IN THE QUIRKS continued
Sumo wrestlers, known as Rikishi (literally “strong man”), train in
a heya – a “sumo stable.” This is where sumo wrestlers train, eat, and sleep. A typical heya holds approximately 15 wrestlers. It is a hierar- chical environment, with lower-ranked wrestlers subservient to high- er-ranked wrestlers. The lower-ranked rikishi are responsible for doing the chores, cooking, and serving. Higher-ranked wrestlers have been known to hit others with bamboo sticks as a type of discipline. Unlike the instant “blow up” sumo wrestler costumes used during American event promotions, sumo wrestlers build weight mouthful by mouthful. Rikishi eat chanko nabe – a hotpot full of meat, noodles, training day, wrestlers rise early, train on an empty stomach, eat, and then sleep. Purportedly they turn 10,000 calories a day into a powerful
mass. Alas, this diet, combined with a higher consumption of alcohol, means that on average sumo wrestlers live 10 years shorter than the average Japanese male. The only equipment used by rikishi are the mawashi – the loin-
cloth worn made of heavyweight, resilient fabric. The mawashi can weigh 10 pounds! Depending on their wrestling styles, some rikishi wear their mawashi looser, as the slack helps them avoid being quick- ly jerked, while other rikishi prefer their mawashi very tight, so their opponent cannot easily grip it, and perform an aggressive maneuver. Rikishi must also grow their hair long and wear it in a coifed chon- mage (topknot). Japanese consider sumo a form of martial art. And its rules are sim- ple. Rikishi must force their opponent out of the ring (approximately
Did You Know? Sumo wrestling used to have minimum height requirements. In 1994, this determined height was 5-8. This regulation prompted 16-year-old Takeji Harada to have six inches of silicone implanted below his scalp. This created a noticeable, protruding bulge on covered by western media, the Japan Sumo Association relaxed the height requirement – and would no longer allow wrestlers to skirt the rules by inserting silicone between their scalp and their skulls.
IAVM 29
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100