“Encyclopedia of world weapons. Sumo, Japanese national wrestling Sumo competition

Court sumo

The first written mention of sumo is found in the Kojiki, a book dated 712 that is the oldest existing source of Japanese writing. According to the legend given there, 2500 years ago the gods Takemikazuchi and Takeminakata fought in a sumo match for the right to own the Japanese islands. According to legend, Takemikazuke won the first fight. It is from this ancient hero that the Emperor of Japan traces his ancestry.

Sumo is mentioned in ancient Japanese texts dating back to the 8th century under the name sumai. In addition to its main purpose, sumo has been associated with the ritual of the Shinto religion. To this day, in some monasteries you can see ritual fight between man and god.

In parallel with the temple and court sumo, there was also street, folk, square sumo, fights of strongmen or simply townspeople and peasants for the crowd’s own amusement and amusement. There were various wrestling games, similar to sumo, in the gay quarters, such as women's fights (often with obscene wrestling names), women's and blind men's fights, comic wrestling and the like. Street sumo was repeatedly banned because street fights sometimes escalated into mass brawls and city riots. Women's sumo was also subject to restrictions and practically disappeared by the beginning of the 20th century, surviving only as a rare temple ritual and at the amateur level.

Basic information

Ground for wrestling

The sumo wrestling area is a square platform 34-60 cm high, called dohyo. The dohyo is made from a special type of compacted clay and is covered with a thin layer of sand. The fight takes place in a circle with a diameter of 4.55 m, the boundaries of which are laid out with special braids made of rice straw (the so-called “tawara”). In the center of the dohyo there are two white stripes indicating starting positions wrestlers. The sand around the circle is carefully leveled with brooms before the start of each bout, so that the footprints in the sand can be used to determine whether one of the opponents has touched the ground outside the circle. On the sides of the dohyo, steps are made in clay in several places so that wrestlers and gyoji can climb onto it.

The site itself and many objects surrounding it are full of Shinto symbols: the sand that covers the clay dohyo symbolizes purity; throwing salt symbolizes purification, expulsion of evil spirits; The canopy over the dohyo (yakata) is designed in the style of the roof of a Shinto shrine. The four tassels on each corner of the canopy represent the four seasons: white for autumn, black for winter, green for spring, red for summer. The purple flags around the roof symbolize the drift of the clouds and the changing of the seasons. The judge (gyoji), among other duties, serves as a Shinto priest.

According to ancient tradition, entry to the dohyo is prohibited for women.

Training dohyos are made in a similar way, but the circle is located flush with the floor. A purification ceremony is also held for them.

In amateur sumo, a dohyo is simply a designated circle, not necessarily located on a hill. The ban for women is not observed, and women's amateur sumo also exists.

Gyoji Kimura Shonosuke

Clothes and hairstyle

The only clothing a wrestler wears during a fight is a special belt called a “mawashi”. This is a dense wide fabric ribbon, most often in dark shades. Mawashi is wrapped several times around the naked body and between the legs, the end of the belt is secured behind the back with a knot. An unwound mawashi will lead to the wrestler's disqualification. High-level wrestlers have silk mawashi. Hanging ornaments called “sagari” are hung from the belt and do not perform any function other than purely decorative. Wrestlers of the two highest divisions have another, special, kesho-mawashi belt (Japanese: 化粧回し, 化粧廻し kesho:mawashi) , outwardly resembling an apron decorated with sewing, each has its own way, which is used only during rituals. In amateur sumo, mawashi is sometimes worn over swimming trunks or shorts.

The hair is collected in a special traditional bun at the top of the head; in the two highest divisions the hairstyle is much more complex. In addition to beauty, this hairstyle has the property of softening the blow to the crown of the head, which is possible, for example, when falling head down.

The clothing and hairstyle of wrestlers is strictly regulated outside of competition. The prescriptions depend very much on the level of the wrestler. As a rule, the clothing and hairstyle prescribed for wrestlers in everyday life are very archaic. Hair styling requires a special art, almost forgotten outside of sumo and traditional theater.

