Sumo - Sumo

Japanese: 相撲 - すもう

It is a type of individual sport in which two people push, thrust, grapple, and use physical strength. As a sporting event, two people compete in a circular sumo ring (sumo ring) made of straw bales, wearing only a mawashi (loincloth), with bare hands, according to the rules, to knock down or throw each other down. It is said to have originated from a Shinto ritual in which the agricultural people of Japan gave thanks for a good harvest and prayed for a bountiful harvest. There are two types of martial arts in Japan: professional sumo and amateur sumo. Other types include ritual sumo that has been passed down since ancient times at shrines, votive sumo held at festivals, children's sumo, and local sumo (grass sumo) in farming and fishing villages and regional cities.

[Masao Ikeda and Matsuhiko Mukaizaka, December 13, 2019]

History of Sumo

The origins of sumo

Sports similar to sumo have been played since ancient times in various countries around the world. For example, a bronze figurine of a human wrestling pose was discovered at the ruins of Khafaje in ancient Babylonia, dating back 5,000 years, and there are many pictures of sumo or wrestling on the murals in the Nile caves in Egypt, dating back 2,500 years. Furthermore, in India, around the same time, the story of Prince Siddharta (the childhood name of Shakyamuni) winning a sumo match and marrying a princess can be seen in the Buddha's life story, the "Hongyokyo Sutra." When this sutra was translated into Chinese by an Indian in 409, the Sanskrit word godabhara was expressed as the new word "sumo." When this was introduced to Japan in the mid-6th century, it was associated with the Yamato verb "sumafu," which already meant "conflict" or "resistance." This eventually evolved into the noun "sumahi," and later became phonetically altered to become the modern "sumou."

The fact that strength-fighting techniques similar to modern sumo have been practiced in Japan since ancient times can also be seen in sumo dolls made from Sue ware excavated from ruins from the Kofun period (excavated in Hamada, Shimane Prefecture). As for myths and legends, the Kojiki tells of a dispute over the "transfer of the country" in the Age of the Gods being resolved by a contest of strength between Takemikazuchi-no-Kami (Takemikazuchi-no-Kami) and Takeminakata-no-Kami, while the Nihon Shoki contains a legend of a contest of strength between Nomi no Sukune and Taima no Kehaya, which is said to have taken place during the reign of Emperor Suinin, so archaeologically it corresponds to the Kofun period in the early 4th century.

[Masao Ikeda and Matsuhiko Mukaizaka, December 13, 2019]

Ritual Sumo

Folklore studies have already revealed that sumo was widely practiced among farmers with a rice-growing culture in the Yayoi period as an agricultural ritual in which gods were consulted to predict the fortunes of bountiful harvests, and thus sumo is not simply a sport or entertainment in which strength is contested; it has essentially spread and developed as a religious ritual in which fortunes of agricultural production are predicted and the gods' will is sought. The first historical record of sumo can be found in the "Nihon Shoki" in 642 (the 1st year of the reign of Empress Kogyoku), where a description is given of the court's kondei (guardians) wrestling to entertain envoys from Baekje, an ancient Korean kingdom.

In the year 726 (Jinki 3), farmers suffered from poor harvests due to a lack of rain and drought. Emperor Shomu sent imperial envoys to Ise Shrine and 21 other shrines to pray for divine protection. The following year, 727, saw a good harvest nationwide, and as a token of gratitude, sumo wrestling was held in front of the altars of each shrine, marking the beginning of official Shinto sumo. The dedication sumo wrestling at autumn festivals in rural areas is a remnant of this tradition.

[Masao Ikeda and Matsuhiko Mukaizaka, December 13, 2019]

Sumo Festival

The fact that sumo was held at the imperial court in the Nara period, as well as the Asuka period, can be seen in the Shoku Nihongi. In particular, in the entry for the third year of the Yoro era (719) under Emperor Gensho, it is recorded that the official position of Nukide no Tsukasa, who was responsible for selecting sumo wrestlers, was created for the first time.

Then, during the Jinki and Tenpyo eras (724-749), Emperor Shomu issued an imperial decree to district governors in each province to provide sumo wrestlers, and severely punished those who violated the order. And because the sumo legend of Sukune and Kehaya occurs on July 7th, it became customary to watch sumo as an entertainment during the Tanabata festival. The first recorded instance of an emperor watching sumo (tenran) is on July 7th, 734 (Tenpyo 6) (Shoku Nihongi), but from various records about sumo, it can be inferred that the custom of holding sumo had been passed down since before then.

Starting with entertainment sumo held at the end of the Nara period, sumo for the Emperor became increasingly grand in the Heian period, and during the Kōnin era (810-824) it developed into an independent event known as the Sumo Festival, a court ceremony. This was an imitation of the Chinese Tang dynasty rituals, with sumo associated with agricultural production in Japan being incorporated, and by 905 (Engi 5), the Sumo Festival was designated one of the three important court ceremonies, Sandosechi (archery ceremony, horse archery, and sumo), and the event featured lavish and magnificent imperial picture scrolls, the splendor of which is described in detail in works such as the Gokeshidai. In this way, the divine divination ritual sumo, which had been an annual event among farmers throughout the country since ancient times, developed into a large-scale national annual divination event known as the Sumo-Setsue, in which sumo wrestlers were summoned from all over the country to compete at the imperial court.

The Sumo Setsue was a ritual sumo tournament where the Emperor watched sumo at the Imperial Court, performed the Bugaku dance and music associated with sumo, and held a banquet for aristocrats and high-ranking vassals. It was called "Meshiawase". Unlike modern-day sumo, there was no sumo ring or referee, and it was run entirely by government officials. One wrestler from each of the Left and Right Konoefu participated, and there were 15 to 18 bouts. The Left Konoe or Right Konoe with the most wins was declared the winner. Although the Meshiawase was a one-day event, about 300 people involved in the tournament marched in a beautiful procession into the gardens of the Shishinden Palace. In addition to the main tournament, there were also special sumo matches, nukide sumo (selection matches), oi sumo (sumo matches in which wrestlers who were under the custody of the shoai or those in doubt were allowed to rematch), uchitori (practice sumo before the shoai), and also sumo matches observed by the Emperor, such as children's sumo, which was held when the Emperor was a child and pitted children against each other.

Although the Sumo Festival was sometimes canceled due to the fluctuations in scale and natural disasters, it was held almost every year for about 300 years as one of the three festivals. It was abolished in 1174 (Joan 4) during the reign of Emperor Takakura, when the dynasty was in decline, but the prosperity of imperial sumo over this long period holds great significance in the history of Japanese culture, and during this time the refined content of the actual sumo was developed, which is almost identical to today's sumo. However, since there was no sumo ring at that time, there were no techniques for taking the opponent out like today.

[Masao Ikeda and Matsuhiko Mukaizaka, December 13, 2019]

Samurai Sumo

After the struggle for supremacy between the Minamoto and Taira clans, the government was transferred to the warrior class, and sumo was practiced not only in peacetime but also in the camp as a martial art necessary for practical combat on the battlefield. The sumo match between Kawazu Saburo and Matano Goro, which was the cause of the Soga brothers' revenge, was an entertainment match held in front of Minamoto no Yoritomo in 1176 (Angen 2), only two years after the Sumo Sechie ceremony had ceased.

Minamoto no Yoritomo, who founded the Kamakura Shogunate, often held sumo matches that also served as religious ceremonies at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine in Kamakura, as detailed in the Azuma Kagami. However, after the last sumo match held by the Shogun family (Prince Munetaka) in 1257 (Shoka 1), sumo as a ritual that had been maintained by the ruling class had not been held for about 300 years, from the end of the Kamakura period through the Muromachi period.

In the late Muromachi period, local sumo groups arose in cities as a semi-profession. They first appeared in Fushimi, Kyoto, and began to tour the provinces after the wars had subsided. This can be said to be the original form of kanjin sumo that came to be known in later times. At the same time, the public was also enthusiastic about sumo, and street sumo and grass sumo were practiced. As if to testify to this, many Noh and Kyogen plays of the time had the theme of "feudal lords and sumo," and these works are still popular today.

During the Sengoku period, sumo began to be practiced as a martial art. In particular, Oda Nobunaga gathered a large number of wrestlers every year for 12 years from 1570 (Genki 1) and held public sumo tournaments at Azuchi Castle and other locations, as detailed in the Shincho Koki. These public sumo tournaments were a groundbreaking event in the history of sumo. This was the first time that a referee (also written as gyoji), whose role was to adjudicate the outcome and guide the sumo tournament, appeared.

