Shintoin Sumo
Everything from the long boring rituals to the exciting gripping battles, Sumo is a sport loved by many of the Japanese. Although most people don't know that Sumo is actually a sport with a very rich history that has major ties within many aspects of the Shinto religion.
Sumo can be traced back over 2000 years ago. It originated as a way to entertain the kami (the gods) during festivals and became an integral part of Shinto rituals between 250-552CE. From there sumo began adopting many aspects of Shintoism. Since the arena itself is thought to be a temple that the kami gather around to enjoy the fight, it must be very pure. That is why we see today the many different rituals involved in purification.
Almost everything seen in Sumo today is a symbol representing a fundamental aspect of Shintoism. The centre of the ring, called the Dohyo, is made of tightly packed clay from highly religious areas in Japan. The Dohyo is then covered lightly in sand to symbolize purity. The roof above the Dohyo, called the Yakata, is made to resemble a Shinto shrine with four tassels hanging from the corners, each representing forms of kami and the four different seasons.
When it comes down to the action, most of the time in Sumo is taken up by rituals and much less time is spent fighting. Most of these rituals are a form of purification against the evil spirits. For example, before the actual match, the wrestlers will lift their legs high into the air and then stomp them down as a way of scaring away demons. They also throw salt across the ring as another form of purification and may sprinkle some on themselves as a protection from injury. This is because in Shinto scattered salt, Maki-shio in Japanese, is said to purify buildings and remove evil spirits. Even after funerals the people will spread salt around their homes and self.
The participants in this sport must follow these aspects of Shintoism and be aware of these underlying meanings. They must dress in a manner that adheres to Shinto beliefs and symbols. The wrestlers will wear a silk loincloth with 17-21 pieces of twisted string, called sagari, which are made to represent sacred ropes in front of the shrine. These sagari are always in odd numbers as they are thought of as being lucky. Even the referee is dressed in traditional wear that resembles the Shinto priests.
Sumo wrestling is a sport with a deep religious tie to Shintoism. The wrestlers, stage, and beginning rituals are all filled with deep Shinto aspects.
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