Rules

In sumo it is forbidden to hit with anything other than an open palm, as well as in the eyes and genital area. It is forbidden to grab the hair, ears, fingers and the part of the mawashi covering the genitals. Chokeholds are not allowed. Everything else is allowed, so the wrestlers’ arsenal includes slaps, pushes, grabs of any permitted parts of the body and especially belts, as well as throws, various kinds of trips and sweeps. The fight begins with a simultaneous rush of the wrestlers towards each other, followed by a collision (“tatiai”). Offensive fighting is considered good form, as well as a more successful tactic. Tricks based on subterfuge (such as dodging contact at the beginning of a fight), although acceptable, are not considered beautiful. Due to the wide variety of techniques, rarely does anyone have a full arsenal of them, so there are wrestlers who are more prone to either grappling and belt wrestling (for example, ozeki Kayo), or, on the contrary, to fighting with pushes from a distance (for example, Chiyotakai).

Two basic rules are used to determine the winner of each fight:

• The first person to touch the ground with any part of the body other than the feet is considered a loser.
• The first person to touch the ground outside the circle is considered the loser.

Everything is considered a body, right down to the ends of the hair. In some cases, the referee declares the winner to be the wrestler who touches the ground first. This happens when his opponent, even if he touched the ground second, had no chance of winning: he was very effectively thrown, or carried out of the circle, torn off the ground (the “dead body” principle). An attempt to perform a prohibited technique, for example, grabbing hair, also leads to unconditional defeat.

Often the match lasts only a few seconds, as one of the wrestlers is quickly pushed out of the circle by the other, or knocked down by a throw or sweep. In rare cases, the fight can last several minutes. Particularly long matches may be paused so that the wrestlers can take a breather or tighten weakened belts. At the same time, the position and grip are clearly recorded by the gyoji, in order to accurately restore the relative position of the wrestlers on the dohyo after a timeout.

Life of a fighter

The association manages a significant portion of the funds raised, distributing them among heyas according to the level of performance of their wrestlers. In addition, heya may receive funding from third-party sources, such as sponsorship groups or through Association-approved advertisers.

The life of the association is governed by many unwritten rules.

Fixed matches in sumo

Until very recently, the existence of paid contractual bouts or gratuitous “mutual assistance” between wrestlers was not proven. The topic was loved by the “yellow press”, suspicions were most often based on the fact that wrestlers perform noticeably better if the fight means a lot to them (for example, with a score of 7-7). On the other hand, this phenomenon could be explained highly motivated fighter. At the end of January 2011, a scandal erupted when the police, studying (for a completely different reason) SMS messages on the phones of some wrestlers, discovered messages clearly indicating fixed fights for money. The amounts amounted to thousands of dollars. The scandal that erupted led to exceptional consequences, for example, the March spring tournament in Osaka (Haru Basho) in 2011 and all exhibition performances (jungyo) in 2011 were cancelled. This indicates colossal problems - tournaments are canceled extremely rarely, in last time the regular tournament was canceled in 1946 due to the post-war difficulties of the devastated country. Throughout the previous war, even after the atomic bombings, tournaments were not cancelled.

Kinds

University sumo

Amateur sumo

In 1980, the Japan Sumo Federation held the First All-Japan Amateur Championship, inviting teams from overseas to increase competition. As a result, the first international amateur tournament in sumo. From then on, the number of foreign teams participating in the event increased every year, and in July 1983, Japan and Brazil created the organization that became the predecessor of the modern International Sumo Federation (IFS). In 1985, due to an increase in the number of participating teams, the name of the tournament changed to International Championship in sumo. In 1989, the 10th anniversary championship was held in Sao Paulo. On December 10, 1992, to commemorate the creation of the IFS, the name of the championship was changed again.

Professional sumo

The first World Sumo Championship, held under the auspices of the IFS, attracted a total of 73 participants from 25 different countries. The tournament has become an annual event, and the number of participating countries continues to grow. The World Championship is held in individual and team competitions. Athletes are divided into four weight categories: light, medium, heavy weight and absolute weight category.

In 1995, five continental amateur sumo federations were created, which conduct qualifying tournaments for the right to participate in the World Championship. Currently, the IFS has 84 member countries. In 1997, the first World Sumo Championships for women were held. The Federation actively promotes women's sumo.

