Sumo in the context of "Rikishi"

Play Trivia Questions online!

or

Skip to study material about Sumo in the context of "Rikishi"

Ad spacer

⭐ Core Definition: Sumo

Sumo (Japanese: 相撲, Hepburn: sumō; Japanese pronunciation: [ˈsɯmoː], lit.'striking one another') is a form of competitive full-contact wrestling where a rikishi (wrestler) attempts to force his opponent out of a circular ring (dohyō) or into touching the ground with any body part other than the soles of his feet (usually by throwing, shoving or pushing him down).

Sumo originated in Japan, the only country where it is practised professionally and where it is considered the national sport. It is considered a gendai budō, which refers to modern Japanese martial arts, but the sport has a history spanning many centuries. Many ancient traditions have been preserved in sumo, and even today the sport includes many ritual elements, such as the use of salt purification, from Shinto.

↓ Menu

>>>PUT SHARE BUTTONS HERE<<<

👉 Sumo in the context of Rikishi

A rikishi (力士), sumōtori (相撲取り) or, more colloquially, osumōsan (お相撲さん), is a sumo wrestler. Although used to define all wrestlers participating in sumo wrestling matches, the term is more commonly used to refer to professional wrestlers, employed by the Japan Sumo Association, who participate in professional sumo tournaments (called honbasho) in Japan, the only country where sumo is practiced professionally.

Professional rikishi follow traditions dating back to the Edo period, and therefore follow a number of codes and customs in their daily lives that distinguish them from other martial artists. Their life as professionals revolves around the observance of traditional rules that apply both to their life in the community and to the way they dress, the latter rules evolving according to the rank a wrestler has reached during his career.

↓ Explore More Topics
In this Dossier

Sumo in the context of Sport wrestling

Wrestling is a martial art, combat sport, and form of entertainment that involves grappling with an opponent and striving to obtain a position of advantage through different throws or techniques, within a given ruleset. Wrestling involves different grappling-type techniques, such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins, and other grappling holds. Many different wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat sports, and military systems.

Wrestling comes in different forms, the most popular being professional wrestling, which is a form of athletic theatre. Other legitimate competitive forms include Greco-Roman, freestyle, judo, sambo, folkstyle, catch, shoot, luta livre, submission, sumo, pehlwani, shuai jiao, and more. Wrestling first appeared in the ancient Olympic Games as an event during the 18th Olympiad in 708 BC. There are a wide range of styles with varying rules, with both traditional historic and modern styles. The term "wrestling" in Modern English originated from the late Old English term wræstlunge.

↑ Return to Menu

Sumo in the context of Ukiyo-e

Ukiyo-e (浮世絵) is a genre of Japanese art that flourished from the 17th through 19th centuries. Its artists produced woodblock prints and paintings of such subjects as female beauties; kabuki actors and sumo wrestlers; scenes from history and folk tales; travel scenes and landscapes; flora and fauna; and erotica. The term ukiyo-e (浮世絵) translates as "picture[s] of the floating world".

In 1603, the city of Edo (Tokyo) became the seat of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate. The chōnin class (merchants, craftsmen and workers), positioned at the bottom of the social order, benefited the most from the city's rapid economic growth. They began to indulge in and patronize the entertainment of kabuki theatre, geisha, and courtesans of the pleasure districts. The term ukiyo ('floating world') came to describe this hedonistic lifestyle. Printed or painted ukiyo-e works were popular with the chōnin class, who had become wealthy enough to afford to decorate their homes with them.

↑ Return to Menu

Sumo in the context of Clinch fighting

Clinch fighting or trapping is the part of stand-up fighting where the combatants are grappling in a clinch, typically using clinch holds. Clinching the opponent can be used to eliminate the opponent's effective usage of some kicks, punches, and melee weapons. The clinch can also be used as a medium to switch from stand-up fighting to ground fighting by using takedowns, throws or sweeps.

Clinch fighting is emphasized in both striking martial arts, such as Kun Khmer, Muay Thai, Lethwei, Boxing, and Sanda, as well as grappling martial arts, such as Wrestling, Judo, Sumo, Sambo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

↑ Return to Menu

Sumo in the context of Kakuryū Rikisaburō

Kakuryū Rikisaburō (Japanese: 鶴竜 力三郎; pronounced [kaꜜkɯɾʲɯː ɾiki̥saꜜbɯɾoː], born August 10, 1985 as Mangaljalavyn Anand Mongolian: Мангалжалавын Ананд, Mongolian pronunciation: [ˈmaŋ.ɢəɮ.dʒə.ɮə.w̜iːŋ ˈa.nənt]) is a former professional sumo wrestler from Sükhbaatar Province, Mongolia. He was a member of the top makuuchi division from November 2006 until his retirement in March 2021, and was the 71st yokozuna in history.

He reached the third highest sekiwake rank in July 2009, and in March 2012 he secured promotion to the second highest rank of ōzeki after finishing runner-up to yokozuna Hakuhō and accumulating a total of 33 wins in his previous three tournaments. After scoring 14 wins against one loss in both of the first two tournaments of 2014, and claiming the yūshō in the second, he was promoted to yokozuna. He won his second tournament as a yokozuna, a playoff win over Terunofuji in September 2015, but did not win more than 12 bouts in a tournament at yokozuna rank until winning his third tournament in November 2016.

↑ Return to Menu

Sumo in the context of Yagura (tower)

Yagura (櫓, 矢倉) is the Japanese word for "tower", "turret", "keep", or "scaffold". The word is most often seen in reference to structures in Japanese castle compounds but can be used in other situations as well. The bandstand tower erected for Bon Festival is often called a yagura, as are similar structures used in other festivals. Yagura-daiko (taiko drumming from atop a yagura) is a traditional part of professional sumo competitions.

↑ Return to Menu

Sumo in the context of Styles of wrestling

The different styles of wrestling may be classified in various ways, such as:

  • Loose style wrestling
  • Belt wrestling
  • Jacket wrestling
↑ Return to Menu

Sumo in the context of Dohyō

A dohyō (土俵, Japanese pronunciation: [doçoː]) is the space in which a sumo wrestling bout occurs. A typical dohyō is a circle 4.55 m (15 ft) in diameter, bounded by partially buried rice-straw bales. In official professional tournaments (honbasho), it is mounted on a square platform of clay 66 cm (26 in) high and 6.7 m (22 ft) wide on each side.

↑ Return to Menu