Blog Endorsement from an Unlikely Source

Last weekend, we were privileged to attend the first day of the 15-day Nagoya Sumo Tournament. Herban Girl details the sumo and tournament background here.

I wanted to share this particular clip from the event. Sumo is an amazing mix of culture and tradition. It seems some of the ceremonies and gestures were just as important as the actual fight. The ceremony shown in the clip occurred just prior to the top grouping's fights, the Yokozuna group.

This ceremony is performed by one of the fighters in the Yokozuna group along with his two attendants from a lower rank and a senior gyoji (referee). You'll see the Yokozuna clap his hands, extend and show his hands, and then stomp on the ground. The hands are clapped to call attention to the gods, the hands are then extended and both sides are shown to reveal that no weapons are concealed, and the stomp is intended to drive evil from the dohyo (ring).

By far the best part of this is the stomp when the crowd simultaneously yells what else, "YOISHO!"