[Masao Ikeda and Matsuhiko Mukaizaka, December 13, 2019]

Kanjin Sumo

In the Edo period, when the Edo Shogunate was established, professional sumo wrestlers, including unemployed ronin from Kyoto and Osaka, were sometimes hired by villagers during shrine festivals to hold kanjin sumo matches with local wrestlers. Kanjin originally meant soliciting donations for the construction and repair of shrines and temples, and rebuilding bridges, and professional sumo matches were held within the precincts of shrines. Later, the original meaning of kanjin was lost and it became a commercial performance to make a living, and in the early Edo period, such sumo groups were springing up all over the country. Meanwhile, street sumo, which was held in the entertainment districts of the city for the purpose of receiving tips, became very popular. Since there was no system or organization for professional sumo yet, there were always fights and disturbances between the ronin wrestlers who organized the performances (motokata), who were the fundraisers, and the wrestlers who were mixed with the gathered gangsters (yorikata), who were the side wrestlers. As a result, from 1648 (Keian 1), the shogunate repeatedly issued bans on kanjin sumo and street sumo in the three major capitals of Edo, Kyoto, and Osaka, which led to a halt in the sport for about 30 years. However, the public's enthusiasm for sumo did not wane, and when the ban was relaxed, street sumo became popular again.

As a solution to the ban, the wrestlers' group, who made a living from professional sumo, chose a powerful person to supervise and police the wrestlers, and applied to the magistrate's office for a kanjin sumo permit as the person in charge of the show. At the same time, they corrected the irregularities in the rules of sumo that were causing trouble, codified the rules of the match (48 moves) and the forbidden moves, and for the first time established boundaries in the sumo arena. Until then, the wrestlers surrounded the area with a circular wall called a hitokataya (human wall), and the winner was the one who knocked the wrestler down into it or pushed him out. This led to injuries and caused trouble, so they came up with the idea of placing five-ton straw bales filled with soil on the ground, first in a square, then in a circle, and using these as the boundaries of the sumo arena. This can be seen in sumo paintings from the Kanbun and Enpo eras (1661-1681).

[Masao Ikeda and Matsuhiko Mukaizaka, December 13, 2019]

Edo Sumo

Just as all the performing arts of the Edo period matured in Kyoto and Osaka before being brought down to Edo, sumo also gradually shifted its center of influence to Edo, where the shogunate was located, during the late Edo period, during the Horeki and Meiwa years (1751-1772), and wrestlers employed by feudal lords began to train in their master's sumo stables. These stables were led by the Edo Sumo Kaisho, which established an organizational system and were run by elders (masters), reaching its heyday during the Tenmei and Kansei years (1781-1801), when the organization was centralized across the country in both name and reality.

During this period, the Tanuma era was followed by Matsudaira Sadanobu's "Kansei Reforms," and the shogunate's encouragement of a martial spirit further increased the public's enthusiasm for sumo. In 1791 (Kansei 3), the first sumo tournament was held in Edo Castle in front of Shogun Ienari, and wrestlers such as Tanikaze, Onogawa, and Raiden performed well, leading to an unprecedented prosperity in sumo history. Edo sumo was held twice a year in the precincts of shrines in the city, with the spring tournament from January to April and the winter tournament in October or November. During that time, four or five groups toured the area, and in the summer, a joint sumo tournament was held in Kyoto and Osaka. There were sumo halls in Osaka and Kyoto, and every summer, around the summer, Edo sumo was held and the rankings were compiled, with Kyoto and Osaka wrestlers ranking lower than the Edo makuuchi wrestlers, and those with the ability competed to join Edo sumo and make a name for themselves. Kanjin sumo, which developed in this way from the mid-Edo period, continued to flourish as professional sumo under a fully-fledged organization for the next 100 years in the late Edo period. Today's professional sumo can be said to be the successor to Edo kanjin sumo.

[Masao Ikeda and Matsuhiko Mukaizaka, December 13, 2019]

Meiji Period to Pre-World War II Period

With the collapse of the feudal domain system due to the Meiji Restoration, sumo wrestlers were no longer protected by the feudal lords, and the world of sumo stagnated under the pressure of the rapidly advancing Westernization. The Meiji government declared sumo to be a barbaric naked dance and was on the verge of issuing a ban, but with the assistance of Saigo Takamori and Kuroda Kiyotaka, the order to cut one's hair was waived and women were allowed to watch, which had been prohibited, and the sport was finally able to continue. In 1873 (Meiji 6), Takasagoura Goro (1839-1900) urged the Sumo Association to reform, which led to a reorganization in 1886, and three years later, the Sumo Association was renamed the Tokyo Ozumo Association and launched. Meanwhile, sumo matches viewed by the Emperor Meiji were frequently held, and after a long period of stagnation, signs of recovery gradually began to appear.

Following the victories in the Sino-Japanese and Russo-Japanese wars, sumo went into a period of prosperity, and in 1903 (Meiji 36) Hitachiyama and Umegaya (the second generation) emerged, ushering in the "Ume-Hitachi period" reminiscent of the heyday of the Kansei era at the end of the Meiji period. In 1909, the Kokugikan Sumo Hall was opened in Ryogoku, Tokyo as a permanent sumo facility, and this marked the beginning of reforms to various systems. New championship flags and individual championship plaques were also established in accordance with the East-West championship system, and the following year in 1910, the kamishimo style of the referee was changed to eboshi hitatare.

In the Taisho era, old-fashioned four-legged sumo gave way to modern speed sumo, and techniques advanced to the intelligent, rational oshi-zumo and skill-based sumo of Oonishiki (1883-1943), Tochigiyama, and Tsunenohana (1896-1960). Meanwhile, the Great Kanto Earthquake in September 1923 (Taisho 12) left the Sumo Association plagued by debt, and the economic downturn threatened the livelihoods of the wrestlers. In 1925, with a grant from the Prince Regent (Emperor Showa), the Emperor's Cup was created and an individual championship system was established, but this was an opportunity to reach an agreement on a long-standing proposal to merge with the Osaka Sumo Association, and in December of the same year, the Dai-Nippon Sumo Association was established as a foundation. An official merger event was held in January 1927 (Showa 2) when Osaka sumo was absorbed into Tokyo, and just as sumo, which had been in a temporary decline, showed signs of recovery, in 1932 the Shunjuen Incident (Tenryu Incident) occurred over improvements to the treatment of wrestlers. The wrestlers who had left founded the Kansai Sumo Association in Osaka, but the association was dissolved in 1937, and the incident ended. It was around this time that Futabayama (the former Tokitsukaze), said to be a once-in-a-lifetime hero, emerged, winning unstoppably and quickly rising to ozeki and yokozuna, setting a record of 69 consecutive wins until he was defeated by Akinoumi (1914-1979) on the fourth day of the Spring Tournament in 1939. At the time, the sumo world was riding the militaristic trend and enjoying its golden age, with the number of days for tournaments extended to 15.

[Masao Ikeda and Matsuhiko Mukaizaka, December 13, 2019]

Sumo after World War II

After World War II, the popularity of baseball grew rapidly, and the sumo world was slow to recover. The Kokugikan Sumo Hall was requisitioned by the occupying forces, and the venue for performances changed from one place to another, but in January 1950, Kuramae in Tokyo was made the base, and the Kuramae Kokugikan was completed in 1954. The start of live television broadcasts in May of the previous year spurred a resurgence in sumo fever. Then, in 1958, Nagoya tournaments were made official in addition to Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyushu, and the sumo world entered a period of prosperity with six tournaments held per year. During this time, reforms were also implemented in the sumo world and in customer services, such as the removal of the four pillars from the ring in 1952 and the introduction of a monthly salary system for sumo wrestlers in 1957. The so-called "Tochiwaka era" of Tochinishiki and Wakanohana that began in 1952 was followed by the "Hakuho era" of Kashiwado and Taiho in 1961, and the quality of sumo gradually declined as wrestlers became salaried workers. However, in 1973, Wajima, who had entered the world of sumo from student sumo, was promoted to yokozuna and gained popularity along with ozeki Takanohana (1950-2005). In 1974, the head of the board of directors, Musashigawa (1909-1987), was succeeded by the head of the board of directors, and Kasugano, the head of the famous yokozuna Tochinishiki, was appointed head of the board of directors, and great expectations were placed on a renewal of the sumo ring. After the Nagoya tournament in July of the same year, Kitanoumi was promoted to yokozuna.

In the late 1970s, the sumo ring saw the "Rinko era" between Kitanoumi and Wajima, and in the 1980s it shifted to the rivalry between Chiyonofuji and Takanosato (1952-2011). During this time, however, the giant Hawaiian Konishiki (1963- ) became a star performer, exciting the sumo ring, and the "Nippachi group of flowers" (born in 1953) including Kitanoumi and Wakanohana (2nd) (1953- ) was replaced by the "Sanpachi group of 38" including Konishiki, Kitao (1963-2019) and Hoshi. The ranks of ozeki were promoted to Hokutenyu (1960-2006), Wakashimazu (1957-), Asashio (4th) (1955-), Onokuni (1962-), and Kitao. There was fierce competition to become Yokozuna to fill the gap left by Kitanoumi's retirement in January 1985, but as a result of the Nagoya tournament in 1986, Kitao was promoted to Yokozuna (Futahaguro) and Hoshi was promoted to Ozeki (Kitakachiumi). After that, Kitakachiumi, Onokuni, and Asahifuji (1960-) became Yokozuna. Chairman Kasugano decided to build a new Kokugikan near JR Ryogoku Station (completed in 1985), and the Kokugikan returned to Ryogoku from Kuramae for the first time in 40 years from the first tournament of 1986.

