport is not limited to the Japanese, as some yokozuna were born in Mongolia and Hawaii. Even lesser-known sumo wrestlers are popular, as they are often invited into private homes at the end of winter to rid the house of bad spirits or "oni" in a ceremony known as "setsubun" ("second day, second month"). The sumo wrestler throws the beans and repeatedly shouts the phrase “oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi,” which means “demons away, luck come.”

Sumo wrestlers are called "rikishi" in Japanese. The two hieroglyphs that form this word mean "strength" and "warrior". There are about 650 rikishi in 6 leagues - maku-uchi, zure, makushita, sandanme, dzonidan, zonokuchi.

Maku-uchi (comprising 42 top athletes) naturally receives the most media attention. At the top is yokozuna, the great champion. This position is usually achieved by winning two hon-basho (major tournaments that determine rankings) in a row. There are 6 honbasho each year (in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka), one in each odd-numbered month, and they last 15 days. By 2018, there had only been 72 yokozuna in the history of the sport, which should give an idea of ​​how difficult it is to achieve this title. Rikishi from the top two divisions (known as sekitori) compete in every major tournament.

Preliminary ritual

The unique thing about Japanese sumo wrestling is that the spectacular pre-match ceremony is as exciting as the fight itself. The day before each major tournament, the clay doha platform with a 4.55 m diameter circle in which the fight takes place is “cleansed” with a prayer for the safety of the rikishi. It involves placing salt, husked rice, dried chestnut, dried seaweed, dried cuttlefish and nutmeg berries in a small hole in the center of the ring as an offering to the gods.

Rikishi climb the doha from the east and west, with the east side doing it first. The wrestlers go to the center of the circle and stop exactly behind the shikiri-sen lines, separated by only a few centimeters. They gaze into each other's eyes and perform a ritual called "siko". It consists of the wrestlers clapping their hands and alternately raising and lowering their right and left leg, which is probably the action the sport is most associated with outside of Japan. But there's more to it than just warming up your muscles. Clapping is used to attract the attention of the gods, arms raised to the sky demonstrate the absence of weapons, and the famous stomping of feet is necessary to crush any evil spirit.

At the end of the shiko, the rikishi leave the circle and purify themselves. The first ritual is called "chikara-mizu", which literally means "strong water". Each rikishi receives this water from the opponent they last defeated. Similar to the cleansing ritual at shrines and temples, each rikishi takes a handful of water, rinses his mouth with it, and washes his body. The wrestlers then take a handful of salt and scatter it over the ring.

Duel

As soon as the shinpan judge gives the signal for the bout to begin, each rikishi crouches behind an 80 cm long white line called "shikiri-sen". Since sumo wrestling is designed for two participants, there are two such lines. The match begins when both rikishi place their clenched fists behind their shikiri-sen.

Since it is the wrestlers themselves who ultimately decide the start of the match, these moments can be incredibly tense. Rikishi will often crouch for a few seconds, carefully observing what their opponent will do before standing up again. They may exit the ring to their corner, but if they do so, they must clear the circle with salt again before re-entering. The winner is determined by a single fight (this is not the most best system), and since the first few seconds during which the rikishi collide are often decisive, it can be understood why the preliminary actions are often the most intense moments of the fight.

If the referee determines that one of the wrestlers did not place both fists on the ground before the match began, or if the opponent determines that he is not quite ready, the match will be stopped. In this case, the sumo wrestlers must return to their starting position.

The starting tachi-ai jerk is one of the most important stages of the fight. A good start allows a sumo wrestler to wrestle in the style that suits him best.

There are officially 82 techniques, called kimari-te ("decisive hand"), with which a rikishi can win a match (for example, pushing, throwing behind the neck, etc.). Once the winner is determined, both rikishi stand on either side of the circle and bow to each other without showing emotion, before the loser leaves the sumo wrestling ring and the shinpan officially announces the winner.

General entrance to the ring

Each day of competition begins with lower rank matches before it is time for the jure and maku-uchi matches. Each round of fighting is preceded by a special procession called dohe-iri, where the rikishi stand outside the dohe circle wearing their mawashi (silk loincloths) and perform an alternative version of the shiko ritual mentioned above. They clap their hands and rub their hands together to make sure the gods are watching, symbolically purifying themselves before leaving the ring, waving their mawashi to show that there are no weapons underneath.

