Sumo - The Life of the Wrestlers and Curiosities

Sumo is a form of free wrestling for competition, typical of Japan. Where a competitor will try to force their opponent out of a circular ring. Or even force the opponent to touch the ground with something other than the soles of their feet.

It originated in Japan, and it is also the only country where this sport is practiced professionally. It is worth noting that many ancient traditions have been preserved in this sport. So much so that even today the sport includes many ritual elements, such as the use of salt purification, typical of Shintoism.

But what we want to know is what life is like for a sumo wrestler. So, I will give a basic description to spark the imagination. Well, life as a wrestler is highly regimented, with rules regulated by the Japan Sumo Association.

Most sumo wrestlers are required to live in communal places for sumo training. These places, similar to college dormitories, are known in Japanese as heya.

And in this place, all aspects of the daily life of the wrestlers are dictated by strict tradition. A good example is meals or even their way of dressing. Well, in this post we will focus on the life of the wrestlers. If you want to know more about the sport itself, just take a look at this link.

Life as a Professional Sumo Wrestler

As mentioned before, the way of life is very regulated. The Sumo Association even dictates the behavior of its wrestlers in some details. Violating the rules can result in fines and/or suspension, not only for the wrestler but also for their responsible master.

One of the peculiar things common in a wrestler’s life is their hair. For, upon entering the world of sumo, it is expected that their hair grows to form a topknot, or chonmage. And not only that, they are expected to wear the chonmage and the traditional Japanese dress when in public.

From a marketing perspective, it is good for attracting attention. However, regarding personal life and privacy, I believe these are almost zero. This is because, when wrestlers are in a public place, they are soon identified.

Clothes for Each Sumo Class

Just like a type of classification insignia, the clothes worn also serve this purpose. That is, each wrestler, depending on their rank, will wear a different type of clothing. It is somewhat similar to the ranking system of karate academies and their belts.

The six divisions in sumo are from highest to lowest:

1. Makuuchi
2. jūryō
3. makushita
4. sandanme
5. jonidan
6. jonokuchi

In the world of sumo, as in some other sports, there is a significant demarcation. Especially between the wrestlers of the two main divisions known as sekitori and those in the four lower divisions. These, in turn, are commonly known by the more generic term rikishi.

Thus, the type and quality of clothing change according to the wrestler’s rank. Wrestlers in the last two ranks are only allowed to wear a fine cotton robe called yukata, even in winter. Additionally, when in outdoor environments, they must wear a type of wooden sandals called geta.

Wrestlers in the makushita and sandanme divisions have a few more privileges. They can wear a form of short traditional overcoat over their yukata. They can also wear straw sandals called zōri.

Privileges for the Sekitori

And finally, the top two ranked, the sekitori, have the best privileges, worthy of their positions. They can wear silk garments of their own choice and the quality of the outfit is significantly improved. However, they must wear a more elaborate form of topknot called ōichō on formal occasions.

Well, since it is the top division, it will always be the most popular, as well as receive more investments. So we can deduce that in sumo, the best wrestlers also have their privileges.

And this is a fact, they always have their privileges, which we will recite next. The sekitori, in addition to the best clothes, also receive their own room in the stable. Or if preferred, they can live in their own apartments, just like married wrestlers.

And it doesn’t stop there, even in the daily life of the wrestlers there are distinctions. Junior wrestlers must get up earlier, around 5 AM, for training, while the sekitori can start around 7 AM. (More skill = More comfort).

Another clear example is observed in training. For when the sekitori are training, junior wrestlers usually do chores. Or to exemplify, help cook lunch, clean and prepare the bath, hold the sekitori’s towel, or wipe their sweat.

And this ranking hierarchy is maintained even for the order of bathing after training and at lunch. This indeed is being rewarded for their skill, thus outrageously encouraging their juniors to work hard.

