History of Sumo

Today everyone is familiar with the word "Sumo wrestling" but very few people know how this traditional martial arts form came to be. The exact details of the origin of this sport is unclear, but most historians agree that the modern version of the sport originated in the "Edo" period (1603 to 1868) – an era of peace and stability in the turbulent history of Japan.

This national sport of Japan is said to be built around a tradition of praying for a good harvest of crops. When it was time to plant the crop (mostly rice) sumo exhibitions were conducted in order to predict the year's harvest and pray for bountiful harvests. This tradition gradually evolved into an event that used to be conducted for the emperor's entertainment. Once it caught on with the public, regular exhibitions were conducted for the people with money from these events going towards constructing various temples and shrines. As the popularity of the extension:liximomo.sftpsport grew, the organizers started putting in place rules and regulations which are followed even to this day.

The reason Sumo wrestling is so famous among the Japanese people is because it is a true reflection of Japanese culture, the vibrant colored traditional dresses, top knots and ancient customs.