In the 1990s, the rise of young wrestlers became evident. In May 1991, Takanohana II (then Takanohana) defeated Yokozuna Chiyonofuji, forcing him into retirement. Asahifuji and Kitakachiyama also followed suit, retiring, ushering in an era without a Yokozuna. In 1993, Akebono, born in Hawaii and with American citizenship, became the first foreigner to be promoted to Yokozuna (he later became a naturalized Japanese citizen). Takanohana II, who was in the same year as Akebono, was also promoted to Yokozuna in 1994, ushering in the "Akebono Taka Era." Takanohana's older brother, Wakanohana III, was promoted to Yokozuna in 1998, creating a buzz as brother Yokozuna. In 1999, Musashimaru, from Hawaii, was promoted to Yokozuna. Wakanohana retired in 2000, Akebono in 2001, Takanohana and Musashimaru in 2003. In 2003, Mongolian-born Asashoryu was promoted to Yokozuna.

[Masao Ikeda and Matsuhiko Mukaizaka, December 13, 2019]

Asashoryu overwhelmed other wrestlers with his outstanding speed, tenacity, and fierce fighting spirit, and won 25 championships, the fourth-highest total in history, including the first-ever seven consecutive championships, but retired in 2010 after an assault incident with an acquaintance. Hakuho (1985-), who competed with Asashoryu, was a genuine Yokozuna sumo wrestler who could hold both the left and right hands, and as of July 2019 (Reiwa 1), he had won 42 championships (15 of which were undefeated), won 1,038 makuuchi championships in total, won 844 yokozuna championships in total, and had the most wins in a year (10), all of which were the most in history. He also broke most of the previous records with 63 consecutive wins, second only to Futabayama's 69. In 2011, the March tournament was canceled due to a match-fixing scandal, and even when sumo was facing a crisis, he remained the sole Yokozuna and supported the sumo world as its backbone. Following Hakuho, Mongolian Yokozuna Harumafuji (1984-) (retired in 2017) won nine times, and Kakuryu (1985-) won six times. Since the latter half of the Heisei era, Mongolian wrestlers have continued to dominate the sumo ring of the national sport. As a result, there had been no Japanese-born champion for 10 years, from ozeki Tochiazuma (1976-) in the first tournament of 2006, until ozeki Kotoshogiku (1984-) won his first tournament in the first tournament of 2016. Nevertheless, Kisenosato (1986-), who ended Hakuho's 63-win streak, won his first championship at the 2017 Hatsu Basho, was promoted to Yokozuna, and boosted the popularity of sumo, but retired in 2019. Japanese wrestlers who succeeded Kisenosato, Mitakeumi (1992-), Takakeisho (1996-), and Asanoyama (1994-), each won their first championships and rose to prominence, but they have yet to overcome the wall of Mongolian wrestlers such as Hakuho.

[Tokumasu Shinya, December 13, 2019]

The current state of the sumo world and its history

Sumo Management

Sumo, which has been called the national sport since the end of the Meiji era, is maintained and run by the Japan Sumo Association. The association is run only by retired wrestlers who have become elders, and sumo competitions are conducted with the cooperation of the elders, wrestlers, referees, yobidashi, tokoyama (hairdressers), gashira (heads of young wrestlers), and caretakers, with detailed rules laid out for each position. Officers are selected from among the elders, while directors and vice directors are elected by mutual vote after running for office. The match inspectors have also been renamed referees, and the chairman is elected by mutual vote of the directors.

[Masao Ikeda, Matsuhiko Mukaizaka, and Shinya Tokumasu, December 13, 2019]

Elder succession

When a wrestler of the juryo rank or above retires and there is a vacancy among the 105 elders (also called councilors), he can inherit (take on) his elder name. Originally, the elder name was passed on to the adopted disciple by the master free of charge, but in recent years, the elder name's "elder stock" has often been purchased. The association has also started to allow yokozuna to remain in the association for five years after retirement, ozeki for two years, and those without elder stock who have not yet retired to remain in the association under the title of jun-toshiyori based on their achievements during their active careers. Elders retire at the age of 65. In 2014, it was decided that elders who wished to remain in the association would be reemployed up to the age of 70 after retirement.

[Masao Ikeda, Matsuhiko Mukaizaka, and Shinya Tokumasu, December 13, 2019]

Sumo stable

A training facility for sumo wrestlers, or "beya" for short. When a wrestler joins a stable, he must belong to a stable. A stable is run by a retired sumo wrestler, and the training expenses for the apprentices are paid by the association. Although it is a rule that wrestlers from the same stable do not compete against each other in the main tournament, they do so in the finals. In the past, wrestlers from the same school did not compete against each other, but a round-robin system was introduced in the first tournament of 1965 (Showa 40). Stables also include oyakata (masters), referees, gashira (head of the young wrestlers), and yobidashi (callers) who do not have their own stables. In recent years, there have been a series of assaults in sumo stables and troubles involving foreign wrestlers, so the Japan Sumo Association has banned all violence in the name of instruction and has set a limit of one foreign wrestler per stable as a general rule. As of July 2019 (Reiwa 1), there are 46 stables.

[Masao Ikeda, Matsuhiko Mukaizaka, and Shinya Tokumasu, December 13, 2019]

Sumo Teahouse

They are usually called chaya. Around 1789 (Kansei 1), they were an organization that spontaneously emerged from a gathering of mass sumo enthusiasts to provide convenience to spectators at professional sumo shows. Later, they entered into a contract with the Sumo Association and became a hereditary family business. Even now, the Sumo Association is in charge of most of the seat sales, and the Association relies heavily on the sales management of the chaya, which also make their living by providing food, drinks, and souvenirs to spectators. In Tokyo, there were 20 chaya when the Kokugikan opened in 1909 (Meiji 42), and gradually many of them were run by people related to sumo wrestlers and referees. In September 1957 (Showa 32), they were renamed "Sumo Service Co., Ltd." and changed to numbers from 1 to 20. After moving to Ryogoku in January 1985, the company changed its name to Kokugikan Service Co., Ltd., but is generally known by its former family name.

[Masao Ikeda and Matsuhiko Mukaizaka, December 13, 2019]

Tournament

It is held six times a year: the Hatsu Basho in January (Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo), the Spring Basho in March (Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka), the Summer Basho in May (Ryōgoku, Tokyo), the Nagoya Basho in July (Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium, Nagoya), the Autumn Basho in September (Ryōgoku, Tokyo), and the Kyushu Basho in November (Fukuoka International Center, Hakata, Fukuoka).

In the case of the Ryogoku Kokugikan, tickets are sold on the official sales site about two months before the tournament, with lottery reservations starting the following week on play guide sites, and then on general sale about one month before at convenience stores, the Internet, and by phone. Tickets for the day are also sold at the Kokugikan counter, and the tamari seats (commonly known as sand seats) on the edge of the ring are available to members only from organizations supporting the Sumo Association, but a very small number of seats can be purchased by phone from a dedicated lottery application number about one month before the tournament.

[Masao Ikeda, Matsuhiko Mukaizaka, and Shinya Tokumasu, December 13, 2019]

Local tour

After the main tournament, the stables travel to various cities and towns in different regions to perform, and in the past, the stables would split up into several groups to tour, but now the Sumo Association is the contracting authority and the tours are conducted in groups similar to the main tournaments. When the main tournaments were held twice a year, the stables toured to support the stables, and were therefore also called "business locations." The tour schedule is decided by the stablemaster, who is introduced to those who wish to perform (recruiters) by the local caretakers (those with close ties to the association), and the stablemaster who is sent out makes a contract with them. The tours vary depending on the locations where the main tournaments are held. For example, after the Tokyo summer tournament, the tours are held in Kanto, Tohoku, and Hokkaido, and the tours are scheduled in the cities and towns along the route. After the Kyushu tournament in November, the schedule will cover the entire Kyushu region (including Shikoku). Overseas tours are also held. In 1996, the Association made plans to switch to self-sponsored regional tournaments, and through a major advertising agency, they secured contributions from seven cooperating companies, and went ahead with preparing a suspended roof, sumo ring, and box seats similar to those at official tournaments. However, voices of opposition arose within the Association, and from the October 1998 tour, tours by Association members were carried out, and from the spring 2003 tour, the system was reverted to one of funded by the kanjingen.

[Masao Ikeda and Matsuhiko Mukaizaka, December 13, 2019]

Archery Ceremony

Once the day's bouts are over, the Yumitori Ceremony is held. A makushita wrestler comes out and receives a bow from the referee on behalf of the winner of the final bout, swings it around in an acrobat style, and stomps his feet. This ceremony originated in the Heian period, when a bow dancer would take part in a sumo-setsukai event from the winner's side and perform a bow dance. In the past, the wrestler who won the last bout on the final day of the tournament would be given a bow, with the ozeki saying "this is a match for the ozeki," and the ozeki's representative would perform the Yumitori Ceremony, but since the first tournament in January 1952 (Showa 27), the Yumitori Ceremony has been performed every day. Once this is over, a hane-daiko drum is struck to signal the end of the day's performance.

