Kesho-mawashi
What is Kesho-Mawashi?
Kesho-mawashi is a ceremonial apron worn by sumo wrestlers during specific formal occasions, such as the ring-entering ceremony (dohyō-iri) that takes place before official matches. Unlike the standard mawashi, which is worn during actual bouts, the kesho-mawashi is highly decorative and designed to display the wrestler's status and affiliations.
Here are some key features of the kesho-mawashi:
- Design and Decoration: Kesho-mawashi are often elaborately decorated with intricate embroidery, featuring a variety of designs such as family crests, sponsor logos, and traditional Japanese motifs. They are typically made from silk and other high-quality materials.
- Symbolism: The designs on a kesho-mawashi can carry significant meaning, often reflecting the wrestler's personal history, achievements, and affiliations. They may also include symbols meant to bring good luck or protection.
- Use in Ceremonies: The primary use of the kesho-mawashi is during the dohyō-iri, where wrestlers from the top two divisions (Makuuchi and Jūryō) participate in a ritual that involves specific movements and poses. Yokozuna, or grand champions, have their own unique ring-entering ceremonies that are more elaborate and also involve the use of kesho-mawashi.
- Craftsmanship: Creating a kesho-mawashi is a specialized craft that involves skilled artisans. The process can be time-consuming and expensive, reflecting the importance and prestige associated with these garments.
- Sponsorship: Often, the kesho-mawashi is funded by sponsors, who may have their logos or symbols incorporated into the design. This sponsorship is a way for companies to gain visibility and associate themselves with the sport of sumo.
Overall, the kesho-mawashi is an important part of sumo tradition, adding to the visual spectacle and cultural richness of the sport.
Related Article: Sumo: Pre-fight Customs and Rituals
The minute you don a black belt, the minute you step in front of a class to teach, you are seen as an expert on violence. It doesn’t matter if you have absorbed a complete philosophical system with your martial art. It doesn’t matter if the art gave you, for the first time, the confidence to view the world as a pacifist. It doesn’t matter if you studied as a window to another age and culture. It doesn’t matter that you have found enlightenment in kata or learned to blend in harmony with the force of your attacker. It doesn’t matter because you are about to teach a martial art, an art dedicated to Mars, the God of War. A MARtial art. Even if somewhere over the years you have lost sight of this, your students have not.
Rory Miller