Japan Times and Advertiser, Thursday 9th January 1941 (Evening Edition Page 4)

Wrestling Season Here

    Beginning tomorrow for 15 days, the huge amphitheater at Ryogoku will be filled to capacity by enthusiastic sumo fans when the spring tournament gets under way. Photo shows Grand Champion Futabayama during one of the ring entry ceremonies at a previous season.


SUMO TOURNAMENT STARTS TOMORROW

Classic Sport as Old as Nation Itself; Best Bouts Begin About 4 in Afternoon

    With the opening of the 15-day spring professional sumo tournament scheduled for tomorrow at the Kokugikan amphitheater in Ryogoku, Tokyo, a brief history of this ancient sport, its manner and ceremonies is in order.
    The professionals who perform at these tournaments are men who devote their life to acquiring and displaying the art. The first bout recorded took place as early as 23 B.C., when the Emperor of the time witnessed a contest in which the prize for the winner was the estate of the vanquished. It is further recorded that the winner in this particular bout kicked his opponent to death.
    From that time, sumo appeared to be a regular function at the Imperial Court, the experts in the art being summoned to Kyoto, then the capital, every year from all parts of the country and made to wrestle for a prize.

Hereditary Position
    One of the unique features was that the office of "Gyoji" or referee was made hereditary in the two families Shiga and Yoshida. Even to this day the family of Yoshida is represented and he holds formal authority in naming the Grand Champion or "Yokozuna".
    In feudal times each lord kept under his wing a band of wrestlers who vied with wrestlers of another lord. A wrestler who was strong and won laurels for his lord enjoyed warm patronage. With the Meiji Restoration (1868) the wrestlers were thrown upon their own resources. For a time the sport decayed but it was revived about 1883 and encouraged by the presence of the Emperor at a series of bouts held at Shiba Detached Palace in Tokyo.
    Up to recent years there were two main groups of professional wrestlers, the Tokyo and Osaka bands. However the latter group seldom rose to the level attained by the former, and in 1927, the two groups merged into a single organization. Half-yearly matches were held in Tokyo and Osaka in January and May with rankings based on the showing at these matches. This custom remains to this day.
    Wrestlers today are broadly graded into two groups, the Maku-no-uchi ("Within the curtain") and the Maku-shita ("outside the curtain"). The Maku-no-uchi consists of the three champion wrestlers, Ozeki, Sekiwake and Komusubi. An Ozeki may be further distinguished by being promoted to Yokozuna, or Grand Champion, a position held by Futabayama and Minanogawa, leaders of the West and East squad respectively for this coming tournament. This is the highest position attainable in the ring.
    The Grand Champion alone is entitled to wear around his waist the coveted straw belt, the privilege of granting which is reserved to the aforementioned family of Yoshida. Between the Maku-no-uchi and the Maku-shita comes a body of about 20 wrestlers called the Maegashira.
Prolonged 4 Days
    Until a few years ago the tournament lasted for 11 days, however the popularity of the matches and the desire of the Wrestling Association to increase revenues has brought  about the present 15-day tournaments.
    The Kokugikan, the site of the matches provides accommodation for 12,000 spectators and is usually filled to capacity during the tournament. The ring is the work of artists who take great care in the construction of it for the tournament. It is sanded and raised somewhat above the level of the lowest seats. Present day arrangement finds only an inner circle and a square, each former by 16 rice bales. The bales are supposed to represent the signs of the zodiac and the months of the year.
    An official necessity is the placing of a pail of water on each of the eastern and western side for the use of the wrestlers, who on entering the ring wash their hands and rinse their mouth with the water. The umpire is assisted by four "seniors" who are themselves retired wrestlers.
    In professional sumo, victory is seldom gained in a minute or two, as the men seldom fall at once. More often one encounter lasts from 10 to 15 minutes. The winner being the wrestler who forces his opponent to fall or even let any part of the body above the knee touch the ground or pushes the opponent out of the ring. While it may appear that brute strength leads to victory, traditional rules guide the wrestlers in the manner in which they may defeat an opponent. It is said that 48 different ways are allowed, namely 12 throws, 12 lifts, 12 twists and 12 back throws.
    One of the colorful ceremonies is the Dohyo-iri or "ring-entry". This comes between bouts and consists of a clapping of hands and stamping of feets by the wrestlers who are garbed in beautifully made aprons.
    The closing ceremony of the tournament is another traditional event in which the three champions of the victorious side, that is the side with the largest number of points, are awarded prizes. The prizes which are given out by the umpire in a solemn ritual consists of a bow for the Ozeki, a bow string for the Sekiwake and a fan for the Komusubi.
    Throughout the tournament, the hour which brings about the greatest stir starts about four in the afternoon when champions and near champions enter the ring for their matches.
    For this spring tournament, the wrestlers have changed sides from last summer's tournament. The change was brought about since the East was defeated by a wide margin last year.
    The list of both squads follows:
East West
Minanogawa Yokozuna Futabayama
Akinoumi Ohzeki Haguroyama
Itsushima
Mayedayama
Hishuzan Sekiwake Terukuni
Dewaminato Komusubi Ashigawa
Nayoroiwa
Kasagiyama Maegashira Saganohana
Ryuozan Banzeki
Sakuranishiki Ohnami
Yamatonishiki Aobayama
Ayanobori Tsurugamine
Fujinosato Tamanoumi
Sagamigawa Fujigadake
Ayawaka Katsuragawa
Shintozan Matsuradake
Ryogoku Ohshuo
Matsunosato Sadogashima
Kashimanada Koinomori
Jusanishiki Komatsuyama
Komanosato Bishuzan
Ohteisan Nishikitani
Solezan Kuganishiki
Mutsunosato Kitomigawa
Shikainami Kaneminato