Sumo has been performed the same way since the Edo Period (early 1600′s) and still retains the rituals and techniques developed in those early years. The rikishi (wrestlers) even wear their hair in a topknot – the hairstyle typical of samurai in the Edo period. the umpires and referee wear elaborate kimono-style garb that depicts their experience ranking. Before each bout, both wrestlers toss salt into the ring because the dohyo is a sacred place. After each day’s match, a lower ranked wrestler closes the event by performing the yumitori-shiki (bow dance).

Sumo wrestling bouts are fast – some lasting only a few seconds – and very intense, with a series of three “stare down” practice starts that the wrestlers use to intimidate their opponent. These trained athletes weigh in at 300-400 pounds, but follow a stringent regiment of training and nutrition that creates an athlete of great strength. Wrestlers grapple at each other with their bare hands and employ a range of moves that require precision, timing, and balance to succeed.

For centuries sumo wrestlers were exclusively of Japanese birth. In the last two decades, foreign wrestlers have begun to compete in greater numbers and have earned top rankings. Currently there are 60 non-Japanese professional sumo wrestlers out of a total of 700. China, Russia and several other Eastern European countries have made an impressive showing recently, but in the 1990′s two American wrestlers — Konishiki and Akebono (both from Hawaii)– were the first to reach the yokozuna rank.

Opponents start by performing the chiri-chozu, where they squat across each other, extend their hands, then clap once. After this, each opponent performs the shiko, which is best described as an exaggerated act of foot stomping ritual. Then each opponent takes a fistful of unrefined salt and throws it over the ring, as a purification ritual. Salt was believed to have purifying power over evil spirits, while purity and purification rituals play a very important role in Shinto rituals, which was once the dominant religion in Japan. The main objective of a Sumo encounter is to get an opponent to step or land outside the competition circle, or get any part of his body to touch the ground. The first person to get his opponent to do so wins. Most moves such as pushing and shoving, lifting, heaving, slapping and other similar moves are allowed, while punching, hair pulling, kicking the vital areas, and eye gouging are not. It consists of a 30 foot loincloth tightly bound and called a mawashi, which is used during training as well as official competitions. A length of twisted string, called a sagari, is tucked around the front of the waist portion of the belt. The sagari represents the sacred ropes that hang in front of Shinto shrines.