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Sumo

What is Sumo?

Sumo is a traditional Japanese form of wrestling that has a rich history and cultural significance in Japan. It involves two wrestlers, known as rikishi, who compete in a circular ring called a dohyo. The objective of the match is to force the opponent out of the ring or to make any part of their body other than the soles of their feet touch the ground.

Sumo has a number of rituals and traditions that are deeply rooted in Shinto practices, such as the purification of the ring with salt and the ceremonial stomping to drive away evil spirits. Wrestlers wear a distinctive belt called a mawashi, and matches are typically short, often lasting only a few seconds.

Sumo is also a hierarchical sport with a ranking system that determines the status and privileges of the wrestlers. The top division is called Makuuchi, and within this division, the highest rank is Yokozuna. Achieving the rank of Yokozuna is a significant honor and requires consistent high performance and demonstration of exceptional skill and dignity.

In addition to being a sport, sumo is also a form of entertainment and a cultural event that attracts audiences from around the world. Major sumo tournaments, known as honbasho, are held six times a year in various locations across Japan.

Related Article: Sumo: Pre-fight Customs and Rituals

It's funny. When you're coming up and you're striving for your black belt it seems so, so important. I've been a black belt for over twenty years, now. I've been a black belt for longer than it took me to get to black belt: longer than it took me to get through all the other belts combined. At some point in all of that you start to realize that the belt don't actually matter. You start to realize that what matters is being on the mat. What matters is the time you get to spend with this art. The rest of it is just window dressing.
Richard Bresler

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Other Glossary terms

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Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is a full-contact combat sport that allows a wide variety of fighting techniques and skills from a mixture of other combat sports to be used in competition.
M
Metsubushi
Metsubushi, often translated as "eye closers" or "eye blinders," are tools or techniques used in traditional Japanese martial arts, particularly ninjutsu, to temporarily blind or disorient an opponent.
M
Uechi-Ryu
Uechi-Ryu is a traditional style of Okinawan karate founded by Kanbun Uechi in the early 20th century.
U
Pull-up Bars
Pull-up bars are pieces of exercise equipment designed to help individuals perform pull-ups and other upper body exercises.
P
Shaolin Monks
Shaolin monks are Buddhist monks associated with the Shaolin Temple, a historic monastery located in the Henan province of China.
S
Taekwondo
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art that emphasizes head-height kicks, jumping and spinning kicks, and fast kicking techniques.
T
Horse Stance
The Horse Stance, also known as "Kiba Dachi" in Japanese, is a fundamental stance used in many martial arts, including American Kenpo.
H
Katame-Waza
Katame-Waza refers to the grappling or groundwork techniques in Judo.
K
Dōzukuri
Dōzukuri is an essential step in Kyudo, the Japanese martial art of archery.
D
Battojutsu
Battojutsu, also known as Iaijutsu, is a traditional Japanese martial art focused on the technique of drawing and cutting with a katana (Japanese sword) in a single fluid motion.
B
Qwan Ki Do
Qwan Ki Do is a Vietnamese martial art that combines various techniques and philosophies from traditional Vietnamese and Chinese martial arts.
Q
Choice Reaction Time (CRT)
Choice Reaction Time (CRT) is a measure of the time it takes for an individual to respond to one of several stimuli by selecting the appropriate response from multiple options.
C
Jogo do Pau
Jogo do Pau is a traditional Portuguese martial art that involves the use of a wooden staff, typically around 1.5 to 2 meters (5 to 6.5 feet) in length.
J
Daoshu
Daoshu (刀术), also known as Broadsword Technique or Swordsmanship, is a traditional Chinese martial art focused on the use of the dao (刀), a single-edged Chinese broadsword.
D
Bogu
Bogu is the protective armor worn by practitioners of Kendo during training and competition.
B
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