Aug 17, 20192 min read

World Culture Tour: Japan part 1 - Sumo Wrestling

Updated: Sep 25, 2020

My boys have been waiting in anticipation for the Japan stop of our world culture tour just for Sumo wrestling! A couple of months ago I ordered Sumo wrestler suits, which have been sitting in boxes near our front door, taunting my boys, ever since.

At first, they sounded like Brad Pitt from Seven, frustratedly asking, "What's in the box??" When I finally told them, their excitement was almost tangible.

So much so that they had me rearrange our stops on the tour. Southeast Asia (Korea, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia) was supposed to be our next stop after China. The boys couldn't take it anymore, though. So, "here" we are in Japan.

2 Words: "Suit up", and they knew what I meant. They ran and opened the boxes.

What is Sumo wrestling though? The boys had to know that before wrestling each other.

Sumo wrestling started in the 700s as a way wrestlers (or rikishi) could display their strength in bouts but also has origins with the Shinto religion in which Sumo wrestling was done as a ritual. Two wrestlers fight with full-body contact to force one another out of a circular ring. Whoever is forced out (or voluntarily steps out) first, loses.

With this knowledge, the boys were ready.