Rich Tradition Lines Japan’s National Sport: Sumo Wrestling
Jun 23, 2021, 9:32 AM
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Sumo wrestling will be extra special this year at the Tokyo Olympics as it is the national sport of Japan.
The sport of sumo is full of unchangeable traditions from beginning to end you’ll see pageantry and drama like no other sport.
How do they keep the oldest traditions alive? Plenty of young sumo wrestlers enter the sport. One of the top programs for sumo is Kindai University, home of the Fighting Tuna.
Coach of sumo at Kindai University said, “the foundation of sumo is the lower body, which is why it is important to sharpen balance skills.”
Sumo Wrestling Facts:
- A wrestler averages around 325 pounds
- Average wrester stands just over 6 feet tall
- At Sumo events, audiences get Bento boxes (bento boxes are to sum as hot dogs are to baseball)
- Fighters throw salt to keep the energy of the ring pure
- Sumo has no official weight classes
The Tokyo Olympics begin on July 23, 2o21.
