Sumo

by Lord K2

Sumo  offers a unique behind-the-scenes view into the secret and fascinating world of sumo, a living breathing showcase of ancient Japan.
 
Sumo is one of the oldest sports in the world, stretching back over 2,000 years. Within the Japanese establishment, there exists a great sense of pride that so little about the sport has changed in the past millennium. Wrestlers still live by a strict code, in and outside of the dojo, and to commit to the sport requires complete devotion from an early age. As Japan has surged forwards into modernity, this fascinating corner of culture has remained anchored to the past.
 
Gaining behind-the-scenes access is notoriously difficult as sumo is a sport shrouded in secrecy. A full year was spent by the author knocking on doors and filling out endless paperwork before he was eventually granted permission to chronicle the lives of wrestlers; a world where history, culture, pride, and athleticism combine. Sumo documents the strict codes to which wrestlers adhere. The photographs bring to life the stringent dietary and training regimes which require enormous dedication and the many unique practices which make sumo fascinating – a living, breathing showcase of ancient Japan.
 
This book offers a unique set of over 95 photographs that are sequenced rhythmically and poetically in order to give the armchair viewer an insight into not only the drama and excitement of the tournaments, but also the dedication of the wrestlers and the sacrifices they make in order to have a chance to compete at the highest level.
 

Genres: Martial Arts, Photography

128 pages, Hardcover

Published March 1, 2023

Reviews

[W F · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brutal book. Full color photographs, text is light. It showed the deeply traditional and sometimes inhumane side of sumo wrestling. Kawaigari, “to treat with love”, is a euphemism for brutal hazing sessions endured by the junior sumo wrestlers at the hands of senior ones in a stable. I will never look at sumo wrestling the same way again. The photographs didn’t have captions until the very end of the book, wish they could accompany the photographs instead. Some English translations were not provided immediate context until glossary section toward the end, for example, sanban-geiko, it has very interesting linguistic roots in terms of three representing many and geiko meaning “thinking about the past”, but I had no idea about all this until I did some research on it. It is a wasted opportunity for foreigners to truly understand the magic of Japanese language.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Christmas gift. Some really nice photographs of sumo wrestlers and their environs. A bit disjointed in that you have to go to the appendix to read the captions of the majority of the pictures. Text is provided in both English and Japanese.

[Karl H · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish. There was more history about Sumo.