Sumo wrestling stable

A report around visiting a sumo stable. The gist is follows;
1. Sumo wrestling's historical aspect is?
2. We visited Nagoya in July, because of a Sumo festival.
3. Sumo wrestlers' usually live in Tokyo and they visit several cities for the 
    tournament. When they visit other cities, how they practice?

Sumo wrestling has a quite long history, and it began long before the Sengoku period. As we mention the sumo wrestling during the Sengoku period, Oda Nobunaga was fond of sumo wrestling. There were several famous episodes about his fondness.

We wanted to visit sumo wrestling in the present, before talking about the history of it. Now, sumo wrestling is put on by 'Japan Sumo Association', and held the sumo tournaments in several cities 6 times a year. So, we visited Nagoya City to see several places concerned with the sumo tournament which is held in this city every July.

The main facility of sumo wrestling is at the Ryogoku-kokugikan arena in Tokyo. In every time when the sumo tournament is held except in Tokyo, the sumo stables rent some facilities to practice before the tournament. These sumo stables are scattered around the indoor stadium at Nagoya City. Several sumo stables open in accessible places in Nagoya City, even if we use public transportation. Big fans of sumo wrestling gather these sumo stables when sumo wrestlers practice every day. This is an event that reminds summer for Nagoya-ites. 

Again, the sumo tournament in Nagoya city is held every July. So, if you visit Nagoya city as your schedule and search the sumo stables, you can't find them. You have to select the right days that are usually from 2 weeks before the tournament will start to the final day of the tournament. Furthermore, these practices are held from early morning to around 10 o'clock in the morning.

No explanation about public transportation until Nagoya city required, because we visited Nagoya city so often. On the other hand, finding temporary sumo stables which are opened only during the tounament in Nagoya city will be difficult. As the locations, 'Japan Sumo Association' opens the information on the Internet. But, you need to find public transportation for these places by yourselves.

Visiting some sumo stable, we couldn't find well-known wrestlers who we saw in the news broadcast but many young and vigorous. They began practice games. The stable master was sitting in the center of the waiting area and he rarely brought out his words. And on his exact front, Dohyo or a sumo ring is there.

Some young wrestler won a practice game, then other wrestlers gathered in front of him and appealed for the next game with him. Because the winner continued practice games unless he lost the games. Furthermore, wrestlers couldn't start practice games if the winner wrestler agreed him to be the next opponent.

In each stable, there is only one Dohyo. If someone waited for being called by the winner wrestler, he would not play any practice games during the practicing time. Every wrestler hustles to be called as the next opponent.

If some wrestler won several games, others they all had strong pride couldn't forgive the things that he was keeping on game. They strongly requested the next game with the winner wrestler. In this way, strong wrestlers played more practice games.

How strong they were, they couldn't keep on this practice games. And sometimes a strong wrestler was beaten by the wrestler who didn't look so strong. There was serious atmosphere all around the stable.  

From the Internet

Soon, we noticed that sumo wrestlers exposed bodies came to wet and glisten. And many of them were covered with sand because all of them were pushed down on the earthen ring much time. Initial charges were so different from the beginning.

Then, the uncomfortable dull sound which was made from the collision of skulls echoed. Some wrestler had his own blood on his forehead and continued the practice games.

Furthermore, some another wrestler had injured and was bleeding near his hip.  Maybe, when he played a practice game, his opponent tried to grab his Mawashi or sumo wrestler's loincloth and made scratches severely.  

By the way, Sumo wrestling is the most popular sport in Japan. From a different point of view, it doesn't belong under the 'Sport' category.

From the Internet

For example top sumo wrestlers, 'Yokozuna' dedicate their fixed performances, 'Dohyo-iri' in front of the deity before some sumo-tournaments. Before the Nagoya tournament, they perform patterned performances at a famous shrine, 'Atsuta jingu'. We think it's beyond the 'Sport' category, but traditional ceremony.