In the centre of the amphitheatre a mound has been raised, on which a ring has been formed by banking up the earth to the height of a few inches. Two grave-looking, elderly men, apparently the judges, new seat themselves upon mats on the mound, and, unfurling their paper umbrellas, light their pipes and commence smoking in dignified composure, while the two wrestlers doff their kimonos (robes), and enter the ring perfectly naked, but for a cloth around the loins. They are very far removed from our idea of what an athlete ought to be, for though muscular, they have an ungainly heaviness of figure. Weight is, indeed, thought of such importance in these contests that men are fattened for them like prize cattle, under the mistaken belief that such size is an advantage to the fortunate possessor. A tedious preliminary performance has to be gone through before the actual business of wrestling commences. Each man comes to the centre of the ring, and, squatting down in front of his antagonist, raises each leg in turn, and then brings it down heavily on the ground, at the same time striking his thigh smartly with his open hand. I suppose this is meant as a sort of challenge; but it has an extremely ludicrous effect, at least to foreigners, to see two very fat men so employing themselves. Both men now quit the ring and take a draught of water and a pinch of salt, while they rub their arms and hands with mud in order that they may bet a better hold of each other's naked body. At length they re-enter the ring, and the real struggle now begins. They squat in front of each other, like two huge frogs, and strike their hands together, at the same time uttering a curious hissing noise, which gets louder and louder, till they suddenly fly at each other, like angry cats. Heavy blows and slaps are exchanged freely in the effort to close, but umpires are behind each shouting out cautions at any attempted infringement of the rules on either side. When they have fairly got hold of each other many a cunning feint and twist is shown, and the struggling bodies and limbs entwine so rapidly that the pair look like one gigantic octopus. At length the bout is concluded by one man being hurled bodily out of the ring into the crowd outside, and the cheering from the excited spectators is absolutely deafening. The victor stalks about the ring for some time in great dignity, receiving the congratulations of his friends, and then repeats his former challenge, striking his thighs heavily and crowing like a bantam cock. Another wrestler, nothing daunted, at once come forward to try his fortune; while the vanquished combatant, who has picked himself up amid a running fire of chaff from the unsympathizing crowd, resumes his Kimono with an assumed air of indifference, and vanishes behind the spectators.