Salary of a Sumo Wrestler

These numbers are merely illustrative and serve only as a basis. Just as a football player does not earn the same as another, the phenomenon is repeated in sumo.

These are only the salaries of the top division, or makuuchi. This is divided into five other subcategories. Which in turn are, and receive:

• Yokozuna: about $30,500
• Ōzeki: about $25,000
• San’yaku: about $18,000
• Maegashira: about $14,000

However, I will not list the salary of the other divisions as it would be unnecessary, since the salaries have a huge margin of variation.

In addition to the base salary, sekitori wrestlers also receive a bonus, called mochikyūkin. This income is received six times a year, that is, once at each tournament based on their performance accumulated in their career up to that moment. This bonus increases, but for that, the wrestler needs to achieve a kachikoshi.

Kachikoshi: More wins than losses for a wrestler in a tournament.

Special increases in this bonus are also granted for winning the championship of the top division. And they receive a large extra increase for a “perfect” win in the championship without losses. As well as a bonus for scoring a golden star or kinboshi, that is, a defeat of a yokozuna by a maegashira.

And to top it off, the cash prize is given to the winner of each divisional championship. This increases from 100,000 yen for a jonokuchi win, up to 10,000,000 yen for winning the top division.

In addition to prizes for a championship, wrestlers in the top division who perform exceptionally well may also receive one or more of three special prizes, each worth 2,000,000 yen.

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Negative Aspects of Being a Sumo Wrestler

As not everything is rosy, sumo is no exception. So, now we will discuss some of the negative aspects of a sumo wrestler’s career. Of course, these are not absurdly bad things; on the contrary, they are even mild compared to other high-risk sports.

Anyway, let’s get started. However, I will only mention negative health effects, always considering that the negative effects caused by the sumo lifestyle on health may become apparent later in life.

Thus, sumo wrestlers have a life expectancy between 60 and 65 years, which means more than 10 years less than the average life expectancy of the country. This is due to the fact that the diet and the sport harm the wrestler’s body.

Many wrestlers develop diabetes or high blood pressure. They are also prone to heart attacks due to their large amount of body mass and fat that they accumulate.

Additionally, excessive alcohol consumption can lead to liver problems, while stress on their joints, due to their excess weight, can cause arthritis. These and other problems are common in the sport. Therefore, I don’t know if it is one of the best sports to practice. I wouldn’t practice it, especially because I am too thin for that.

Daily Routine of a Sumo Wrestler

To conclude the article, let’s now go to the last topic, a day in the life of a sumo wrestler. For this, we will describe the routine of a low-ranking wrestler.

• Basically, they will have to wake up at 5:00 AM, then between 5:30 and 11:00, a long training session;
• After finishing, a good lunch and then a long nap;
• After the nap of a few hours, rikishi class wrestlers do household chores and the sekitori do another training session;
• When the afternoon chores are done, the custom is to relax and distract themselves until dinner;
• From 7:30 PM to 10:30 PM, it is free time until curfew, remembering that the wrestlers sleep in the same room;

Anyway, this routine is standard, meaning few things change from one wrestler to another. This is because the rules are strict and the customs are too. This is becoming a risk factor for this sport.

What Do You Think About Sumo Wrestlers?

As I am too thin to enter this type of sport, I prefer not to comment on the emotions of it. Therefore, I will go from compliments straight to criticisms. That is, how hard life must be for beginners.

I agree that this encourages those who enjoy the sport a lot, but on the other hand, it makes many give up on the sport. Besides, the privileges bring with them some dangerous freedoms. I am not surprised to know that bullying is a part of daily life for novice wrestlers.

Anyway, for these and other reasons, the future of sumo is uncertain. Despite being a great tradition, it is at risk of ending. And the decrease in the number of athletes is a direct consequence of these problems.

It is sad, but these things happen. And with a hook on this theme, in the autumn season of 2018, an anime based on this sport, or at least similar, will be released. I believe it is worth watching. And that’s it, the article is coming to an end.

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