Passing the hall of worship and the Yushukan, I proceed further into the Yasukuni Shrine to find the sumo ring. Sumo has a long history, and in the beginning it was a ritual to predict the harvest. Although sumo wrestling on TV has become a sport, there are still some sumo tournaments that have not become entertainment and continue as a Shinto ritual. A typical example is the one-man sumo held at the Ooyamazumi Shrine in Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture.
Because sumo was originally a Shinto ritual, it is no surprise that there is a sumo ring on the grounds of Yasukuni Shrine. When I visited, a sumo tournament was being held in the ring. Of course, the wrestlers' behavior was a highlight, but I was also impressed by the bow tie of the gyoji (refree), who was wearing an ironed shirt.
Jul 2005 SPORT TOKYO | |
KUDAN SHRINE SUMO |
No
129
Shooting Date
Jul 2005
Posted On
July 28, 2005
Modified On
July 1, 2024
Place
Yasukuni Shrine, Tokyo
Genre
Sport Photography
Camera
CANON EOS 1V