[Masao Ikeda and Matsuhiko Mukaizaka, December 13, 2019]

Touch drum

Since there were no press in the Edo period, taiko drums were used to inform the event of the sumo event. The day before the first day of the sumo event, a few groups were called out to enter town, and while playing drums, they were walking around to tell the event that the event would start. This is called taiko drums. Until the end of the Meiji period, the sumo hall was huts, so if it rained or snowed the event was cancelled, and if the weather was sunny, the event would resume tomorrow.

In addition, a 16-meter-high yagura was erected at the sumo hall, and drums were pounded to inform the sumo event. This is called a yakuya taiko. Furthermore, in order to inform the time for the sumo wrestlers to enter the venue, drums were pounded by rank from early in the morning, such as the first taiko and the second taiko. There are different ways of playing taiko drums, such as the "Yakitaiko" that attracts customers, and the "Hanetaiko" that announces the end of the day's show, which retains the tradition of sumo. Currently, due to requests from those around them, the first taiko drums were also required to be hit after 8am.

[Ikeda Masao and Mukaizaka Matsuhiko December 13, 2019]

Sumo number

It is also called a ranking. It is a list of sumo wrestlers, gyoji, and other names of sumo association elders, etc., written by rank, and is announced by the sumo association 13 days before the first day of the tournament six times a year. The origin of the word "ranking" is said to have come from the "tsugaibumi" (Tsugaibumi), which is the effort table of the Sumo Festival. The top row is east on the right and west on the left, and the top row is the makuuchi wrestler, below the yokozuna, the third row is the 3rd rank of Ozeki (officially ten-pei) and the makushita are distinguished by the thickness of the letters. The third row is called the 3rd row, the fourth row is the Jo-2dan, and the fifth row is the Jo-noguchi. The central gyoji column follows two Tate Gyoji, three-person, makuuchi, and juryo-chi. Below that there are 20 judges. At the bottom row of the Higashi Jonoguchi, there are directors, auditors, committee members, and senior members aside Nishi Jonoguchi. The words "This is the East and West Sumo, East and West Sumo" in the lower left corner refer to "honchu" and "pre-sumo", which are not listed in the rankings, but the stage from pre-sumo to direct has been omitted.

The ranking formation meeting will be held on the third day after the end of the tournament. In addition to the head of the judges, the deputy chief of the judges department, and the judges committee members will be present, and based on the results of the tournament, the rise and fall will be changed from the top to the top of the tournament. Only when the yokozuna, ozeki, and new juryo are promoted, but the rankings are kept strictly until the next tournament, and the rankings are kept secret, and the master is prohibited from letting out any mention of them to his disciples.

[Ikeda Masao, Mukaizaka Matsuhiko, Tokumasu Nobuya, December 13, 2019]

Yokozuna

It refers to the highest rank in sumo rankings. The meaning and content of yokozuna differs completely depending on the era, and can be roughly divided into three categories: (1) In an era when the organization of sumo groups was not controlled nationwide, it was licensed for etiquette to compete in groundbreaking ceremonies, (2) licensed for qualifications to hold a shimenawa and enter the ring alone (1789-1908), and (3) the highest rank of licensed for the strongest person who achieved excellent results as an ozeki wrestler (after 1909). Yokozuna began to hold the ring-making format like it is now in November 1789 (Kansei 1), in the late Edo period, when they gave the "Yokozuna no Teru" license to both Tanikaze Kajinosuke and Onogawa Kizaburo the "Yokozuna no Teru".

[Ikeda Masao and Mukaizaka Matsuhiko December 13, 2019]

Ozeki, Sekiwake, Koyu

The name of ozeki is said to have been around the Kanbun era (1661-1673), but the existing rankings can be seen from the Genroku era (1688-1704). According to ancient books, strong sumo wrestlers from the Muromachi period were called "seki." When a sumo wrestler defeated all opponents and won, the title of sekitori was born, saying that he would take the sekitori was taken. Seki was converted from the fact that he was the strong man in protecting the sekitori in the sense of Kanmon, and he was given the highest position. Furthermore, the strong man in these sekitori was given the highest position by using a large character. He was the highest rank of the sumo festival at the time of the Heian period, and even in the Edo period, he was also known as the other name for ozeki.

Sekiwake is taken from the side, the second most player, and since it is the second most player after Ozeki, he is the one who has a side under Seki and is turned into a sekiwake.

Komusubi was a name that was created in the Edo period, but the origin of the word is unclear. One theory is that it was born from the time of the Heian period when there were no efforts between the top and the armpits, when the top players, not the sumo wrestlers, were the best in the bond.

The above-mentioned ozeki, sekiwake, and komushi are called three roles, but they are not called four roles, including yokozuna. Even if a yokozuna is missing from the rankings, there is always a need for the three roles from the east to the west, and when there is no ozeki, the yokozuna is supposed to be the same as this, and in this case the name "yokozuna ozeki" is used.

The following ranks are Makuuchi, Juryo, Makushita, Sandanme, Jo-2dan, and Jonoguchi. Of these, the juryo or more are called sekitori. Makuuchi and Juryo are written as the head of the head, and usually refer to the Hiraku sumo wrestler, and the number of the pills of the Makuguchi is called the 10th pill. Juryo is a common name, and the association says the "ten pill." This is because from the end of the Edo period, the top ten pills of the makushita were paid salaries of the 10th pills of the makushita, and the "makushita 10th pills" were given, and the sekitori treatment was given in the same manner as the makuuchi. It was written in the Nikuta in the distinction from the ordinary makushita on the ranked face in January 1888 (Meiji 21). The lowest ranked jo-noguchi was written in the sense of kamikari in the Edo period, in the sense of kamikari. In addition, the makushita and the 10th pills of the makushita were written as "same", but this originally meant the same as the makuuchi. Maegashira means the head of a sumo that is not listed in the rankings, but as the number of people ranked has increased, its original meaning has been lost.

[Ikeda Masao and Mukaizaka Matsuhiko December 13, 2019]

Referee

In professional sumo, the role of umpire is to judge sumo with eboshi dress and a guinbai fan, and to win the winning sumo wrestlers, and to give them the winning name. It was only during Oda Nobunaga that he was able to specialize in adjudication of the battle, and was originally written as "gyoji." Later in the Edo period, Gyoji from various schools of schools who conveyed sumo etiquette (rules) and the truth behind the deaths were born. Between Meiwa (1764-1789), Kumamoto Gyoji Yoshida Oikazeke was a leader of sumo wrestlers and called Tsukasake, and since then, Gyoji and sumo wrestlers were under their control as late-school students, mainly in Edo sumo.

Gyoji's family names are currently Kimura and Shikimori, with the highest ranking being Kimura Shonosuke, and the second ranking being Shikimori Inosuke, and Tategyoji. Gyoji's rank is distinguished by the color of the string "Kiku Toji" in the costume. Shonosuke is so purple, Inosuke is purple white (purple and white), the three-elementary rank is red, the makuuchi rank is red, the makuuchi rank is red, the juryo rank is blue or black, and the three-elementary rank is blue or black. Three-elementary rank is tai socks and sandals are worn on the tabi socks. The two of the Takiji wear twill swords on their waists. There are nine ranks, from Kimura Shonosuke to Jonoguchi Gyoji, and the capacity is 45 people or less. Kimura Shonosuke has been vacant since the 37th generation (1950-) retired at the end of the Spring Tournament in 2015, and is currently the lead of the 41st Shiki Mori Inosuke (1959-). There was a Gyoji room made by Gyoji, but it was abolished and he joined the Sumo stable.

[Ikeda Masao, Mukaizaka Matsuhiko, Tokumasu Nobuya, December 13, 2019]

call

になったんです。 English: The first thing you can do is to find the best one to do.

[Ikeda Masao, Mukaizaka Matsuhiko, Tokumasu Nobuya, December 13, 2019]

Tokoyama

They are the ones who are the horns of sumo wrestlers, and each room is dedicated to each room, and are registered with the Sumo Association, and are paid monthly salary. The large ginkgo tree (Oichomage) of the Sekitori must be trained for four or five years from an apprentice. The name is named after the name of the tokoyama with the character "toko" at the beginning. There are six ranks, from the highest rank Tokoyama to the fifth rank Tokoyama, and the special tokoyama and first rank Tokoyama are listed in the rankings. The capacity is within 50 people.

[Ikeda Masao, Mukaizaka Matsuhiko, Tokumasu Nobuya, December 13, 2019]

Sumo Museum

When the Kuramae Kokugikan was completed in 1954 (Showa 29), it was opened on the premises, but has now moved to the Ryogoku Kokugikan. Sumo-related materials are collected and open to the public. Main items in their collection include old books, old stylists, nishikie, folding screen paintings, picture scrolls, sumo wrestlers' belongings, sumo magazines, etc. Closed on Saturdays, Sundays, national holidays, and the New Year holidays (open during the Tokyo main tournament). Admission is free.

[Ikeda Masao and Mukaizaka Matsuhiko December 13, 2019]

Competition Method

The sport is held in accordance with the Sumo Rules (established by the Japan Sumo Association in 1958).

[Ikeda Masao and Mukaizaka Matsuhiko December 13, 2019]

Sumo Rules

になったんです。 English: The first thing you can do is to find the best one to do. There is a time limit for the partition, with 4 minutes to the makuuchi division, 3 minutes to the juryo, and 2 minutes to the makushita and below the jounoguchi division.

