Culture Fairies: Japanese Sport

Saturday, 26 September 2015

Sumo - The traditional sport

I bet you’ve been heard about Sumo, or big giant guys wear nothing but a thong pushing each other. Are you still vague about it? Let’s find out together. Sumo wrestling is Japan’s national sport which involves many aspects of Japanese culture. For example, the sumo wrestlers throw salt into the ring to purify the ring as they consider the ring as a sacred place. In contest, two sumo wrestlers will push, grapple and throw each other inside the circular ring. The first person who is out of the ring or touches the ground besides the soles of his feet loses. As the nature of this sport, the sumo wrestlers focus on weight gain during their training.

Sumo wrestlers wear a loincloth called “mawashi” is a heavy fabric underwear. The opposing wrestler can use various maneuvers to grab and hold onto to gain an advantage during matches. Although a contest usually lasts a few seconds, the wrestlers have to be experienced in a range of rules and restrictions to get into it. They have to live at stable, where they live and train throughout their career. They are expected to grow their hair to do topknot and wear traditional custom clothing when they are in public space. As can be seen, you can easily recognize them due to their body size and all these spots mentioned above. Attending a sumo contest in Japan is a lot more appealing than it sounds, as dedicated Japanese style (as well as traditional style) seating make for a lovely afternoon.

For more information about all things sumo related, including ticketing and arenas check out the links below:

Schedules and ticket sales:

Friday, 25 September 2015

Baseball in Japan - Swing and Miss? Maybe not!

You might not have thunk it, but baseball is big in Japan! Baseball originated in America and adopted by Japan in the Meiji period over a century ago. The Tokyo Yomiuri Giants baseball club was one of the first clubs to be founded as early as 1934. Although the American sport was a quick favourite, it was given the Japanese touch when it came to the set of rules (Shuji). The two styles of baseball, both American and Japanese incorporate their respective country’s cultural ideals and profiles. Major League Baseball (MLB) is famous around the western world and while it keeps to a traditional style of rulings when it comes to referee’s decisions in which the calls are made by an individual. However the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) league in Japan follows are more flexible and fairer democratic decision making ideals, where a discussion is held before a disputable call is made, this is to settle both parties until a satisfying explanation is given.

The NPB consists of twelve teams split into two leagues consisting of six teams each. The Central League pursues a more traditional set of rules whereas the Pacific League entails an exciting fast paced game series. The best part of course is the major play offs. The Climax Series is where the top three teams from each of the two leagues face-off in a hard hitting – well you guessed it – climax! Here comes the most interesting bit of Japanese baseball culture…

The Japanese live in dormitories, have one month off a year, and an extra week if their team wins the championship. The teams are all owned by major companies and as such, typically the average player is guaranteed a place into the organization after retiring from baseball. As was mentioned earlier, the ideal and profiles of the Japanese culture are of a group mentality where everyone can prove their worth and is always a part of the group until death much like the Bushido – The Samurai way.

Whilst living in the dormitories, players are not allowed to drink, smoke or (get this) - grow a moustache. The Japanese are strict on foreign players (gaijin) and each team is only allowed three gaijin players.
For more detailed information about the game including teams, seasons and ticketing visit these great sites: