Library's review
A far cry from the buffoonery of the West's proffessional wrestling, Japan's sumo thrills spectators with truly competitive bouts between near-naked but always dignified giants. Besides its exciting displays of massive strength and skilled techniques, since ancient days sumo has also had a
Spectacular ceremonies and brief explosive clashes between gigantic wrestlers are the highlights of sumo. But this centuries-old sport, though steeped in tradition, is no mere survival of an ancient ritual. It plays as vital and fascinating a role in Japan as football in the United States or soccer in Europe. At six annual grand tournaments each year, sumo attracts total-capacity crowds and is enjoyed by millions of other enthusiastic fans via TV and radio broadcasts.
The present book is a highly readable account of this colorful, dramatic sport. Written especially for the Westerner with an interest in things Japanese, The Book of Sumo presents the essential facts about this unique and popoular form of wresting and offers interesting sidelights on its history and customs. In addition to discussing rules and ranking, wages and awards, stables and training, recruits and amateurs, the author supplies information-both fact and legend-about the lives and triumphs of the grand champions and includes a section on non-Japanese who have fought in the sumo ring.
Its wealth of detail will plase both the general reader and the dedicated fan who relishes statistics as well as narration-from who won how many consecutive bouts and who was the biggest of the man-mountain wrestlers to who has consumed the most food at a single sitting.
The hard-fought clashes and the zen strategy of sumo's 'psychological warfare' as well as the significance of its stately rituals-the ring-entry ceremony, the foot-stamping and the salt-sprinkling, and the dancelike ceremony with the warrior's bow-are described in graphic detail. Thirty-two pages of black-and-white photographs by Kokichi Otani capture the enormous power and the massive beauty of the sumo spectacle.
Doug Kenrick, long-time resident of Japan and sumo columnist for Tokyo's Asahi Evening News, was born in New Zealand. A pioneer in postwar trade between Japan and New Zealand, he owns and directs international trading companies in several countries. In his spare time he is a councilor of the Asiatic Society of Japan and pursues his interest in sports and all things Japanese. Well known on both the business and the sport scenes, he lives with his wife and two daughters in Tokyo.
A lively introduction to the spectacular Japanese sport of sumo. A new and highly readable account of this unique form of wrestling, its techniques, personalities, rewards, history, pageantry, and enduring popularity.
Contents
Preface
I Sumo's rules and ranking
Introduction
Rules
Ranking
East and West
II How and where to see sumo
Admission
A day at at tournament
Places and times
Televiewing
Hanazumo
III The wrestler and his equipment
The wrestler
Recruits
Names
Accounterments
IV Stables and amateurs
Stables
Amateurs
V The grand champions
Yokozuna
Taiho the Great
VI Techniques
Psychological warfare
The Utchari throw
The 'Forty-eight Falls'
Present-Day techniques
VII Staging and ritual
Staging
Ritual
VIII Sumo's authorities
Referees
Judges
Administrators
IX Remuneration and recognition
Wages
Awards
Fan clubs
X Non-Japanese wrestlers and wrestling in other lands
Non-Japanese wrestlers
Overseas tours
Wrestling in other lands
XI Sumo's background
History
Literature
XII Personality profiles
The Sumotori: 1968
Bibliography
Glossary-Index
Illustrations
Photographs 1-70 following pages
Text figures
The Banzuke
Winning techniques
The sumo ring
Show More
semi-religious aspect and, enjoying imperial patronage, has earned the epithet of 'the sport of emperors.'Spectacular ceremonies and brief explosive clashes between gigantic wrestlers are the highlights of sumo. But this centuries-old sport, though steeped in tradition, is no mere survival of an ancient ritual. It plays as vital and fascinating a role in Japan as football in the United States or soccer in Europe. At six annual grand tournaments each year, sumo attracts total-capacity crowds and is enjoyed by millions of other enthusiastic fans via TV and radio broadcasts.
The present book is a highly readable account of this colorful, dramatic sport. Written especially for the Westerner with an interest in things Japanese, The Book of Sumo presents the essential facts about this unique and popoular form of wresting and offers interesting sidelights on its history and customs. In addition to discussing rules and ranking, wages and awards, stables and training, recruits and amateurs, the author supplies information-both fact and legend-about the lives and triumphs of the grand champions and includes a section on non-Japanese who have fought in the sumo ring.
Its wealth of detail will plase both the general reader and the dedicated fan who relishes statistics as well as narration-from who won how many consecutive bouts and who was the biggest of the man-mountain wrestlers to who has consumed the most food at a single sitting.
The hard-fought clashes and the zen strategy of sumo's 'psychological warfare' as well as the significance of its stately rituals-the ring-entry ceremony, the foot-stamping and the salt-sprinkling, and the dancelike ceremony with the warrior's bow-are described in graphic detail. Thirty-two pages of black-and-white photographs by Kokichi Otani capture the enormous power and the massive beauty of the sumo spectacle.
Doug Kenrick, long-time resident of Japan and sumo columnist for Tokyo's Asahi Evening News, was born in New Zealand. A pioneer in postwar trade between Japan and New Zealand, he owns and directs international trading companies in several countries. In his spare time he is a councilor of the Asiatic Society of Japan and pursues his interest in sports and all things Japanese. Well known on both the business and the sport scenes, he lives with his wife and two daughters in Tokyo.
A lively introduction to the spectacular Japanese sport of sumo. A new and highly readable account of this unique form of wrestling, its techniques, personalities, rewards, history, pageantry, and enduring popularity.
Contents
Preface
I Sumo's rules and ranking
Introduction
Rules
Ranking
East and West
II How and where to see sumo
Admission
A day at at tournament
Places and times
Televiewing
Hanazumo
III The wrestler and his equipment
The wrestler
Recruits
Names
Accounterments
IV Stables and amateurs
Stables
Amateurs
V The grand champions
Yokozuna
Taiho the Great
VI Techniques
Psychological warfare
The Utchari throw
The 'Forty-eight Falls'
Present-Day techniques
VII Staging and ritual
Staging
Ritual
VIII Sumo's authorities
Referees
Judges
Administrators
IX Remuneration and recognition
Wages
Awards
Fan clubs
X Non-Japanese wrestlers and wrestling in other lands
Non-Japanese wrestlers
Overseas tours
Wrestling in other lands
XI Sumo's background
History
Literature
XII Personality profiles
The Sumotori: 1968
Bibliography
Glossary-Index
Illustrations
Photographs 1-70 following pages
Text figures
The Banzuke
Winning techniques
The sumo ring
Show Less
ISBN
802724051
Publication
Walker/Weatherhill New York & Tokyo