になったんです。 English: The first thing you can do is to find the best one to do. Since 1969 (Showa 44), video tape recorders (VTRs) have been used as references to make decisions.

[Ikeda Masao and Mukaizaka Matsuhiko December 13, 2019]

Sumo ring

Also known as the Toyōba. The Toyō originally refers to the bale of material for building a sumo field, but later it began to refer to the entire square-sided structure at the place where sumo was taken. The Toyō first raises soil into a trapezoid of 54-60 centimeters in height. The soil is made of coarse grained clay called Arakida, which is extracted in the upper reaches of the Arakawa River in Tokyo. This is hardened well to the extent that it is about bricks, and sand is spread thinly on top of it. The bale is made of long, narrow pieces of rice bale divided into three parts, and soil and pebbles are packed into it, and 52 bales of Tsuchidawara are made of seven or nine parts of the body, with 52 bales of Tsuchidawara, which are firmly tied with straw ropes. The square on the outer edge of the ring is 5.70 meters on each side of the four corners, surrounded by a square in 7 bales, with four bales of bales, totaling 32 bales. The inner round ring is 20 bales, surrounded by a circle with a diameter of 15 shaku (4.55 meters), but the middle bales in the east, west and south are shifted outward by the width of the bales. Since this part is wider, the bales are called "Tokudawara". Also, since the bales and the outside bales from the old era are parallel to form a two-shaped bales, they are called "Ni-jiku", and sumo wrestlers climb to the ring from here. This tokudawari is a remnant of the ring, which was cut into a round ring to make the drain of rainwater drainage better. The Marudo ring is the boundary of where the game is decided, and the outer bales on the outer edge are for securing soil.

Since the ring is newly constructed every tournament, a groundbreaking ceremony will be held from 10am the day before the first day of the tournament, which is called the Ring Festival. It is meaningful to pray for the Hojo and the Gokuhyu (Five Grain Feast), and at the same time, it is a prayer for the gods of the earth to pray for evil spirits from the ring to ensure that the sumo wrestlers are not injured for 15 days.

[Ikeda Masao and Mukaizaka Matsuhiko December 13, 2019]

Rotation

It is also called a tightening or a hook-and-handed approach, and is used when working on the initiative. During practice, unsai cotton is used. Formal efforts, the juryo or above is called a silk sash (8 to 10 meters long) and the makushita and below is called a cotton cotton. The part that passes through the crotch and the front of the hook-and-handed belt is called a tamitatsu, the back part is called a back-standed loin, and the front is called a front-standed loin or a front bag, and grabs either of them. In addition, a horizontal turn close to a front-standed loin is sometimes mistakenly called a front bag, but this means that it is close to the front bag.

The makeup is a spin that is worn by a sumo wrestler of a juryo or more when entering the ring. Initially, it was short to the knees, but in the Tenmei era (1781-1789), it was as long as it was today. In the past, velvet and rasha were used, but now Hakata weave and Nishijin weave are the mainstream, with gold brocades used for the lining and gold thread used for the border. It weighs 6-15 kilograms.

[Ikeda Masao and Mukaizaka Matsuhiko December 13, 2019]

Sumo techniques

Rule

The technique used to decide the winner is called "hand," and the technique used by the winner when a match is decided, is called "Kimarite." The technique used when the winner uses it to attack is called "Kimarite." This technique was commonly known as "48 moves," and this term first appeared in the "Genpei Rising and Falling Kiki" written in the Kamakura period, but at the time it meant a large number of moves (tactics), and it was not a limited number of 48 moves. In the mid-Edo period, when Kanjin Sumo became popular, it was applied to the 48 numbers in traditional tales, and divided into four categories: "thrower," "knitting," "anti-tting," and "twist," and each of them produced 12 basic moves. Furthermore, by adding altered techniques, they were called "Uraomote," but in reality there were over 100 moves. When the first time was achieved during the Kanbun and Enpo years, a technique focused on defeating an opponent was also created to push the opponent down outside the ring, and in the Horeki era (1751-1764), 168 moves were created. These rules were also called by various names, depending on the schools of gyoji in various places. Many of the names used today appeared from Horeki to Kansei (1789-1801), and changed in parts of the Meiji and Taisho eras. As mentioned above, the Sumo Association organized the rulers, which had over a hundred moves, in 1935 (Showa 10), 68 moves in 1955 (Showa 30), and 70 moves in 1960. In 2001, 12 moves were added, and now they have 82 moves and 5 results (non-skills).

The ruler is classified into the following four basic techniques, focusing on the following:

(1) Throwing hands (techniques that focus on the waist): Throwing skillfully, throwing badly, throwing small hands, throwing scooping, throwing rags, throwing rags, throwing rags, etc.

(2) Hanging handle (a technique in which you place your own leg on the opponent's leg or take the opponent's leg to defeat him) Inside, outside, kick back, kick back, kick, hand over, scoop small legs, take off, piling, etc.

(3) Warp (a technique in which you put your neck under the opponent's armpit and turn back and defeat him) Warp, hanging, arching, hanging, swaying, swaying (straight), etc. Warp techniques are not often seen in sumo in recent years, when movement has been faster.

(4) Torsioners (tactics that focus on the arm): Pushing down, reeling down, twisting well, twisting poorly, twisting outside, twisting outside, twisting inside, twisting heads, throwing a rimac, twisting a single twist, twisting a pair of arms, twisting a neck, shaking nets, etc.

In addition to the four categories of the 48 moves mentioned above, techniques that will be used to push out, push out, yorikiri, send out, hang out, finish, throw out, throw out, throw out, throw out, throw out, throw out, throw out, and draw out.

[Ikeda Masao and Mukaizaka Matsuhiko December 13, 2019]

Forbidden hands

Also known as banned hand. In sumo rules, this is an act that is prohibited from being used during a standing or during an action, and if a forbidden hand is used, it is stipulated that a foul defeat is a foul.

(1) Touch with a fist.

(2)Getting your hair intentionally.

(3) To slam into sensitive spots such as eyes or sluice.

(4) Stick both ears together with both hands.

(5) Grab the front loincloth (front bag) or insert your finger from the side and pull it.

(6) Grasp the throat.

(7) Kick up your chest and belly.

(8) Fold one or two fingers of your hand.

[Ikeda Masao and Mukaizaka Matsuhiko December 13, 2019]

Amateur Sumo

It is an amateur sumo, which refers to land sumo that does not involve sumo as a profession, grass sumo, festival sumo, student sumo, boy sumo, etc. Apart from professional sumo, it was not a profession, but it was held as a sport aimed at physical education, starting from the middle of the Meiji period. In 1912, Kano Jigoro of Kodokan proposed the competition, and judo athletes initially held competitions. Meanwhile, the navy and army encouraged the body to train soldiers. Inspired by the rise of professional sumo, student sumo invited professional sumo wrestlers as coaches to perform basic training, and student sumo tournaments became popular in Tokyo and Kansai. Student sumo, mainly in Kansai, was hosted by the Kansai Nippo, a Kansai Nippo, in 1912 (Meiji 45), and held the first student sumo tournament in Hamadera, Osaka. The tournament gradually grew in size, and finally, in November 1919 (Taisho 8), the first National Junior High School Sumo Tournament was held in Sakai City's Ohama Park for two days, hosted by the Osaka Mainichi Shimbun. The following year, in 1920, student sumo in Kanto and Kansai, which had previously competed in East and West universities, formed a student federation, and along with the Navy's military academy sumo, their success was no less popular than that of professional sumo.

になったんです。 English: The first thing you can do During the war, measures were taken in line with national policy, such as elementary school children's sumo becoming the regular academic course for physical education. After the war, the Japan Sumo Federation was formed in 1946 (Showa 21), and became the subsidiary of the Japan Sports Association (now the Japan Sports Association). Then, in 1951, the All Japan High School Sumo Federation and the All Japan Corporate Sumo Federation were formed. The Japan Sumo Federation has branches in each prefecture, and under a national organization, they promote the use of elementary and junior high school sumo, high school and university student sumo, and young men, corporate teams and teachers, and organize tournaments by establishing competition rules such as amateur sumo competition techniques and umpire laws.

になったんです。 English: The first thing you can do is to find the best one to do.

