Babies Had Sumo Matches On The Autumnal Equinox Day In Hachioji City, Tokyo

In these days, Sumo wrestling is usually featured as "The National Sports of Japan", but originally it was started as a ritual for gods in ancient times. The matches were offering performances for gods in the early days. Thus, professional Sumo wrestling still has many aspects as a ritual in the manners and rules. 

Also, as the original style of Sumo, Sumo-related rituals has been kept at many local shrines all over Japan. Today, I'd like to introduce an annual local event called "Cry Sumo" which is held in Koyasu Shrine located near Hachioji Station. This event has been well-known locally, so, on last Wednesday, autumnal equinox day, many families visited this shrine and applied to the Sumo even in rain.

A you can see in the photos, the contestants of this "Cry Sumo" are babies. Actually it is a Shinto ritual to pray babies' healthy growth, therefore many parents who have babies come to join this Sumo to get a blessing to their child. 

What is the rules of "Cry Sumo"? At each match, about 5-6 adult Sumo wrestlers line up side by side and each wrestler holds a baby on the wooden stage on the shrine ground. Then two  Gyoji (Sumo wrestling referee) try to make the babies cry, by yelling at the babies like "You cry!" as shown in the photo (1). However, please don't think "Oh, poor babies!".

For these Cry Sumo matches, babies who cry quicker and louder would be the winner. It is said that gods would hear babies' crying voices and give them a blessing. So cry louder would be better. After winners were decided, a Shinto priest pray for each baby's health with a traditional golden hummer and a shrine stuff put a red stamp for good luck on each baby's forehead as you can see in the photos (2)-(4). 

Apparently more than 700 babies joined this Cry Sumo event this year. Wish the cute Sumo wrestlers healthy growth and happy life!