LITMIR.BIZ

      Odds and Ends, Past and Present

      The first recorded sumo bout was a rather straightforward affair, fought at the request of Emperor Suinin around 23 B.C. This fight pitted the formidable wrestler Taima-no-Kehaya against Nomi-no-Sukune, who supposedly stood 2.38 meters tall (seven feet ten inches). After a long, pitched battle that reportedly thrilled the audience, Sukune dealt Kehaya a powerful, well-placed kick that broke his ribs and killed him on the spot. The property of the loser was seized and given to Sukune, who was also awarded a position as a retainer of the emperor. This bout appears in the Kojiki (Record of Ancient Matters), Japan's earliest written history, compiled around 712. Shrines to both of these early sumo wrestlers can be found in Western Japan in what was once known as the land of Yamato, the area ruled by Suinin and his descendants.

      A thirteenth-century text chronicles an instance of the imperial succession being decided by the outcome of a sumo bout. When Emperor Montoku announced his intention to retire in 858, the throne was claimed by both his eldest son, Koretaka, and his fourth son, Korehito. The emperor decreed that the matter would be settled by a match, and men were chosen to represent each side. The eldest son was championed by a powerful-looking giant named Natora, while Korehito was represented by a scrawny little fellow named Yoshio. Unknown to all, however, the most important player in the drama was a Buddhist priest in a nearby temple who was praying fervently for a miracle.

      As the bout opened, Yoshio was grabbed by his much bigger opponent and hurled into the air. To the spectators watching the match, it appeared that Natora had won without even trying, but Yoshio was able to land on his feet. Suddenly, in response to the priest's prayers, a huge water buffalo in a nearby rice paddy began to bellow. Before the much-larger Natora could attempt his next technique, the sound of the buffalo's cries seemed to sap his strength. Yoshio, seeing this, quickly went on the offensive and won the bout. Korehito became the emperor Seiwa, who went on to rule until 876.

      Sumo wrestlers are, and in the main always have been, men. But there have been some interesting exceptions. Legend has it that at a benefit sumo tournament held in Kyoto in 594, victory seemed all but assured for a wrestler called Tateishi. After he had beaten all of his opponents, the referee stepped forward and called out to the crowd for more challengers. It appeared that no one was going to respond, when up stepped a young nun. Tateishi at first refused to fight, but the audience was so amused that he figured he would play along with the jest.

      As the nun moved toward him, he simply stood with his arms spread. But when she began to actually push him backward, he became horrified and began to wrestle in earnest. When he crouched and grabbed for her arm, however, she took hold of his thigh and threw him to the ground. The crowd went wild. Tateishi was mortified, but his embarrassment was somewhat mitigated when the nun threw the next three challengers. The wrestling nun later appeared in several more tournaments, always winning.

      In the Edo period, bouts were actually held between women. These were not really displays of combative skill but reflected the sport's growing role as a popular entertainment; the women's mud wrestling of its day. The wrestlers themselves were not much to look at, if contemporary prints are any reliable guide, and they had names as grotesque as their appearance, such as Chichigahari, or "Swollen Tits," and Anagafuchi, or "Deep Trench." For the crowd's amusement, the women were often matched against blind men, leading to much groping and grabbing.

      On the more serious side, wrestlers have figured in some important political transitions, and not only of the legendary kind related above. A group of them participated in the taking of Shimonoseki during the Choshu Civil War of 1865. Their successful resistance against the forces of the Tokugawa shogunate helped to contribute to the eventual restoration to power of the Meiji emperor in 1868, an event that heralded Japan's drive to modernization.

      Wrestlers are referred to by the term rikishi (literally "gentleman of strength"), which dates from the early eighteenth century. Another term, sumotori, or "someone who does sumo," is often used by the Japanese public in general. Sumotori, however, does not accurately express what being a professional participant in this sport is all about, and it is not the term used by the men themselves. Professional sumo's governing body also prefers the former term to the latter.

      Whereas many rikishi once came from the ranks of unemployed samurai, today they are mostly the sons of farming or fishing families. Many hail from northern Japan, particularly the great island of Hokkaido. One reason for this, it has been suggested, is that trudging through the heavy snows that blanket northern Japan during the winter strengthens the hips and legs, which is something vital for success in sumo.

      There may be some merit to this argument. To avoid being toppled, a rikishi's center of gravity should be as low as possible. A "natural" would then have relatively short legs with wide hips and well-developed thighs, as well as a thick upper torso. The weight and stability of his lower body make him difficult to move or throw, and that is a key to the sport. Life in Japan's "snow country" certainly produces such a physique. As for the great number of rikishi from Kyushu, Japan's relatively snowless southern main island, many of these men come from fishing families. Long hours on small boats hauling heavy nets will also help to create a physique perfect for sumo.

      And then there is the foreign contingent. Japanese society has been described as being for the most part closed to foreigners. Until not long ago, the tightly knit world of sumo was

Скачать книгу