The full-contact grappling sport of sumo originated in Japan and remains popular in the country. While the sport does not feature many rules, event organizers regulate the ring in which the competitors wrestle and the clothes they wear. The rules do ban certain maneuvers and outline the ways in which you can win a match.
Ring
Competitions take place on a ring called a dohyo. Made from clay, the ring rises up about 55 cm off the ground. All of the action occurs within the circle in the ring, which has a diameter of 4.6 m. Organizers construct the markings of the ring from straw bales called tawara. These bales not only mark the ring's inner circle but also the outer edges of the ring. Before every event, organizers reconstruct most of the ring from clay found on the banks of the Arakawa River. Every event must feature a purifying ceremony before it begins.
Winning a Match
To win a match, you must force your opponent out of the dohyo or knock him to the ground. You can do so by lifting, pushing or pulling your opponent. Every sumo has favorite techniques that he uses to win a match, as many techniques, called kimarite, exist. Some of the most popular moves include grabbing an opponent's belt, pinning him to your body and lifting him out of the ring; pulling an opponent down with his arms; and pushing an opponent out of the ring with both of your hands.
Illegal Moves
You cannot pull your opponent's hair, strike him with a closed fist, hit his ears, choke him or grab his groin. You can, however, push your opponent's throat with an open hand. An illegal move results in an immediate disqualification.
Equipment
Wrestlers wear nothing but a small belt, called a mawashi, that passes between the legs. Very few rules exist regarding the mawashi, as some wrestlers wear the belt as tightly as possible, so that opponents cannot get a grip on it, while others wear it loose, so that the slack prevents opponents from making a quick throw. You can put water on your mawashi, which makes it slippery, but you cannot add any other substances, and doing so leads to a disqualification. If your mawashi comes off during a match, you automatically lose.
References
- "Dynamic Sumo"; Clyde Newton; 2000
- "The Big Book of Sumo: History, Practice, Ritual, Fight"; Mina Hall; 1997
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