Yokozuna performs his own ritual of entering the circle, which is a more complex and longer version of shiko, also involving the shinpan and the other two rikishi present at the doha.

Rules of battle

The basic rule of sumo wrestling is simple: if any part of the body other than the legs touches the ground or the athlete steps outside the circle, the match ends and the opponent is declared the winner. During the fight the following actions are prohibited:

• hair grabbing;
• eye gouging;
• punches (slaps with open palms are allowed);
• choking (although open palm thrusts into the opponent's throat are permitted);
• capturing part of the opponent's mawashi in the crotch area.

The wrestler who used a prohibited technique automatically loses, as does the one whose mawashi came loose. Also, defeat is counted towards someone who cannot continue the fight (for example, after an injury). After the winner is announced, the judge must report the move that led to the victory.

There are no weight categories. It's not just about size: agility can also be important, and small rikishi have the advantage of being able to retreat and slip behind their larger opponent to use their considerable momentum against them.

Participation of foreigners and women

Although the sport has historically been dominated by the Japanese, recently foreigners have increasingly become common participants in sumo competitions. Rikishi, who won the most major victories in tournaments, is a Mongolian athlete named Hakuho Se (Munkhbatyn Davaajargal). Currently, foreigners (most of whom are Mongolians) make up about 5% of the total number of sumo wrestlers.

IN professional wrestling Women cannot participate in sumo. But this ban does not apply to amateurs. Brazil is considered the center of women's sumo wrestling.

The longest sumo match lasted 32 minutes, including 2 mizu-iri (short breaks called when the match reaches a stalemate).

The largest number of victories in a row - 69 - was won by Futabayama Sadaji (1912-1968).

The heaviest sumo wrestler in history was Orara Satoshi - Russian athlete from the Republic of Buryatia, bordering Mongolia, who weighed 271 kg.

A sumo wrestler's basic remuneration is determined by his rank. Yokozuna receives about 2.8 million yen per month, and jure wrestlers receive about 1 million.

After a serious car accident involving athlete Mitoizumi, the Sumo Association banned sumo wrestlers from driving cars.

Gyoji referees, like wrestlers, enter the profession at age 16 and remain in it until retirement. Their traditional dress is strictly based on rank, and they are given honorary titles as they progress in their professional roles. The highest-ranking gyoji takes the name Kimura Senosuke, but, unlike the yokozuna, only one can bear it.

Each judge has a short tanto sword, 15–30 cm long. With its help, he must commit ritual suicide in case of making a wrong decision.

In accordance with the strict rules governing their lives, sumo wrestlers are not allowed to choose their own clothing. They must grow their hair long enough to be able to tie it into a tenmage knot, similar to that worn by samurai during the Edo period. This hairstyle, like traditional clothing, must be worn by sumo wrestlers at all times. At the same time, the clothes of beginner sumo wrestlers should be made of cheap cotton, and they should definitely have wooden geta sandals on their feet, even in winter. As wrestlers increase in rank, they are allowed to have increasingly expensive clothing and even choose it themselves.

When describing sumo wrestling, one cannot fail to mention the main diet of sumo wrestlers - chanko-nabe. This protein-rich Japanese stew consists of fish, meat and vegetables in a chicken broth specially formulated to help rikishi gain weight. You don't have to be a wrestler to try it - there are restaurants that specialize in this dish.

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I have great respect and attention for Japanese culture. It is interesting, although not always understandable to Europeans, and sometimes seems simply paradoxical. One of components The culture of this island nation is sumo. Frankly, I love this kind of philosophy. Precisely philosophy, and not just sports and (or) martial arts, as is commonly believed. Fortunately, now with the help of the Eurosport channel it is possible to follow all the vicissitudes of basho, as well as the skills of those rikishi that I like.

It’s amazing, but if I mention in a conversation that I am a long-time and devoted sumo fan, then in 80% of cases the reaction from our people is the same: “I don’t understand what could be interesting about pushing fat people with their bellies” or “a circus of freaks.” At best, “sumo is not aesthetically pleasing.”