Foreigners in sumo

Although sumo has long been played by assimilated Koreans, the real starting point of the internationalization process should be considered 1964, when the American sumotori Takamiyama, known worldwide as Jesse Kuhaulua, appeared in Doha. The Hawaiian-born wrestler became the first foreigner to win the Imperial Cup. He reached the level of sekiwake, which is a sign of a very successful career, and was very popular. He also became the first foreigner to head the hei. Following him and under his influence, such prominent wrestlers as Konishiki, Akebono (Takamiyama’s best student) and Musashimaru appeared in sumo. Many foreign wrestlers, notably the Chinese, Americans, Brazilians, Argentines and even the Senegalese, did not do well and went unnoticed. Since the end of the 20th - beginning of the 21st century, the most noticeable influx of wrestlers from Mongolia, as well as from the Caucasus. The first ozeki of European origin and the first European to win the Imperial Cup is Kotooshu Katsunori - Bulgarian professional wrestler sumo at the rank of ozeki.

Restrictions on the number of foreigners are constantly being tightened. The general quota introduced (40 people) was later replaced by the requirement: one person per heya. In February 2010, the Board of Directors of the Association further tightened the conditions for the admission of foreigners: a wrestler is considered a foreigner not by citizenship, but by origin. This finally closes the loophole for the oyakata, who previously resorted to tricks - collecting entire communities according to a general quota (like the Ooshima school) or transferring wrestlers to Japanese citizenship. The new restriction came into effect at the end of the traditional spring recruitment in 2010. In part, access for foreigners is limited by the age limit for a debutant, 23 years. Since a foreigner enters wrestling on a general basis, non-Japanese amateurs who have proven themselves very often risk not making it in time or end up “on the last step of the last carriage.” In practice, the quota leads to incidents, for example, brothers who were supposed to train together - Rojo and Hakurozan - end up in different heyas. There are heyas that fundamentally do not accept foreigners, there are heyas that are breeding grounds for foreigners, for example, Ooshima and Tatsunami, which actively attract Mongols. Quotas do not save from the dominance of foreigners in the major leagues, for example, in the November 2010 Basho major league Makuuchi had 20 wrestlers of foreign origin (out of 45 positions), of which 7 (out of 9 positions) were in sanyaku (ranks of komusubi and higher), including three ozeki out of four and the only yokozuna. As of November 2012, the last time a Japanese wrestler won the Imperial Cup was in 2006, the rest were won by the Mongols, except for two cups, which were won by a Bulgarian and an Estonian.

The restrictions are justified, since it is generally accepted that sumo is not only and not just a sport, and the influx of foreigners, with alien manners and views on things, can disrupt the purely Japanese spirit inherent in sumo. This, as a consequence, will supposedly reduce interest in sumo in Japan and, ultimately (although it is not customary to talk about this openly), the income of the Association. On the other hand, repeatedly it was foreigners, such as Musashimaru and Akebono, and then Asashoryu, who greatly fueled interest in sumo, both in Japan and in the world.

A foreigner does not have full rights as a wrestler. Thus, foreign yokozuna and ozeki, unlike their Japanese colleagues, do not have voting rights in the Association. Without transferring to Japanese citizenship, a foreigner cannot remain a coach after retirement.

Last time [ When?] foreigners were involved in a number of scandals that led to their disqualification: Kyokutenho was disqualified from a tournament for driving a car, Asashoryu was disqualified from two tournaments for playing football in public, despite the fact that he did not participate in official exhibition performances as injured, and three Russian wrestlers - Wakanoho, Rojo, Hakurozan - for life, after a scandal related to their alleged use (and Wakanoho’s also proven possession) of marijuana. Last case had a great resonance and led to the resignation of the President of the Association, Oyakata Kitanoumi.

Sumo in Russia

After finishing his career, Taiho tried to establish friendly relations between Japan and the countries of the former USSR. He founded a sumo association in Kharkov, the city where his father was a native. A stroke prevented Taiho from visiting the city in person.

