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This month I would like to talk about one of my favorite sports,
Sumo.
The average westerner is totally ignorant of the rich tradition
and history of sumo, let alone the Japanese people themselves.
Most foreigners, and many Japanese as well for that matter, find
Sumo to be strange and even disgusting.
To be sure the sport is not for everyone, however, I think that
if more people took the time to learn a little bit about the rich
tradition and rules of Sumo they could not help but be impressed.
I certainly do not profess to be an expert on either Japanese
history or Sumo, but I must say that the more I watch, the more
I learn, and the more I come to appreciate the sport. For the
beginner who does not live in Japan, and thus does not have access
to live Sumo, I would suggest checking out "The Grand Sumo Home Page " which is the official site of the Japanese Sumo Association.
The site can be reached at ****. The site provides a wealth of information concerning Japan's
national sport including origin, rules,F ranking, ceremonies,
key terms, and kimarite, which are sumo techniques.
Each category is well laid-out, detailed and very interesting.
As well, there are lots of pictures which go along with the various
explanations. It is also possible to put your name on a mailing
list to receive updated information about upcoming tournaments,
and promotions. The best thing about the site is that it provides
live coverage of sumo matches. Using the free software which they
provide you are able to watch the last two hours of each day's
matches in full color and sound.O Using a 56k modem, the action
is somewhat stop and go, however it is still a worthwhile experience.
Along with the ability to watch sumo live, there are also various
interviews with the rikishi (wrestlers) and free downloads of
the most exciting matches which have none of the stop-and-go drawback.
The site also provides a comprehensive list of the daily matches,
and up-to-date rankings.
While learning about sumo you will also learn about the history
of Japan, as the sport of sumo dates back some 1500 years and
has its roots in Japan's religious (Shinto) andN imperial dynasty.
As well, any serious scholar of Japan should be well versed in
Japanese culture, history, language, and sport; sumo is innately
linked to all four. Put together with the extensive explanations
of the rules, history, and techniques, it is easy to learn some
Japanese history and language, have an entertaining time, and
get hooked on the sport of sumo. I found no drawbacks to this
site other than the fact that with the time difference between
Pacific Standard Time and Japan Standard Time, one has to watch
the live events starting at 11:00 p.m.
I think that you will enjoy Sumo if you give it a chance, and
if nothing else, you may learn something!
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