The Anaconda Standard, Sunday 26th May 1912 (Sporting
Section page 3)
WRESTLING TOURNAMENT RANKS AS ACME OF JAPANESE SPORTS
Wrestling is par excellence, the national sport of
sport of Japan, occupying a status similar to cricket in Great Britain
and baseball in America. In the wrestling seasons, which occur every January
and May, crowds of all classes in Japan flock to the enormous amphitheater
to witness the feats of physical strength performed by their favorite wrestlers
and to patronize the national sport.
Japanese wrestling is so indigenous as to be unlike
that of any other country. Western wrestling is more like what the Japanese
call judo, in which the contestants may fall an struggle on the ground
for mastery, the victor coming out of the match on top, but in wrestling
neither of the contestants may fall nor in any way come in contact with
the ground without thereby suffering defeat. The experts in judo were usually
great samurai, but wrestlers come from any class able to produce heavy
physique, says the Japanese Magazine.
Tradition relates that in the reign of the Emperor
Sujin (556 A.D.) one Nomi-no-Sukune, a man of Izumo, entered into a wrestling
match with a man names Tamano-Kehaya of Yamato, in which the latter was
not only worsted, but killed by a kick. The fatality no doubt did something
to humanize the sport, for kicking is now not permitted.
Of Olympic Rank
In the days of the Emperor Momonu (757 A.D.) holidays
were set apart for wrestling, the emperor honoring the occasion with his
presence. The wrestling meets drew contestants from all parts of the empire
and were somewhat on a par with the Olympic games of Greece. As a result
of these contests champions naturally arose, called hote, the second in
honor being termed wakite. These imperial wrestlers, unlike those of today,
wore a kind of hunting jacket called karigiru, with short pants and a high
cap. It is said that the emperor enjoyed the sport sufficiently to witness
some 15 matches in a single day.
Wrestling from this time was all the rage as a sport
down t the year 897, after which the imperial house ceased to be so much
attracted by it, when it began to decline, not being revived again until
the time of the Emperor Gotenda, in 1185. As an evidence of the degree
to which the sport had gone out of fashion, it may be mentioned that when
Gotenda wished to have a wrestling contest umpires could not be found in
Kyoto, the capital, and the only one left in the empire, one Yoshida Iyisuna,
of Echizen, had to be send for, and from that time the right of conducting
matches was conferred on the family of Yoshida by imperial favor, until
the title of Oikaze.
Guild is Maintained
The increasing number of wrestlers formed themselves
into a corporation, with branches of guilds, all over the empire, those
in Oski and Tokyo being always more prominent. At present the Tokyo wrestlers
are regarded as superior to all others in Japan. The wrestlers' guild divided
its members into two camps called the eastern and western camps, and out
of these some 20 or 40 superior dexterity are selected for the public contests
and given a position above the less skillful. These first class wrestlers
are known as Maku-no-uchi, or men within the curtain, and the champion
among them is called the Ozeki, with the Sekiwaki as second. The champion
wrestlers of the eastern camps, after some 10 years of steady achievement
are raised to the position of Yokozuna, or champion belted men, this honor
being conferred by the house of Yoshida.
These wrestlers of the eastern and western camps
meet every January and May in the largest amphitheater in Japan, the Kokugikan
in Tokyo, and test their muscles for ten consecutive days. The gyoji, or
umpires, decide the contests, and in case of trouble there is a court of
appeal consisting of toshiyori, or elders, made up from superannuated wrestlers
of belted status. Wrestlers who gain successive victories are in time accorded
the honor of ozeki, while those who repeatedly fall are turned down and
put without the curtain.
The great amphitheater at Ryogoku, Tokyo, capable
of accommodating 13,000 spectators, is open in the season from 5 a.m. until
5 in the afternoon. Thither thousands crowd, and during the tournaments
the applause of so enormous a multitude is something not to be heard in
any other country. The more enthusiastic become the almost frantic over
the exploits of their favorite wrestlers, while those who see their heroes
suffering defeat pray for a return of luck.
