Sumo at Yasukuni Shrine 靖国神社 奉納相撲
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At Yasukuni Shrine, sign indicating that sumo will be held on April 17, 2023. Sumo has been held at Yasukuni Shrine annually since 1869 to console the spirits at the shrine. It's part of the shrine's religious ceremonies and festival in spring.
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Yasukuni Shrine is dedicated to Japan's war dead. Another vertical sign promoting the sumo exhibition.
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Yasukuni Shrine.
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Entrance to Yasukuni Shrine's outdoor sumo arena.
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Shrine building used by the sumo wrestlers as their dressing room.
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Statue of sumo wrestlers at the entrance of Yasukuni Shrine's sumo arena. The shrine has a large outdoor sumo arena with a capacity of 6,000.
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On April 17, 2023, sumo exhibition matches with professional sumo wrestlers was held for the first time since 2019 after a four-year absence due to the pandemic. Free admission.
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The sumo exhibition started at 8:30 am and ended at around 3 pm. It included demonstrations of comical sumo, sumo taiko drum beating, and ring-entering ceremonies by Juryo and Makunouchi Division wrestlers including Yokozuna Terunofuji. Free admission.
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Walked around the sumo ring to see where I could sit. It was quite full, but I managed to find a space to sit. If you want the best views, should get there by 10 am or so.
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It's rare to see an outdoor sumo arena in Japan. In Nov. 1918 when the Kokugikan sumo arena was destroyed by fire, the sumo tournaments were held here for two years.
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When I arrived, they were performing the sumo jinku folk singing. 相撲甚句
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The hanamichi path where the sumo wrestlers go to/from the sumo ring. Fortunately, it never rained this day. The sumo matches can still be held in light rain.
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Sumo jinku singing. 相撲甚句
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This is shokkiri or comedic sumo. Two lower ranking wrestlers do things normally not allowed in sumo. Spitting at each other, kicking, fighting with the referee, etc. 初切り
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Calling the wrestler.
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Juryo Division ring-entering ceremony or dohyo-iri.
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Enho is popular. 炎鵬
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Enho 炎鵬
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The ring-entering ceremony is when you can see the designs on the wrestlers' colorful ceremonial aprons.
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Asanoyama at the end.
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Makunouchi Division ring-entering ceremony or dohyo-iri.
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Asanoyama
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Juryo wrestler Kitanowaka facing frontward. 北の若
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Takayasu, former Ozeki. 高安
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Makunouchi Division ring-entering ceremony or dohyo-iri.
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Hiradoumi has a nice kesho mawashi. 平戸海
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Endo has a kabuki kesho mawashi ceremonial apron.
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Yokozuna Terunofuji heads to the sumo ring to perform his dohyo-iri ring-entering ceremony.
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Yokozuna Terunofuji approaching the sumo ring.
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Good to see Terunofuji after four tournament absences. He plans to compete in the May 2023 summer tournament in Tokyo.
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Yokozuna Terunofuji performing the dohyo-iri ring-entering ceremony. He was absent in the last four tournaments. Finally back in the ring.
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Yokozuna Terunofuji performing the dohyo-iri ring-entering ceremony. 照ノ富士
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Yokozuna Terunofuji performing the dohyo-iri ring-entering ceremony. 照ノ富士
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Yokozuna Terunofuji performing the shiranui-style dohyo-iri ring-entering ceremony. 照ノ富士
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Yokozuna Terunofuji performing the dohyo-iri ring-entering ceremony. 照ノ富士
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Terunofuji has the shiranui-style yokozuna rope with double loops on the back. 不知火型
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Matches between top division wrestlers started at 2 pm. All the wrestlers had one match.
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Asanoyama who has been climbing back up the ranks. 朝乃山
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Asanoyama. They went through the motions of receiving the water. but there was no water. Not a real tournament.
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Ura 宇良
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Aoiyama is from Bulgaria. He once reached Sekiwake. 碧山
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Aoiyama 碧山
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Aoiyama 碧山
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Aoiyama 碧山
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Takayasu 高安
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Endo, one of the most popular wrestlers. 遠藤
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Since this isn't a real sumo tournament, the wrestlers often wrestle while smiling and doing antics they don't normally do.
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Mitakeumi, a former Ozeki. 御嶽海
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Mitakeumi, a former Ozeki. 御嶽海
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Mitakeumi, a former Ozeki. 御嶽海
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Daieisho 大栄翔
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Tobizaru (翔猿) means "Flying Monkey."
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Kotonowaka. His father and stable master was also a sumo wrestler named Kotonowaka. 琴ノ若 傑太
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Kotonowaka vs. Daieisho 大栄翔
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Smiling Kotonowaka.
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Empty water ladle, and no spitting.
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Hoshoryu 豊昇龍
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Yokozuna Terunofuji getting ready for his match. 照ノ富士
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Yokozuna Terunofuji wins his match.
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Yokozuna Terunofuji returns to his dressing room.
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Ritual ending the day's sumo at around 3 pm.
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Spectators exiting the sumo arena. Before, spectators had to bring their own picnic mats to sit on. Now they provided a mat over the entire ground
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They immediately dismantled the sumo ring's dressing.
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Main torii when entering Yasukuni Shrine.
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Base of the black torii. Pretty new paint job.
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Main shrine straight ahead. The outdoor sumo arena is on the right of the main shrine.
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Cherry trees all finished blooming by mid-April.
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