A sumo tournament was being held in the ring at the back of Yasukuni Shrine

Sumo wrestling at Yasukuni Shrine
Sumo wrestling at Yasukuni Shrine
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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.

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Jul 2005 SPORT TOKYO

PHOTO DATA

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

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