• In some countries close to Japan, such as Mongolia and Korea, wrestling styles similar to sumo are common. However, Mongolian Bukh wrestling has one significant difference: it is not held in the ring, but in an open field, without designated boundaries.
• 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.
• 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 large. A number of sumo wrestlers, such as the great wrestler Chiyonofuji, were significantly drier than average.
• 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. Typically, wrestlers travel by taxi or are transported in special minibuses.

see also

• List of sumo records ( English)
• Chankonabe (en: Chankonabe) - a traditional Japanese dish recommended for sumo wrestlers

Literature

• Ivanov O. “Sumo. Living traditions of ancient Japan." - M.: Stil-MG, 2004 ISBN 5-8131-0062-8
• "Sumo: From Rite To Sport" by Patricia L. Cuyler.

Notes

Links

• Japan Sumo Association

The birthplace of sumo wrestling is Japan., where this type of martial arts is classified as martial arts. The tradition of sumo wrestling dates back to ancient times, so each competition is accompanied by numerous rituals. Japan is the only country where professional sumotori competitions are organized (as sumo wrestlers are called).

History of sumo wrestling

The first martial arts of sumo wrestling were of a religious nature, and not sports, therefore they were necessarily accompanied by theatrical performances on the theme of religion, prayers and ritual dances. The sumo wrestling technique at that time did not involve virtually any prohibited elements, so wrestling throws and grabs were interspersed with boxing techniques.

However, the very first documentary evidence of sumo wrestling dates back to a slightly later period - 712, when it was inscribed in the Kojiki book - the oldest source of writing for the Japanese people. Wrestling (as sumai) is also mentioned in other written sources of the 8th century. It was associated with the religious ritual of Shinto, which is why even today in some Japanese monasteries you can get acquainted with the battle between God and man.

The basic rules of martial arts were developed in the period from 794 to 1185, during the Heian era. At that time, the first restrictions arose: sumotori was forbidden to hit an opponent in the head, kick him or pull his hair. Since that time, wrestlers also wore uniforms, which consisted of a single element - a loincloth.

During the formation of the military class, the role of sumo wrestling changed dramatically. Fights increasingly moved away from religiosity, and with the emergence of civil strife, his techniques were sharpened for use in battles and served to train warriors. This took place from 1192 to 1573, during the Muromachi and Kamakura eras.

Modern sumo wrestling dates back to approximately 1603, from the Edo period, when wars subsided and peace reigned. Martial arts began to turn into a new entertainment for the nobility and the propertied classes. It was at that time that about 70 canonical elements were finally formed, the ritual became unchanged and the rules of combat were established, which have survived to this day almost unchanged.

During the Edo period, the title of the main champion - “yokozun” arose, and the currently existing wrestling hierarchical ladder took shape. In the 18th century (in the middle), a tradition arose of holding 2 sumo wrestling tournaments annually - in Edo (Tokyo) and Osaka.

The worst times came for sumo wrestling after 1868, when, with the opening of Japan, others appeared in it. sports entertainment. Then the persecution of sumotori began, and the wrestling itself was recognized as a relic of feudalism. Salvation came with popular support and the personal favor of the Emperor. Since then, the tournaments have again become a tradition and have never been interrupted - even at the time of hostilities.

Sumo wrestlers

Sumo wrestlers must not only have a large physique and heavy weight– the requirements for them are extremely strict and demanding and impose a lot of restrictions regarding the individual life of athletes. Sumo wrestlers are required to lead a morally and ethically pure lifestyle, have excellent health and have an education of at least secondary (9th grade). The height of sumo wrestlers must be 167 cm and above, and their body weight must be at least 67 kg.

Only wrestlers who have reached the age of 23 are allowed to enter the professional level. As an exception - athletes who showed unprecedented good results in amateur or collegiate sumo wrestling. They are allowed to start professional martial arts even at the age of 25. Great sumo wrestlers came to this sport precisely from the student environment.

In order to prove themselves in the professional field, sumo wrestlers are required to join one of the so-called. rooms, that is, schools. But they can get there only after completing secondary education. Amateurs who demonstrate excellent results begin wrestling immediately from the 3rd makushita (division).