[Ikeda Masao, Mukaizaka Matsuhiko, Tokumasu Nobuya, December 13, 2019]

"Selected Collection of Sumo Masterpieces" compiled and published by Baseball Magazine Publishing" 16 volumes (reprinted edition 1985)" ▽ "Art by Haizaki Hideho and commentary on Kasagiyama Katsuichi, "Forty-eight sumo moves" (1986, Baseball Magazine Publishing)" ▽ "The History of Sumo by Ikeda Masao (Heibonsha Color Shinsho)"

Sumo wrestling
©Shogakukan ">

Sumo wrestling

Sumo wrestling techniques (1)
© Yoshiyasu Tanaka

Sumo wrestling techniques (1)

Sumo wrestling techniques (2)
© Yoshiyasu Tanaka

Sumo wrestling techniques (2)

Sumo wrestling techniques (3)
© Yoshiyasu Tanaka

Sumo wrestling techniques (3)

Sumo wrestling techniques (4)
© Yoshiyasu Tanaka

Sumo wrestling techniques (4)

Kanjin Sumo
There were sumo wrestlers standing there at the bottom of the ring in the east and west, and four older people served as judges on the ring. It shows the large crowds packed. The figure shows the efforts of Hidenoyama Raigoro (right) and Koyanagi Tsuneyoshi (left). The secretary is Kimura Shonosuke (center backwards). The illustration of Utagawa Kunisada (3rd Toyokuni), "Kanshin Sumo Wrestling Games", three copies held by the National Diet Library ">

Kanjin Sumo

Diagram of initiatives in the Edo period
The initiatives of Arama Kichigoro (right) and Koyanagi Tsunekichi (left). The head of the story is Shikimori Inosuke (rightmost right). Three pictures of the paintings of Utagawa Kunisada (3rd Toyokuni), held by the National Diet Library ">

Diagram of initiatives in the Edo period

Umegaya Totaro (2nd generation)
National Diet Library

Umegaya Totaro (2nd generation)

Kokugikan Sumo Hall
The current Kokugikan was completed in January 1985. In addition to being the venue for three regular events per year (January, May, and September), it is also used for various events. Sumida Ward, Tokyo ©Yutaka Sakano ">

Kokugikan Sumo Hall

Former Kokugikan Sumo Hall
It was located within the grounds of Eko-in Temple in Honjo Motomachi, Honjo Ward (currently Ryogoku, Sumida Ward, Tokyo). "Tokyo Fukei" (Tokyo Landscape) (1911 (Meiji 44)) National Diet Library

Former Kokugikan Sumo Hall

Inside the old Kokugikan
"Tokyo Landscape" (1911, Meiji 44) owned by the National Diet Library

Inside the old Kokugikan

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

飛鳥時代に続き奈良時代の宮廷でも、相撲が行われたことは、『続日本紀』にみられる。すなわち、元正天皇の養老3年（719）の条に、初めて抜出司(ぬきでのつかさ)という、相撲人(すまいびと)（力士）を選抜する官職が設置されたとある。

　ついで神亀(じんき)・天平(てんぴょう)年間（724～749）に、聖武天皇は諸国の郡司に、相撲人を差し出すように勅令を出し、この命令に違反するものには厳罰を与えた。そして宿禰、蹶速の相撲伝説が7月7日であるところから、七夕(たなばた)祭の余興に相撲を観覧することが恒例となった。天皇が相撲をご覧（天覧）になった記述は、734年（天平6）7月7日が初めであるが（『続日本紀』）、それ以前から催す風習が伝承していたことは、相撲に関するいろいろの記述から推察される。

　奈良末期から催された余興相撲が端緒になって、平安時代に入ると天覧相撲はますます盛大になり、弘仁(こうにん)年間（810～824）には、宮中儀式の相撲節会(すまいのせちえ)という独立した催しに発展する。これは、中国の唐朝の儀式をまねたなかに、日本の農業生産に伴う相撲が取り上げられたものであるが、905年（延喜5）に至り、相撲節会は宮中の重要な儀式である三度節(さんどせち)（射礼(じゃらい)・騎射(うまゆみ)・相撲）の一つに定められ、その催しは、豪華絢爛(けんらん)たる王朝絵巻を繰り広げて、その壮麗さは『江家次第(ごうけしだい)』などに詳しい。こうして、太古のころから各地の農民の間で年中行事化していた神占いの神事相撲が、宮廷において国々から相撲人を召し集め、相撲をとらせる相撲節会という大規模な国家的年占いに発展した。

　相撲節会は、天皇が宮廷において相撲をご覧になり、相撲に付随した舞楽を演技させ、貴族や上級臣下と宴を開く相撲大会の儀式で、「召合(めしあわせ)」といった。現在の相撲と違って、土俵と行司役がなく、すべて官吏によって運営された。相撲人は左・右の近衛府(このえふ)から1人ずつ出場し、15～18番の取組があり、勝数を合計して多いほうの左近衛(さこんえ)か右近衛(うこんえ)を勝ちとした。召合は1日だけの催しではあったが、大会に関係する者はおよそ三百数十人、美々しく行列を練り、紫宸殿(ししんでん)の庭に参入した。この本大会の召合のほか、臨時相撲、抜出(ぬきで)相撲（選抜戦）、追(おい)相撲（召合のとき預かりとなった同士、また疑わしい勝負の者を取り直しさせた相撲）、内取(うちとり)（召合前の稽古(けいこ)相撲）などがあり、また、天皇が幼少のときに催されて、子供同士が対戦する童(わらべ)相撲などの天覧相撲もあった。

　相撲節会は規模の盛衰、ときには天災地変のため中止することもあったが、約300年の間、三度節の一つとして毎年のように催されていた。王朝が衰微した高倉(たかくら)天皇の1174年（承安4）を最後に廃絶してしまったが、この長い年月にわたる王朝相撲の繁栄は、日本文化史上に大きな意味をもち、またこの間に、実技においても今日の相撲とほぼ同一の洗練された内容が形成された。ただし、当時は土俵がなかったから、現在のような、外へ相手を出す技はなかった。

［池田雅雄・向坂松彦　2019年12月13日］

武家相撲

源氏・平氏の争覇以後、政権は武士階級に移り、相撲は戦場における実戦用の組み打ちに必要な武術として、平時はもとより陣中においても鍛練された。曽我(そが)兄弟の仇討(あだうち)の原因となった、河津三郎(かわづさぶろう)と俣野五郎(またのごろう)の相撲は、源頼朝(よりとも)の前で取り組んだ余興相撲であったが、これは相撲節会の儀式が絶えてからわずか2年後の1176年（安元2）のことである。

　鎌倉幕府を開いた源頼朝は、鎌倉鶴岡八幡宮(つるがおかはちまんぐう)において、しばしば神事を兼ねた上覧相撲を催したことが『吾妻鏡(あづまかがみ)』に詳しく記されている。ところで、1257年（正嘉1）の将軍家（宗尊(むねたか)親王）の上覧相撲を最後に、これまで支配階級が維持してきた儀式中心の相撲は、鎌倉末期から室町時代を通じて約300年間行われなかった。

　室町後期になると、都会では土地相撲の集団が半職業的におこった。まず京都・伏見(ふしみ)に発生し、戦乱の収まった地方を巡業して歩くようになるが、これは後世における勧進相撲の初源的な形態といえる。同時に、民衆の相撲熱も盛んで、辻(つじ)相撲、草相撲などが行われ、これを物語るように当時の能狂言には「大名と相撲」を主題にしたものが多く、現在にも伝わっている。

　戦国時代には、相撲は武術として鍛練されるようになる。なかでも織田信長は、1570年（元亀1）から12年間、毎年多数の力士たちを集め、安土(あづち)の城などで上覧相撲を開いたことが『信長公記(しんちょうこうき)』に詳しい。この上覧相撲は相撲史上、画期的な催しであった。このとき勝敗を裁決し、相撲大会を進行させる役目の行司（行事とも書いた）が初めて出現したのである。

［池田雅雄・向坂松彦　2019年12月13日］

勧進相撲

江戸時代になって江戸幕府が開かれると、京都、大坂で失業した浪人者を交えた職業力士の相撲集団が、神社の祭礼の際村人に雇われて、土地相撲を交え勧進相撲を興行することもあった。勧進とは本来、神社仏閣の建立・修繕、橋の架け替えなどの資金に寄付を勧めることであり、職業相撲が神社の境内で行われた。のちには勧進本来の意味を離れて生活のための営利的な興行をするようになり、江戸初期には、このような相撲集団が各地に続々とできてきた。一方、都会の盛り場に投げ銭目当ての辻相撲が大流行した。まだ職業相撲としての制度や組織がなかったため、興行を主催する浪人者の勧進元の力士（元方(もとかた)）と、寄せ集めた侠客(きょうかく)を交えた側の力士（寄方(よりかた)）の間に、つねに喧嘩(けんか)騒動が付き物であった。そこで幕府は1648年（慶安1）から江戸、京都、大坂の三都に、勧進相撲と辻相撲の禁止令をしばしば出したから、約30年間は停止状態になったが、民衆の相撲熱は衰えず、禁止令が緩むと辻相撲がまた盛んになってきた。

　職業相撲で生活していた力士集団は、禁止令の打開策として、力士たちを監督し取り締まる有力者を選び、興行の責任者として奉行所(ぶぎょうしょ)に勧進相撲許可を申請する一方、騒動の原因となる相撲作法の乱れを正して勝負のきまり手（四十八手）、禁じ手を成文化すると同時に、相撲場に初めて境界線を設けることになった。これまでは人形屋(ひとかたや)（人方屋）といって、取り組む場所を力士たちが円形の人垣で囲み、その中に倒すか外側に押し出せば勝ちとした。そのため、けが人が生じて争乱を引き起こす原因ともなったので、人垣のかわりに土を詰めた五斗俵を地上に置き、初めは四角、のちには円形に並べて、これを相撲場の境界線とすることを考案した。このようすは寛文(かんぶん)・延宝(えんぽう)年間（1661～1681）の相撲絵画にみられる。

