Sumo Wrestling 101 | National Geographic

six times a year these giants battle
each other for top placement in Japan’s
most beloved traditional sport sumo
highly ritualized this sport dates back
more than a thousand years originating
as a right of the Shinto religion
matches are a true window into an
earlier era participants wear colorful
Shinto Gaara stomping drives evil
spirits from the ring while tossing
sacred salt appeases the Shinto gods
before the ring is sullied by the
wrestlers presence what’s surprising
about sumo is the sheer size of the
wrestlers a traditional diet that
includes choco lava a stew made from
fatty meats cabbage eggs and bean
sprouts helps them bulk up entering the
ring girth is advantageous the rules are
simple knock your opponent down or out
of the ring wrestlers slam slap and toss
opponents into submission it usually
lasts less than a minute sumo wrestlers
belong to staples which function like
clubs and are where they learn the finer
points of sumo from experienced mentors
each match is an opportunity for sumo
wrestlers to move up the complex ranking
system or down
at the top are the Yokozuna or Grand
Champions in the ring they are
distinguished by the large ropes around
their waists
a match like this is a feast for the
fans
but no matter what they’re ranked a
stylized Battle of these Giants lies at
the heart of Japanese tradition