Further, the life of sumo wrestlers becomes even more ascetic, and young people voluntarily renounce ordinary human pleasures. They dont have privacy– all of it proceeds under the watchful attention of the association and the oyakata (mentor). Moreover, care is taken not only about the moral character of a sumo wrestler, but also about his physical health.

Sumo wrestlers have neither their own home nor family. The only people they communicate with are Sumotori people like themselves. Their day usually begins incredibly early with monotonous, exhausting workouts. After completing hours of exercise, they have lunch and then rest during a mandatory quiet hour. The mentor’s task is to help evenly increase fat and muscle mass in order to perform successfully in competitions.

Sumo wrestler weight

The idea of ​​a sumo wrestler as a fat and clumsy person is completely wrong. Of course, on the “battlefield” you can observe a fight between giants weighing more than 200 kilograms, but this is most likely the exception rather than the rule. The standard body weight of sumo wrestlers reaches 130…180 kg. Moreover, at the end of the fight, athletes lose up to several tens of kilograms, and then the heavyweight can hardly be recognized as a commentator on the progress of the next fight.

The weight of a sumo wrestler increases not only due to pumping up muscles, but also due to fat deposits accumulated with the help of a special diet worked out over decades. The overwhelming majority of sumo wrestlers weigh about one hundred kilograms or more (except for beginners), and representatives of the highest divisions weigh from 120 kg. Otherwise, they cannot expect to win.

Sumo wrestling technique

In sumo wrestling, it is prohibited to hit the eyes and groin area. Strikes may only be struck with an open palm, not with an edge. Sumo wrestling also prohibits grabbing the opponent's masavi (loincloth), fingers, ears and hair. It is also forbidden to attempt strangulation holds. All other techniques are allowed for use, so the basic arsenal of sumo wrestlers includes:

• cutting;
• footrests;
• throws;
• grips;
• tremors;
• slaps.

However, due to the very large volume of techniques, it is rare for an athlete to master all of them, so sumo wrestlers prefer certain techniques and fighting tactics - such as grabbing and wrestling in the belt or wrestling with pushes from a distance. But any fight, as a rule, begins with athletes rushing towards each other with a collision. The best combat tactics are offensive.

Sumo wrestling rules

The rules of sumo wrestling were formed during the Heian era.– from 794 to 1185. To identify the winners of the fight, 2 basic definitions are used:

1. The loser is the one who first touches the area outside the circle;
2. The loser is the first one to touch the ground with any area of ​​the body, with the exception of the feet.

The fighting area looks like a square platform with a height of 34...60 cm and is called dohyo. It is made from compacted clay, which is covered with a small layer of sand. The fight itself takes place in a circle limited by a strict diameter of 4.55 meters. Along the edges it is lined with tawara - wickerwork made of rice straw.

According to the rules of sumo wrestling, the starting positions of athletes are indicated on the dohyo by 2 white stripes. Before the start of each tournament, the sand framing the circle is carefully swept with brooms and leveled - so that you can accurately determine whether or not the wrestler has touched the area outside the circle. In general, the rules of sumo wrestling contain many more ritual attributes that go back to Shinto traditions and symbols.

(no subject)

I read a discussion below in the thread about classifying people by type according to McWilliams. The fact that a specialist needs to know and understand this does not arise in my mind. But does the “client” need to understand exactly how...

One of the popular national sports in Japan is sumo wrestling. Japan is the only country where sumo competitions are held on professional level. In other countries, such as Korea, sumo is also popular view sports, but only at the amateur level.

Sumo originated in ancient times during the Yayoi era, which falls between 300 BC and 250 AD. At that time, sumo was a Shinto ritual ceremony (Shinto is the traditional religion of the Japanese people), which gradually developed into a combat match. Then, for the pleasure of the nobility of those times, sharpened bamboo piles began to be dug around the place where the duel took place. And then, the losing wrestler, falling out of the circle, was pierced by these piles, which led to indescribable delight of the audience.

During the formation of the samurai class, sumo wrestling became its privilege. In the combat training of the samurai, sumo played a significant role, as it contributed to the skill of standing firmly on one’s feet.