I believe that this is caused by only one thing: few people understand what happens at the dohyo, almost no one knows the rules and ceremonies, and most importantly, it is very difficult to accept the idea that sumotori are not ridiculous, overgrown with fat and clumsy gluttons, but coordinated , flexible, well prepared and very strong fighters. I have no illusions that my article can change anything in the public consciousness, but, in any case, I will try (dreams, dreams!) to reveal the truth to someone. So let's start with the basics - the history.

Sumo is, first of all, a religious ritual. Japan developed its own, quite interesting philosophy, which later turned into a religion, which was called Shinto. I will not dwell on this belief in detail now, because anyone who wishes will find a lot of literature about it. I will only say that the procedure for holding current competitions, the judging system, even the preparation of the site for martial arts are nothing more than slightly modified and modernized religious rituals. At its core, even a duel between two fighters is an allegory of a competition between spirits, man and God, the chthonic forces of nature.

Sumo was first mentioned in written sources of the 8th century. Since about the 9th century, martial arts (under the name “sumai”) have been an indispensable attribute of the ceremonies of the “Chrysanthemum Throne” (Japanese imperial dynasty). At the same time, a set of rules was developed that are still in effect today. However, the popularity of wrestling and philosophy spread beyond the palace premises. “People’s sumo” began to develop spontaneously, which at first was brutally suppressed, and only after the restoration of the Meiji dynasty were all segments of the population able to learn about the rules and rituals of “true” sumo. This martial art and philosophy are deeply traditional for the Japanese, and you probably know how much this nation respects its traditions.

Wrestlers

People who practice sumo are called rikishi, or sumotori. Professional sumo exists only in Japan, and to practice it, you must enroll in the so-called heya (sumo school). There are no special requirements, other than age (no less than 18 and no more than 25 years), for a potential fighter, but it is difficult to enter the heya, since the heads of the schools, called oyakata (usually retired former wrestlers), try to identify the talent of the newcomer , physical potential and desire to win. If one of these qualities is missing, you cannot dream of entering school.

Heya is a closed system where wrestlers live, train, work and study together, the order is reminiscent of a monastery. In addition to rikishi, heya is also usually home to shisho (school owners), yobidashi (assistants), tokoyama (hairdressers), as well as oyakami-san - the oyakata's spouses who perform administrative functions.

In order to receive privileges and relaxations in work and training, as well as to live outside the boundaries of the hei, one must achieve certain successes, namely, become a heyagashira (senior-ranking fighter) or, even better, a sekitori.

Who are sekitori? There are currently six divisions in professional sumo. The lowest, 6th, is called zenokuchi, the fifth is jonidan, the fourth is sandamme, the third is makushita. All sumotori trained in these lower divisions are called deshi. But the wrestlers of the two main divisions, juryo and makuuchi, are called sekitori. We are most interested in makuuchi, since the best masters fight in this division.

Concluding the story about heya, I note that the number of schools is limited to 105. There cannot be more, but as many as possible there can be fewer. IN at the moment There are 52 heya, the most famous in recent times are Miyagino, Azumazeki and Isegahama.

Venue for the fight, requirements and rituals

Fights are held on a special platform made of compacted clay and called dohyo. The height of the dohyo in our metric system is 65 centimeters, and its construction takes up to 12 tons of clay, specially brought from a place that is known only to initiates. The clay is delivered three days before the basho and compacted layer by layer to the desired condition. The dohyo itself is usually rectangular in shape, but the competition area is a circle with a diameter of 4.55 meters, outlined using the so-called tawara, that is, a rope made of interwoven rice straw. Before laying the tawara, the gyoji judges perform a Shinto ritual. Six items are buried in the dohyo: chestnut (symbolizing victory), rice (prosperity and wealth), dried squid (happiness), seaweed (procreation and life), Chinese miscanthus bush (patience and endurance) and salt (cleansing from evil spirits). . A tawara is thrown around the ritual “sowing” of these objects, the resulting circle is covered with a thin layer of sea sand, signifying the purity of the thoughts of the wrestlers and judges, and ritual sake is poured on top of the circle. According to the rules, it is strictly forbidden for a woman to set foot on the dohyo.

