Vol. 51: FROM THE EDITOR

Sumo, involving two combatants in a ring known as a dohyō, is not just Japan’s national sport, but also a type of Shinto ritual and traditional culture. Its origins date back to ancient times, with myths and legends relating to contests of strength appearing in Japan’s earliest chronicles, the “Kojiki” (712) and “Nihon Shoki” (720). During the Nara Period (710-794) and the Heian Period (794-1185), sumo became an annual ritual used to predict the year’s crop harvest, and it was also incorporated into the imperial court’s calendar of annual events.

The current style of sumo, a familiar sight on Japanese television, with its ring-entering ceremony, rankings, makeup and topknots, emerged during the Edo Period (1603-1868). Those confident in their strength began taking it up as a profession, and by the middle of the Edo Period, sumo was performed throughout Japan. Stars emerged, and soon sumo took its place alongside kabuki as a favored form of entertainment among the populace.

Nowadays, sumo includes many foreign wrestlers. There have been as many as eight foreign-born yokozuna. Sumo tournaments are scheduled for London in October and Paris next June. In this special feature, we take a closer look at the sustainability of sumo, one of Japan’s traditional cultures.