Ceremony to join list of greatest sumo wrestlers at Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine

Clapping his hands and stomping in a solemn ceremony, Grand Champion Kisenosato joined a list of the greatest wrestlers of Japan’s national sport of sumo at a shrine in Tokyo’s Koto City.

Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine is well-known for the birthplace of modern sumo as rules on regular tournaments and rankings of wrestlers were basically fixed in late 17th century.

In 1684, the government under the samurai rule allowed Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine to conduct sumo events solely for raising money to repair shrines and temples.  Those structures were often damaged by either fires or typhoons, and had needed a huge amount of money for reconstructions.

Kisenosato, accompanied by two younger wrestlers, carried out a short but impressive performance called ‘dohyoiri,’ ring-entering ritual, wearing a white straw rope around his belt on top of an embroidered apron.

A native of northern Ibaraki Prefecture (state), Kisenosato was promoted to yokozuna, the sumo’s highest rank, in January 2017.  Kisenosato, the 72nd yokozuna in Japan’s sumo history, is currently the sole Japanese wrestler in the top position. Three other incumbent yokozunas are all from Mongolia.

It was the first time in 19 years that the name of a Japanese yokozuna was inscribed on the stone at Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine in the capital’s eastern Koto City.

During Friday’s ritual, as many as 3,000 people, including some 90 children invited from an elementary school nearby, watched the new yokozuna in an imposing manner at the shrine,according to the shrine and police. 

                                      (By Kozo)