Championship Bouts
In the center of the vast arena is a booth, canopied
by a tent-like structure on four pillars, under which is a ring. Inside
of which the wrestlers meet to try their strength. Around this arena circle
are four galleries thronged with the excited multitude. Within a square
of 28 feet is described the wrestling ring., all covered with soft sand.
From the eastern and western sides contestants appear at the call of the
umpire. The latter, holding aloft his war fan (karauchiwa), takes his position
in a somewhat dramatic manner. By the side of the four pillars supporting
the canopy are seated four elder wrestlers as tribunes.
A speller now announces the names of the two men
about to close upon each other. Then the huge bodies of the veterans appear
moving slowly toward the ring. Their great muscles stand out on their heavy
limbs like mountain rages, and their bodies are naked with the exception
of the loin cloth and the wrestling sash. They enter the dohyo, or ring,
and the umpire, in his green kimono and oboshi, lifts on high the fan and
orders them to "eye each other." As they prepare to do so they place their
hands on their legs just above the knees stamp from one foot to the other
in a dramatic when one or both is seized with passion for attack, but if
one seizes without the other being ready, they must begin over again. It
often takes what seems a long time for both to have the spirit of attack
at the same time. Before assuming the position the combatants stretch out
their arms horizontally and bring their hands together with a loud clap.
This is to show that the hands contain no weapon.
Every move of the struggle is now watched closely
by the umpire, and all fouling is prevented. The contestants strive to
take hold of the belt. One of them succeeds and then tries to prevent the
other from succeeding. When both get get the belt firmly in the hands there
is a terrific trial of physical strength to see which can lift or push
the other outside the ring. As soon as either of them touch the ground
with any part of the body, except the feet, or is put outside the ring,
the umpire declares the decision. If their strength appear equal, he calls
a "draw." If both should fall together, so that the result seems doubtful,
the umpire calls azuakri, decision reserved. The aid of the four tribunes
beside the pillars is now called in.
Category of Tricks
Of the 48 "dodges" admitted in the sport, four are regarded
as fundamental to the art of wrestling - nage, to throw; kake, to trip;
hineri, to twist; and sori, to lift up. In practice, however, it is said
that no less than 200 different tricks have been noticed among wrestlers.
One of the most peculiar tricks witnessed by the
writer at a great contest, when the imperial crown prince was present,
was that of a very fat wrestler jumping up like a goat and butting his
opponent on the breast with his head and then, having startled him going
backward, to push him outside of the ring with his hands. Another wrestler
put his hand under the chin of a giant and hurled him outside the ring.
The champion Hitachiyama appeared to take the match
he entered into in a calm and indifferent manner. He allowed his opponent
to seize him and was simply content to lean his heavy body against him
and keep him struggling till began to blow, when the champion embraced
him and lifted him outside the ring in a manner so quick and simple that
one could hardly see how it was done.
Special Ceremony
The wrestling goes on till about 2 o'clock, when there
is an intermission. At this time all the first-class wrestlers perform
a peculiar ceremony by marching into the arena with their professional
aprons on, turning to the north and clapping their hands, stamping their
feet and bowing to the guests of honor. Last of all comes the champion
with a wrestler before him and one behind as attendants, the one behind
holding an upright sword. After the yokozuna wrestlers have gone through
this ceremony all others come in wearing their ornamental aprons and do
likewise. These ornamental aprons are gorgeous in the extreme, embroidered
in heavy silk and costing some hundreds of yen even for the cheapest. Some
of the wrestlers have to buy them, but favorites have them presented by
patrons and friends.
All professional wrestlers are known under assumed
names, these selected usually having reference to place of birth or some
favorite scene in nature. For example, the greatest wrestler in Japan is
called Hitachiyama, mountain of Hitachi, another is called Kumagatake,
after one of the great mountain peaks of the empire, another has taken
the name Tachiyama, or sword mountain, while the champion of the eastern
camp, Umegatani is Plum Valley.