Two parallel lines are drawn inside the circle, indicating the starting positions of the wrestlers before the fight. A special canopy called a yakata is erected over the dohyo, similar to the roof of a Shinto shrine. Special flags and four multi-colored tassels along the edges are hung there. The flags symbolize the constant movement of the heavens, and the tassels symbolize the four cardinal directions and four seasons. The brushes have a specific color: white means autumn, black means winter, green means spring, red means summer.

Tournaments

Wrestling tournaments are called basho. Six basho are usually held per year: January (venue - Tokyo), March (Osaka), May (Tokyo), July (Nagoya), September (Tokyo), November (Fukuoka).

The first day of the tournament is the first or second Sunday of the month. Its duration is 15 days. Matches are organized so that higher ranked wrestlers fight more strong opponents, fighters of lower rank - with weaker opponents. The main thing is that students of the same hei cannot meet at the dohyo.

At the end of the tournament, a wrestler can only have two results: kachikoshi (predominance of victories) or makekoshi (predominance of defeats). If two or more wrestlers have the highest results at the same time, additional fights are announced, including for the “great champions” and for representatives of the same hei. They are held after the completion of all matches on the last day of the tournament. The number of victories determines what place the rikishi will occupy in the makuuchi hierarchy before the start of the next basho, and also determines the winner of the tournament, who receives a special prize - the Emperor's Cup.

Hierarchy

All makuuchi wrestlers are divided into two categories: rikishi of the west and rikishi of the east. The lowest rank-and-file fighter is considered to be a maegashira (they are counted according to rank - from sixteenth to first). For example, our Alan is now the fifth maegashira of the east. The next step is kumusubi (promising), then comes the title of sekiwake (young champion), after which the second most important title is ozeki (champion), and finally the “grand champion” yokozuna.

Wrestlers receive one title or another according to the decision of the Japanese Sumo Association. Moving up the maegashira ranks, say from fifth to third, depends on performance in one tournament, just like winning the kumusubi title. For the title of sekiwake, the predominance of victories in two tournaments is considered. Receiving the rank of ozeki is even more difficult. You need to successfully perform in three tournaments in a row, while the number of defeats should be minimal. It is easier to lose this title than to gain it: it is enough that at two tournaments in a row the number of defeats exceeds the number of victories, then the sumo association will decide to deprive the title.

The highest rank in the sumo hierarchy is yokozuna. There are no clear rules for assigning a title. What is absolutely necessary to have is the title of ozeki, the greatest number of victories and Emperor's Cups won over three tournaments in a row. The overall stable growth of a wrestler’s skill is also facilitated by the so-called hinkaku principle, that is, the ratio of dignity, grace, art and behavior of the applicant. It is very difficult to meet all these requirements, so the number of yokozuna has never been greater. The current “great champion” Hakuho Sho (Mongolian Davaajargal Munkhbat) is only the 69th since the 17th century, and many honored fighters, for example, ozeki Kayo Hiroyuki, despite his enormous popularity, more than 100 basho held and five imperial cups won , until he became a yokozuna.

It remains to add that collectively the wrestlers of the four highest ranks yokozuna, ozeki, sekiwake and komusubi are called the term sanyaku.

Wrestler Customization

Let's start with the most important thing - the name. When entering Heya, a person changes his surname to the so-called sikona (pseudonym). Sikona also contains a first and last name, with the last name written first and being precisely the part of the individualization by which a wrestler is recognized. For example, the 68th yokozuna, the Mongolian Dolgorsurengiin Dagvadorj, took the shicon Asashoryu Akinori and went down in history precisely as Asashoryu.

Mention should be made of hairstyles. Rikishi have a special complex hairstyle in which the hair must be styled in a special way in the form of a leaf of the gingko biloba plant.

This is painstaking work that takes a lot of time, which is why Tokoyama (hairdressers) live in Heya. In addition to the hairstyle, each sumotori has a special silk mawashi belt. It is very long (up to 10 meters) and is wrapped around the waist and hips several times, tying with a special knot behind the back. So-called sagari, that is, amulets and amulets, are usually attached to mawashi. The color of the mawashi depends on the fighter's hei. In addition to the belts for fighting, each sekitori has an individual belt, used for rituals and resembling an apron. It is called kese-mawashi.

This is very beautiful products, often embroidered with gold and even decorated with precious stones. The design, colors and cost depend solely on the fighter’s imagination and the size of his sponsors’ wallet. The only requirement is that the drawings reflect the content of the history or legends of the Land of the Rising Sprout (one of the self-names of Japan).

