Sumo
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Sumo, a form of wrestling, is one of Japan's most interesting and colourful
traditions. Its exact origin is obscure, but it is certainly very ancient
and linked with the Japanese cult of Shinto. Sumo matches are held on a
dais of banked earth, in a circle defined by small rice bales. Within this
circle, the wrestlers attempt to push or throw their opponent down -the
match is won even if the losing wrestler merely touches the earth inside or
outside the circle with any part of his body.
Many rituals surround the matches, some of them having mystical
significance; before a bout the wrestlers throw liberal amounts of salt
into the ring as a form of purification. The most senior wrestlers are
those holding the ranks of yokozuna (grand champion), ozeki (champion) and
sekiwake (junior champion ). Ozeki, sekitwake and all the lower ranks are
promoted or demoted after every tournament according to their performance,
but yokozuna is a fixed rank and very few wrestlers achieve this supreme,
unassailable position. Sumo wrestlers cat large quantitics of high-protein
food in order to achieve massive bulk and strength; between 100kg and 200kg
is a typical fighting weight.
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