Sumo includes certain ritual preparation and conduct of the fight. Before the fight began, the participants prayed for victory, sprinkled salt on the arena to drive away evil spirits underground, and then clapped their hands to attract the attention of the deity in whose honor the competition was held, this ritual is still carried out today.

In the 16th century, professional sumo tournaments began to take place. The rules of fighting changed over time and were finally developed in the 17th century and have not changed since then.

The platform for sumo is a hill of 40-60 cm, on which there is a circle called dohyo, compacted with clay and sprinkled with sand. In the center dohyo two white lines ( shikiri-sen) are the starting positions of sumo wrestlers. Finely sifted sand called "snake's eye" is poured around the arena. Using sand, you can determine whether the contact was made by a wrestler outside the arena. The diameter of the wrestling circle is 4.55 meters.

Sumo wrestlers dressed in mawashi- This is a special belt made of thick fabric, usually dark colors. This wide ribbon is wrapped around the naked body and between the legs several times and tied in a knot at the back. On mawashi there is a fringe - sagari, which is only a decoration and does not carry any semantic meaning. If the mawashi unwinds during a match, this automatically leads to the disqualification of the wrestler.

Sumo wrestlers' hair is greased and styled in a large bun at the top of the head. The referee is watching the fight ( gyoji) competitions. He is dressed in ancient ritual clothing and gives commands using a fan during the fight.

The rules of wrestling include a number of prohibitions, these are: you cannot grab an opponent by the hair, fingers, ears, you cannot use choking techniques, you cannot grab the mawashi in the genital area, you can only hit with an open palm, but you cannot hit in the eye area and genitals. All other techniques are permitted.

In the following cases, the defeat of the sumo wrestler is counted:

• the wrestler touched the ground with any part of the body other than the soles of the feet
• the wrestler was pushed out of the circle
• the wrestler performed a move prohibited for wrestling
• mawashi looked unsightly
• wrestler is announced blue-tai(by a corpse). This happens extremely rarely when the wrestler is in a position that is impossible to fight.

The fight does not last long and can last from a few seconds to several minutes. The weight of the wrestler plays a decisive, but not the main, role in victory, because the greater the weight, the easier it is to push the opponent out of the circle. Therefore, immediately before competitions, wrestlers drink large quantities of water - up to 10 liters per day and eat in huge quantities fatty foods, increasing your mass. Sumo wrestlers weigh from 125 kg to 235 kg. But the technique of conducting a duel still plays the main role and therefore one can observe how a noticeably smaller wrestler wins the duel.

Sumo wrestling has a strict hierarchy; it depends on the skill of the wrestler. The hierarchy was established in the Edo era and exists today. Each wrestler receives a pseudonym from the instructor. After each match, wrestlers are either promoted or demoted in the circle depending on the number of appearances and their victories. Considering that the status of a wrestler depends on the number of victories, sumo wrestlers try to take part in all competitions, regardless of the fact that they have not yet recovered from injuries after previous competitions. And sumo is enough traumatic form sports Often at competitions you can see a wrestler with bandages on his hands and knees.

There are six categories in sumo: makuuchi, juryo, makushita, sandamme, jonidan, jenokuchi.

A sumo wrestler's career begins from the lowest rank - jenokuchi, and in order to reach the highest circle - makuuchi, you need to put in a lot of strength and develop fighting skills. It takes a lot of time and physical activity from a fighter.

At the top of the qualification is the grand champion - yokozuna(great champion). If a wrestler reaches the yokozuna title, then, unlike other (lower) ranks, he is no longer subject to demotion even if he loses the match. But usually a yokozuna leaves the sport and does not take part in competitions if he sees that his time has passed and he does not live up to the standard of a champion.

The winner of each competition receives the Emperor's Cup and a large cash prize. Professional sumo wrestlers receive a monthly salary of $10,000 from the Japan Sumo Association, plus they receive an additional bonus for each battle won, plus there is a system of corresponding bonuses.

Sumo wrestling requires great strength and health, and huge weight also adversely affects the general condition of the wrestler, therefore, at the age of 35, sumo wrestlers retire and live quite prosperously from the funds accumulated during their professional activities, in addition, depending on their qualification level, they receive a decent pension - 5-6 thousand dollars.