［池田雅雄・向坂松彦　2019年12月13日］

江戸相撲

江戸時代の芸能が、すべて京坂で熟して江戸へ下ってきたように、相撲も江戸後期に入る宝暦(ほうれき)・明和(めいわ)年間（1751～1772）になって、その中心勢力はしだいに幕府のある江戸に移り、大名抱え力士も師匠の相撲部屋に所属して訓練されていった。この部屋を統率したのが江戸相撲会所で、制度組織を整備し、年寄（親方）たちによる運営を行い、名実ともに全国の組織を中央化した天明(てんめい)・寛政(かんせい)年間（1781～1801）にその全盛期を迎える。

　この時期は田沼時代を経て松平定信(さだのぶ)の「寛政の改革」が行われ、それに伴う幕府の尚武気風の奨励が、いっそう民衆の相撲熱を高めた。1791年（寛政3）には江戸城で将軍家斉(いえなり)の上覧相撲が初めて催され、谷風、小野川、雷電らの力士が活躍して相撲史上空前の繁栄をみるようになる。江戸相撲は年2回、1月から4月までの春場所、10月か11月の冬場所が市中の神社境内で催され、その間は4、5組に分かれて巡業し、夏には京坂で合併大相撲を興行した。大坂、京都にもそれぞれ相撲会所があり、毎年夏ごろに江戸相撲を迎えて番付を編成し、京坂力士は江戸幕内力士の下位に名を連ね、実力のある者は江戸相撲に加入して名をあげることを競った。このように江戸中期から発達した勧進相撲は、江戸後期の100年間に職業相撲として完備した組織のもとに隆盛を続けた。今日の大相撲は、この江戸勧進相撲の継承であるということができる。

［池田雅雄・向坂松彦　2019年12月13日］

明治～第二次世界大戦前

明治維新による幕藩体制の崩壊により、力士は大名の保護から離れ、相撲界は急速に進む欧化主義の圧迫を受けて沈滞した。明治政府は「相撲は野蛮な裸踊り」ときめつけ、禁止令が出されそうな状況になったが、西郷隆盛(たかもり)、黒田清隆(きよたか)の援助で断髪令の免除、禁止されていた女性の見物が許されるなどがあって、ようやく存在を保った。1873年（明治6）高砂浦五郎(たかさごうらごろう)（1839―1900）が相撲会所に改革を迫ったのが契機となって、1886年組織が改正され、3年後、相撲会所は東京大角力(おおずもう)協会と名を改めて発足した。一方、明治天皇の天覧相撲がしばしば催され、長い沈滞期を抜け出して、しだいに回復の兆しがみえ始めた。

　ついで日清(にっしん)・日露の戦勝とともに、相撲は好況の波にのり、1903年（明治36）常陸山(ひたちやま)、梅ヶ谷（2代）が出て、明治末期には寛政の盛時を思わせる「梅・常陸時代」を現出した。1909年相撲常設館として東京・両国に国技館が開設され、これを機に諸制度が改革された。東西優勝制度に伴う優勝旗、個人優勝掲額も新設され、翌1910年には行司の裃(かみしも)姿は烏帽子直垂(えぼしひたたれ)に改められた。

　大正時代に入ると、古風な四つ相撲は近代的なスピード相撲に変わり、大錦(おおにしき)（1883―1943）、栃木山(とちぎやま)、常ノ花（1896―1960）らの頭脳的、合理的な押し相撲、技能相撲に技が進歩した。一方、1923年（大正12）9月の関東大震災のため相撲協会は負債に苦しみ、世間の不景気は力士らの生活を脅かした。1925年に摂政宮(せっしょうのみや)（昭和天皇）の御下賜金で優勝賜杯（天皇杯）がつくられ、個人優勝制度が確立したが、これを機会に、長年の懸案であった大阪大角力協会との合併案がまとまり、同年12月には財団法人大日本相撲協会が設立された。大阪相撲が東京に吸収された正式の合併興行が1927年（昭和2）1月に開かれて、一時衰微した相撲も復興の兆しがみえたやさき、1932年、力士待遇改善をめぐって春秋園事件（天竜事件）が起こった。脱退した力士たちは大阪で関西角力協会を旗揚げしたが、1937年同会は解散して事件は終わった。このころから不世出の英雄といわれる双葉山(ふたばやま)（先代時津風(ときつかぜ)）が出現して、破竹の勢いで勝ち続け、たちまち大関、横綱と昇進、1939年春場所4日目安芸ノ海(あきのうみ)（1914―1979）に敗れるまで69連勝という大記録を樹立した。当時、相撲界は軍国調の時流にのって黄金時代を謳歌(おうか)し、興行日数も15日間と延長された。

［池田雅雄・向坂松彦　2019年12月13日］

第二次世界大戦後の相撲

第二次世界大戦後は、急速に盛んになった野球の人気に押されて、相撲界の立ち直りは遅かった。国技館は進駐軍に接収され、興行場所は転々としていたが、1950年（昭和25）1月から東京・蔵前(くらまえ)を本拠にし、1954年蔵前国技館が完成。その前年5月に開始されたテレビの実況放送が、復活した相撲熱に拍車をかけた。そして、1958年には、これまでの東京、大阪、九州に加えて名古屋場所が本場所とされ、年間6場所を興行する好況時代に入った。この間、1952年の土俵からの四本柱の撤廃、1957年の力士の月給制など、観客サービスおよび相撲界の改革も実行された。1952年から始まる栃錦(とちにしき)・若乃花のいわゆる「栃若時代」に続いて、1961年の柏戸(かしわど)・大鵬(たいほう)の「柏鵬時代(はくほうじだい)」をピークに、力士のサラリーマン化はしだいに相撲内容の低下を招く傾向をみせたが、1973年、学生相撲から角界入りした輪島が横綱に昇進、大関貴ノ花(たかのはな)（1950―2005）とともに人気を集めた。1974年武蔵川(むさしがわ)（1909―1987）理事長の後を受けて名横綱栃錦の春日野(かすがの)親方が理事長に就任して、土俵刷新に大きな期待が寄せられた。同年7月の名古屋場所後、北の湖(きたのうみ)が横綱に栄進した。

　1970年代後半の土俵は、北の湖と輪島の「輪湖(りんこ)時代」、1980年代は千代の富士、隆の里(たかのさと)（1952―2011）の対立に移ったが、その間にハワイ出身の巨漢小錦(こにしき)（1963―　）が活躍して土俵を沸かし、北の湖、若乃花（2代）（1953―　）らの「花の28組(にっぱちぐみ)」（昭和28年生まれ）にかわり、小錦、北尾(きたお)（1963―2019）、保志(ほし)らの「38(さんぱち)組」が進出してきた。大関には北天佑(ほくてんゆう)（1960―2006）、若嶋津(わかしまづ)（1957―　）、朝潮（4代）（1955―　）、大乃国（1962―　）、北尾が昇進し、北の湖の1985年1月限り引退の穴を埋めるべき横綱取り争いが熾烈(しれつ)であったが、1986年名古屋場所の結果、北尾は横綱（双羽黒(ふたはぐろ)）に、保志は大関（北勝海(ほくとうみ)）に昇進した。その後、北勝海、大乃国、旭富士(あさひふじ)（1960―　）が横綱となっている。春日野理事長は、JR両国駅近くに新国技館を建設することを決め（1985年完成）、1986年初場所から国技館が40年ぶりに蔵前から両国に戻った。

　1990年代に入ると若手の台頭が顕著となった。1991年（平成3）5月、2代目貴乃花(たかのはな)（当時貴花田）が横綱千代の富士を破って引退に追い込み、旭富士、北勝海も千代の富士の後を追うように引退、横綱不在時代が現出した。1993年、ハワイ生まれで、アメリカ国籍の曙(あけぼの)が、史上初めて外国人として横綱に昇進した（その後日本に帰化）。曙と同期の2代目貴乃花も1994年横綱に昇進、「曙貴(あけたか)時代」を迎えた。また貴乃花の兄、3代目若乃花が1998年横綱に昇進、兄弟横綱の誕生として話題となった。1999年ハワイ出身の武蔵丸(むさしまる)が横綱昇進。2000年（平成12）若乃花、2001年曙、2003年貴乃花、武蔵丸が引退。2003年モンゴル出身の朝青龍(あさしょうりゅう)が横綱に昇進した。

