The renovated Kokugikan amphitheater in Ryogoku will be the setting of spectacular Sumo bouts with the start of the annual 10-day extra winter tournament beginning today.
    As in the past the tournament is expected to draw record crowds throughout its duration, during which the East and West camps captained by Akinoumi and Haguroyama respectively, will battle for honor and team points.
    Sumo is of very ancient origin, the first bout on record taking place as early as 23 B.C. It appears to have been 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.
    One of the unique facts of this ancient sport is that the office of umpire or "Gyoji" was made hereditary in the two families of Shiga and Yoshida, the latter being represented even to this day. The formal authority of naming the Grand champion or Yokozuna is held by the umpire.
    Wrestlers are broadly graded into two groups, the Maku-no-uchi ("Within the curtain") and the Maku-shita ("Outside the curtain"). The Maku-no-uchi group consists of the three champion wrestlers, called the San-yaku (Three service), Ozeki, Sekiwaki and Komusubi, and he who attains the position of Ozeki may be further distinguished by being promoted to Yokozuna or "Champion of Champions", the highest position attainable in the ring.
    The Yokozuna alone is entitled to wear around his waist the coveted straw belt. Between this select body and the Maku-shita or junior wrestlers comes a body of about 20 called the Maegashira.
    The ring is the work of artists who take great care in its construction for the tournament. It is sanded and raised somewhat above the level of the lowest seats. It originally consisted of two circles, each formed by 16 rice bales, one bale being removed from the opposite side of each circle to mark the place of entry. Under modern arrangement only the inner circle remains, the outer circle having become a square.
    The bales forming the ring are supposed to represent the signs of the zodiac and the 12 months. Pails of water are placed on the eastern sides for the use of the wrestlers, who on entering the arena wash their hands and rinse their mouths with the water.
    Between the bouts, a spectacular show is given called the Dohyo-iri, or "ring-entry". This consists of a clapping of hands and stamping of feet. Beautiful aprons made of costly fabrics are worn by the wrestlers on the occasion.