These posts make more sense when read in order.
Please click here for the first article in this series.
Some people don’t get that sumo is not about fighting. In Japanese society there’s a strong emphasis on social harmony and they place a high value on respect for one another. This is also expressed in sumo.
You will never see rikishi (participants) mouthing off about how great they are, while yelling all the terrible things they’re going to inflict on their opponent. They’re taught to not show any emotions in the dohyō (ring). They often try to prevent a losing opponent from falling off the platform or try to help him get back to his feet. Generally they treat each other with respect and are required to bow to one another before and after each bout. On losing a bout, they never say anything negative about their opponent. They might even praise him. Sometimes they may briefly mention their own mistake, but they almost always talk about how they’ll try to do better next time and how they’ll do their best to improve and learn so they can advance their game. Asian cultures value self-improvement over self-esteem.
I’ve never seen anything even remotely like this in any other sport, perhaps the closest being golf or surfing. And, of course, there are times when rikishi do show emotions, such as on winning a tournament trophy, a major promotion, or on retiring.
Again, this is a reflection of Japanese society. Their way of life is actually quite amazing. No one knows this who hasn’t actually been there to experience it. Going to Japan is like suddenly stepping 30 years into the future, and it’s not just the advanced technology. While every society has its good and bad points and we can all learn from other cultures, Japan definitely has many features and manners of behavior that I really hope will spread throughout the world.
Rikishi are expected to show dignity, modesty, and humility at
all times—things that are highly valued in Japanese society. They are supposed
to be role models, and, as such, they are highly respected. Yet they also need to be aggressive and fight furiously if they are to enter and remain in the top ranks.
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In spite of their imposing size, most rikishi are gentle and kindhearted outside the ring. Their round, baby-like faces with their engaging smiles reveal their gentler sides and their general politeness.
What sumo is about is using your strength to overcome an opponent. It’s sort of like arm wrestling, but on a much grander scale and it takes a lot more than strength to win. It’s also a demonstration of technique, of one’s abilities, of the constant battle to overcome barriers—usually injuries—and of striving to achieve one’s best performance. And it’s also about the rikishi’s home community, as he is its representative. This is Japan’s national sport and everyone is involved, even the Emperor, since its ultimate trophy is called the Emperor’s Cup.
Don't get me wrong, these guys can get very aggressive during a bout, but for the most part they aren't mean about it. Animosities and rivalries do occasionally arise, but from what I've seen, things rarely get personal and the rikishi almost always keep the bouts on a professional level (although I suspect Tim Bissell--mentioned below--might disagree). If they deviate from that, they risk harming their career.
There’s more on this in my next post.
I know it's strange, but I have a deep respect for all of the rikishi. I always hope all of them win and I'm very happy for those that do.
Click here for the next article in this series:
If you'd like further information, I recommend the following:
NHK, Japan's public broadcasting TV channel, streams the half-hour highlights shows here https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/shows/latest/ before they do on other sumo pages of their site. There are up to four one-hour shows that were recorded live usually on Day 1, Day 8, Day 14, and Day15 of each basho (tournament) that are found here https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/shows/sumolive/. They also have information about the rikishi and the excellent short Sumopedia videos. This is your required first stop.
If
you'd rather watch the full day live in Japanese, you'll find it
showing on various YouTube channels, but you'll have to wait until it
starts at around 8:30 a.m. Japan time to search for them. And remember,
they're a day earlier if you're not on the early side of the
International Date Line. The matches run to about 6 p.m., with the top
division starting around 4 p.m.
The Japan Sumo Association's official site https://www.sumo.or.jp/En/ also contains some excellent information.
Since I’m interested in analysis and statistics, I also highly recommend Michael’s Ozeki Analytics blog at https://ozekianalytics.substack.com/. You can skip signing up to check it out. It can be a bit technical for some people.
For first-rate information on the individual rikishi, their abilities, and the techniques they use, you have to check out Tim Bissell’s Sumo Stomp! at https://sumostomp.substack.com/. Again you can hit “No thanks” for signing up in order to read his posts, but then go back and sign up.
Then enjoy! Sumo really is the ultimate sport.
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