［池田雅雄・向坂松彦　2019年12月13日］

　朝青龍は抜群のスピードと粘り、強烈な勝負根性で他の力士を圧倒し、史上初の7連覇など優勝回数は歴代4位の25回を達成したが、知人に対する暴行事件で2010年に引退。朝青龍としのぎを削った同じくモンゴル出身の白鵬(はくほう)（1985―　）は左右どちらの四つでも取れる本格派の横綱相撲で、2019年（令和1）7月時点で優勝42回（うち全勝優勝15回）、幕内通算1038勝、横綱通算844勝、年間最多勝10回はいずれも歴代1位の記録を達成した。連勝記録も双葉山の69に次ぐ歴代2位の63で、その他ほとんどの歴代記録を塗り替えた。2011年に八百長事件で同年3月場所は中止となり、大相撲が存亡の危機にたたされた際もひとり横綱として角界の屋台骨を支えた。白鵬に続いてモンゴル出身横綱の日馬富士(はるまふじ)（1984―　）（2017年引退）は優勝9回、鶴竜(かくりゅう)（1985―　）も優勝6回を記録。平成後半以降、モンゴル勢が国技の土俵を席巻し続けている。そのため日本出身の優勝力士は2006年初場所の大関栃東(とちあずま)（1976―　）を最後に、2016年初場所の大関琴奨菊(ことしょうぎく)（1984―　）が初優勝を飾るまで10年間出なかった。それでも白鵬を63連勝で止めた稀勢の里(きせのさと)（1986―　）は2017年初場所に初優勝を果たし、横綱昇進、大相撲人気を高めたが、2019年に引退。ポスト稀勢の里の日本出身力士として御嶽海(みたけうみ)（1992―　）、貴景勝(たかけいしょう)（1996―　）、朝乃山(あさのやま)（1994―　）がそれぞれ初優勝し、台頭してきたが、まだ白鵬らモンゴル勢の壁は越えられていない。

［徳増信哉　2019年12月13日］

角界の現況・故実

相撲の運営

明治末ごろから国技とよばれてきた相撲は、日本相撲協会によって維持・運営されている。協会の運営は、力士を引退して年寄になった者だけがその任にあたり、相撲競技の興行は、年寄と力士、行司、呼出し、床山(とこやま)、若者頭(がしら)、世話人などの協力によって進行され、それぞれの立場には細かい規則が定められている。役員は年寄のなかから選ばれるが、理事・副理事は立候補制で、単記制により互選される。また勝負検査役は審判委員と改称され、理事長は理事によって互選される。

［池田雅雄・向坂松彦・徳増信哉　2019年12月13日］

年寄襲名

十両以上の力士が引退したあと、年寄（評議員という）の定員105人に欠員のあった場合には、その名跡を相続（襲名）することができる。本来は師匠から養子縁組した弟子に無償で譲られるものであるが、近年は年寄名跡の「年寄株」を買い取ることが多い。なお、協会は、横綱は引退後5年間、大関は2年間、また現役時代の実績により、準年寄の名で、年寄株のないものも協会に残ることを認めるようになった。年寄は満65歳が定年で引退する。なお2014年（平成26）に、希望する親方に限り定年後も70歳まで再雇用することが定められた。

［池田雅雄・向坂松彦・徳増信哉　2019年12月13日］

相撲部屋

力士の養成所のことで、略して部屋という。入門した力士はどこかの部屋に所属していなければならない。相撲部屋は力士を引退した年寄が経営し、弟子を養育する養成費は協会から支給される。なお、本場所では同じ部屋同士が取り組まない規定になっているが、優勝決定戦になった場合は対戦する。かつては同じ一門の力士も対戦しなかったが、1965年（昭和40）初場所から部屋別総当り制が導入された。部屋には部屋をもたない親方や行司、若者頭(がしら)、呼出しなども所属する。近年、相撲部屋での暴行事件や外国人力士をめぐるトラブルが続出したため、日本相撲協会は指導名目のいっさいの暴力を禁止し、外国人力士を「原則1部屋1人」に定めた。2019年（令和1）7月時点で、部屋の数は46部屋。

［池田雅雄・向坂松彦・徳増信哉　2019年12月13日］

1954年（昭和29）蔵前国技館が完成したときにその敷地内に開館したが、現在は両国国技館内に移された。相撲関係の資料を集め、一般に公開している。おもな所蔵品は、古書、古番付、錦絵(にしきえ)、屏風絵(びょうぶえ)、絵巻、力士遺品、相撲雑誌など。休館日は土・日曜、祝日、年末年始（東京本場所中は開館）。入場は無料。

［池田雅雄・向坂松彦　2019年12月13日］

競技方法

競技は相撲規則（昭和33年日本相撲協会制定）によって行われる。

［池田雅雄・向坂松彦　2019年12月13日］

相撲規則

力士は、競技順番の二番前から控え力士として土俵下に出場する。呼出しの呼上げによって、東西の中央から同時に土俵に上り、東は赤房下、西は白房下で、四股(しこ)を踏み、力水(ちからみず)（化粧水）で口をすすぎ、力紙(ちからがみ)（化粧紙）で体をぬぐい、清めの塩をとって土俵上にまき、徳俵(とくだわら)の内側に蹲踞(そんきょ)（しゃがむ）して、ちりを切る（手をすり合わせ、手のひらを広げて両腕を横にのばす）。続いて仕切り線の手前まで進み、さらに向かい合って四股を踏み、蹲踞の構えをして呼吸を整え、相手の動作にあわせて仕切りに入る。立合いの両者の呼吸があわなければ、塩をまいたのち、この動作を繰り返す。これを仕切り直しという。仕切りには制限時間があって、幕内4分、十両3分、幕下以下序ノ口まで2分以内である。

　制限時間がくると、審判委員の時計係から指示を受けた呼出しと行司は、「待ったなし」を力士に告げ、行司は逆さにした軍配で表示しながら引いた瞬間に、両力士は立ち合い、技(わざ)と力を競う段階に入る。勝負の判定は、土俵内で力士の足の裏以外の体の一部が早く砂についた者、土俵外の砂に足でも体でも早くついた者が負けになる。勝負が長引いた場合には、水入りとなることもある。勝負が終わると、互いに立礼をしてから、勝者は行司から勝ち名のりを受け、敗者はそのまま引き下がる。勝負の判定は行司が主審であり、東西どちらかに軍配をさして、勝敗を明示しなければならない。行司の判定に疑問があれば、勝負審判員が「物言い」をつけ、協議のうえ多数決で決めるが、同数の場合には審判委員長は「取直し」を行司に告げる。この際、行司は表決に参加できない。1969年（昭和44）から、勝負判定にビデオテープレコーダー（VTR）を参考にするようになった。

［池田雅雄・向坂松彦　2019年12月13日］

土俵

土俵場(ば)ともいう。土俵とは本来、相撲場を築く材料の俵のことであるが、のちに相撲をとる場所の四角四面の構築物全体をさすようになった。土俵は、まず高さ54～60センチメートルの台形に土を盛り上げる。土質は東京・荒川上流でとれる荒木田(あらきだ)という粒子の粗い粘土で、これを煉瓦(れんが)ぐらいの硬さによく突き固め、その上に砂を薄くまく。俵は、1俵の米俵を三つに分けたくらいの細長いものをつくり、その中に土と小石を詰め込み、胴なかを7か所か9か所、藁縄(わらなわ)で堅く結んだ土俵(つちだわら)を52俵つくる。土俵の外縁の四角は、四隅の1辺が5.70メートルあって、7俵ずつ正方形に囲み、あげ俵4俵、計32俵。内側の丸土俵は20俵で、直径15尺（4.55メートル）の円形に囲むが、東西南北の真ん中の俵を1俵ずつ、俵の幅だけ外側へずらしてある。この部分だけ内側が広くなっているので、この俵を「徳俵(とくだわら)」という。またこの俵と昔の外側の俵が平行して二の字の形になるので、二字口といい、力士はここから土俵に上る。この徳俵は、かつて野天で興行したとき、雨水の水はけをよくするために、丸土俵に切れ目をつけ掃き出し口にした名残(なごり)である。丸土俵は勝負を決める場所の境界線で、外側の縁の外俵は土止めのためにある。

　土俵は毎場所新しく構築するので、本場所初日の前日朝10時から地鎮祭の儀式が行われるが、これは土俵祭りとよばれる。天地長久・五穀豊穰(ほうじょう)を祈願すると同時に、土俵から悪霊を払って15日間力士にけがのないように、土俵安泰を地の神に願う意味がある。

［池田雅雄・向坂松彦　2019年12月13日］

回し

大相撲の土俵

相撲のおもなきまり手(1)

相撲のおもなきまり手(2)

相撲のおもなきまり手(3)

相撲のおもなきまり手(4)

勧進相撲
東西の土俵下には力士が控え、土俵上では4人の年寄が勝負審判を務めた。多くの観客が詰めかけているようすが描かれている。図は、秀ノ山雷五郎（右）と小柳常吉（左）の取り組み。行司は木村庄之助（中央後ろ向き）。歌川国貞（3世豊国）画『勧進大相撲興行之図』　三枚続国立国会図書館所蔵">

勧進相撲

江戸時代の取り組みの図
荒馬吉五郎（右）と小柳常吉（左）の取り組み。行司は式守伊之助（右端）。歌川国貞（3世豊国）画　三枚続国立国会図書館所蔵">

江戸時代の取り組みの図

梅ヶ谷藤太郎（2代目）
国立国会図書館所蔵">

梅ヶ谷藤太郎（2代目）

国技館

旧国技館
本所区本所元町（現在の東京都墨田区両国）の回向院境内にあった。『東京風景』（1911年〈明治44〉）国立国会図書館所蔵">

旧国技館

旧国技館内部
『東京風景』（1911年〈明治44〉）国立国会図書館所蔵">

旧国技館内部

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例

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