The yokozuna outfit deserves special mention. Over the kese-mawashi, the “great champion” wears a special rope woven from rice straw, called seminawa, or zuna. The rope can weigh 20 kg and symbolizes the heavy burden of a champion.

Rituals before fights

The ritual that opens any basho is called dohyo-iri (entering the platform). Wrestlers in kesho-mawashi appear in strict accordance with their rating. The sumotori of the east come out first, and then the west.

They line up along the dohyo and clap their hands loudly to ward off evil spirits.

Then it’s time for yokozuna. He is accompanied by two squires carrying a ceremonial sword. The “Grand Champion” enters the center of the circle, loudly claps his hands to attract deities and ancestral spirits, then extends his arms to the sides, palms up, demonstrating that he has neither weapons nor dark secret thoughts. After this, the yokozuna raises one leg high and lowers it onto the platform, beginning the ritual dance. The yokozuna dance procedure is quite complex, there are even two separate styles, but I deliberately omit these details as not so significant within the framework of our narrative.

So, the procedure for expelling evil spirits outside the dohyo is completed. Now gyoji can climb onto the platform. They are dressed in luxurious, expensive silk clothes. The fights can begin. Each rikishi throws salt on the platform before the fight - to purify himself and his thoughts before the fight, and also as an “offering” to the heavens so that they grant victory.

The ceremony at the end of each basho day is also very colorful. One of the sumotori goes out onto the platform and performs the so-called “bow dance”. This is the ancient tradition of sumo.

Fight rules

On the one hand, they look simple, on the other hand, as always with the Japanese, not everything is as simple as it seems.

The loser is the one who:

a) touches the dohyo with any part of the body (even the tip of the hair), except the feet;
b) touching the dohyo outside the circle even with the feet;
c) who lost his mawashi during the fight.

It would seem that it’s difficult? The one who is heavier and more impressive takes the stage and easily wins. But it was not for nothing that I mentioned at the beginning that rikishi are very strong, flexible and, most importantly, technical people. Simple forceful pressure often does not produce results, since the opponent easily adjusts and uses your advantages in weight and size against you. There are at least 50 different combinations of attacks and combinations to achieve victory, and believe me, sanyaku not only know them by heart, but also understand how to assess the possibility of counteraction in a matter of moments. Moreover, there are such interesting combinations as izori - knocking over an opponent with a backward throw. Sumotori sits under his opponent, grabs his knee with both hands and throws him. Or, say, kakezori - throwing the opponent back after diving under his attacking hand using the hook of the opponent's opposite leg with outside. Naturally, such techniques are not used very often, although all sumo fans still remember how at the November 2000 Basho, Kayo defeated yokozuna Musashimaru with a magnificent throw over his back with an arm grab. In sumo, this technique is called ipponza and is very rare. What makes this victory especially poignant is the fact that Kayo’s dimensions (height 185 cm, weight 170 kg) are much more modest than those of Musashimaru (height 192 cm, weight 235 kg). So, anyone who believes that victory in sumo goes to the heaviest and most massive is deeply mistaken.

Personalities

Everyone can find a wrestler to watch closely and “root for.” Now the world of sumo is very diverse. Despite his rather young age, the already mentioned Kayo Yokozuna Hakuho is popular. At the age of 26, he had already won the Emperor's Cup 18 times. Two Europeans hold the high rank of ozeki. This is the good-natured Estonian Kaido Hevelson, called Balt, and the tallest (203 cm) and purposeful Bulgarian Kaloyan Stefanov Makhlyanov, performing to the sound of Kotooshu.

There are three Georgians - Gagamaru, Totinosin and Kokkai, many Mongols, a rising star, the Brazilian Kaisei. Well, of course, we must “root” for our Alan Gabaraev. It’s difficult for him, but his fights are always beautiful and interesting.

As a fan, I preferred the first yokuzuna - not the Japanese Akebono and the cheerful lover of football and the joys of life Asashoryu. But my main favorite is a master who was great not only in dohyo, but also outside of it. He is known in history as Takanohana. Great sumotori!

I hope that after reading this, you will now look at sumo with new eyes and watch at least one day of competition. Maybe you'll even like it.