Japan hosts six sumo tournaments every year. Three in Tokyo - January, May and September and one each in Osaka - in March, in Nagoya - in July and in Fukuoka - in November. Each tournament lasts 15 days, during which each wrestler competes in one match per day (excluding inferior matches if they have already been won). During the period of tournaments, the hierarchy ranking based on the results of the competition is updated daily. Wrestlers who have more victories than defeats move up the hierarchy; those who have more defeats in their arsenal are demoted in rank.

The best way to see sumo is to take part in a tournament; tickets are sold for all 15-day tours in specialized organizations, in mini-markets, at stadiums (the cheapest tickets are purchased on the day of the performance, at the stadium, special places are reserved for these tickets).

There are three types of places available for sumo lovers. These are ringside seats that are located right next to the arena (circle) in which the competition takes place. These are the most expensive places and tickets are difficult to get there. Spectators sit on cushions, on the floor and are at risk of injury when a wrestler is thrown outside the circle.

Boh seats are seats on the ground floor of the stadium, in the form of a box, divided among themselves, in which there are 4 seats - pillows on the floor. These seats are sold in 4 tickets at a time, regardless of whether there will be four people there or two. It is prohibited to wear shoes in these places.

And the third type of seating is Western-style balconies. The ticket price depends on the distance from the arena. Children under 3 years old, together with their parents, attend competitions for free, but in distant places, without being provided with a separate seat.

Tickets for competitions, as a rule, are purchased in advance, otherwise there is a chance of not getting to your favorite show.

SUMO, Japanese national wrestling, one of the oldest types of 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 is very difficult to maintain during the fight, given the large weight of the opponents.

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 with his own weight of 170 kg, he managed to throw the 220-kg Musashimaru).

Unlike international sumo tournaments, 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 throwing salt: the participants in the fight throw handfuls of it in front of them on the platform, which is a symbol of expelling demonic spirits from the sports field. Only after such a rather lengthy 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 it is announced, the wrestler moves his right hand to the side, 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 largest number 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 throughout the year in various cities in 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 to be unique giants (for example, the Hawaiian Konishiki in different years of 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 reference. 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 as a wrestling sport were fully formed, and 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 a purely male sport. 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 perform successfully in international competitions in amateur sumo. 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 site ( dohyo).

Weight categories
The following weight categories are defined in sumo competitions:
Men: up to 85 kg, up to 92 kg, up to 100 kg, up to 115 kg, over 115 kg and absolute weight category.
Women: up to 55 kg, up to 65 kg, up to 73 kg, up to 80 kg, up to 95 kg, over 95 kg and absolute weight category.

Cloth
Competitors must wear a loincloth bandage - 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 length of the mawashi should be sufficient to wrap it around the athlete's torso 4-5 times.
Athletes are prohibited from entering a fight wearing objects that could injure their 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.

Procedure for tying 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 - clay or earthen trapezoid 34-60 cm high;
- hira-dohyo - a flat dohyo, which is used for training and 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 jianome 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 Referee is responsible for the implementation of all provisions relating to the general rules of refereeing, including the appointment of referee teams.

Composition of the judging panel
The refereeing team must consist of 6 people: the head of the team - simpante, the 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, except 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 a shinitai position. 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 actions),
3. If he ends the fight on his own,
4. If he deliberately did not rise from the starting position,
5. If he does not follow the gyoji's commands,
6. If he did 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)
1. Punching or finger poking.
2. Kicks to the chest or stomach.
3. Hair grabs.
4. Grab by the throat.
5. Grabs the vertical parts of the mawashi.
6. Wringing the opponent's fingers.
7. Biting.
8. 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 together outstretched arms at chest level, spread them to the sides with palms down and again bring them together in front with a clap of palms, straighten the arms and spread them to the sides parallel to the ground with palms up, and at the end of the ritual turn them 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 old - 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:
- in team competitions, the two teams that will compete next must enter and position themselves in the dohyo-damari until 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 failure.

Presentation of participants
Wrestlers take part in the competition under the numbers they received in the draw. The informant judge represents 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.

Application.

The dress code accepted by the FSM.