Sumo wrestling, deeply rooted in Japanese culture and tradition, has a rich history that extends beyond the borders of Japan. As one of the world’s oldest forms of organized competition, sumo wrestling combines sport, sacred Shinto ritual, and cultural tradition, dating back almost 1500 years. This article explores the presence and impact of sumo wrestling in Washington D.C. and its significance within Japanese-American communities.
Sumo in Washington D.C.: Past and Present
In 1907, a group of professional sumo wrestlers was dispatched from Japan to Washington, D.C. to deliver a commemorative sword to President Theodore Roosevelt in appreciation for America’s support for Japan during the Russo-Japanese War. After performing the ancient sumo ritual in front of the White House, some of the Japanese wrestlers decided to remain in California where they taught Issei enthusiasts the art of sumo.
More recently, sumo wrestling has made its mark in Washington D.C. through various events and exhibitions. For example, Musashimaru joined a special 150th anniversary commemoration of US-Japan relations in Washington D.C.
The Japan-America Society of Washington DC is unleashing a spectacle of raw power and ancient tradition upon the Sakura Matsuri - Japanese Street Festival: SUNDAY SUMO AT THE MATSURI! For one day only, SUNDAY, APRIL 13th, the very ground beneath your feet will resonate with the thunderous clash of two titans of the dohyo! The legendary, world-renowned Sumo wrestlers, ICHI and HIROKI, descended upon the festival for an electrifying, live exhibition bout!
Want to test your muster against a pro sumo wrestler? You’ll have a chance when Sumo and Sushi comes to D.C. Sumo and Sushi will bring seven expert sumo wrestlers to WEG Studios in Northeast D.C. from June 16-18. “It’ll be all of our sumo wrestlers’ first time in Washington D.C.,” said Sam Minkoff, president of SE production, a D.C.
Read also: Sumo Wrestling and WWE Compared
Upcoming Event: Sumo + Sushi
An exciting event, Sumo + Sushi, is set to take place at the DC Armory and be presented by Events DC. The East Coast tour kicked off in NYC June 14th and their next stop is the capital! This is a 21+ only event except for the 1:30pm session on Sunday, June 30th.
There are several ways to experience Sumo + Sushi with different ticket tiers:
- The Show [Viewing Only]: $75 + fees
- Sushi + The Show: $145 + fees
- Front Row: Sushi + The Show: $280 + fees
- VIP Sky Suite: $375 + fees
Ticket prices will increase as inventory decreases.
Sumo in Japanese-American Culture
Sumo, rooted in rural Japanese villages where the vast majority of Issei originated, was part of Japanese immigrant life from the very beginning. In rural Japan sumo was not a sport; rather, it was a folk Shinto ritual in which gods were thanked for the year’s good harvest. During summer and/or autumn festivals, villagers made a sumo ring around a local Shinto shrine.
In America, Issei (first generation Japanese immigrants) continued the familiar practice at the end of the harvest. Though there was no Shinto shrine, the immigrant farmers and laborers expressed their gratitude to the harvest gods through sumo. There was no single “pioneer” who brought sumo to the United States.
Read also: Tradition and Performance in Sumo
After the turn of the century sumo acquired a special meaning in Japanese immigrant society, transforming from a ritual/recreation to an organized community affair. The resulting sumo “boom” led to inter-community sumo tournaments from Los Angeles through the San Joaquin and Sacramento Valleys. Sumo became one of the most important social events in Japanese American settlements, rallying community members and strengthening a sense of Nikkei (Japanese American) identity.
It is particularly significant that sumo made a place in the community for working-class Issei, who tended to be marginalized in the Japanese immigrant society.
There was strong competition among the local communities: Sacramento, Courtland, Walnut Grove, Isleton, Vacaville, Woodland, Elk Grove, and Stockton. At the tournament held at the ring in downtown Sacramento, each community was represented by the local yokozuna (grand champions) and ozeki (second-rank champions) who strove to defend the honor of their families, friends, and neighbors.
Japanese immigrant sumo on the mainland reached its peak with the visits of Hawaiian wrestlers and Japanese college sumo delegations in the 1920s. These visits were of special significance to the Issei who were buoyed by what they believed to be the encouragement of many people across the Pacific.
In the context of American racism, the visit of the Japanese college wrestlers seemed a concrete example of support in the Issei’s eyes and gave them a reason to take pride in their heritage and ethnicity.
Read also: History of Japan's Sumo Wrestling
Akebono: An American Yokozuna
On January 27, 1993, American Chad Rowan became the first non-Japanese sumo wrestler to become a “yokozuna,” the sport's highest rank. Rowan, a 23-year-old Hawaii native who stands 6-foot-8 and weighs 455 pounds, is the 64th person to hold the top rank in sumo, Japan's national sport.
Rowan, who went by his sumo name, Akebono, which means “Sunrise” or “Dawn,” was unnaturally tall for a sumo wrestler but extremely long and athletic. After breezing through the lower divisions and setting records along the way, he joined the senior division in 1990. After winning a second consecutive championship in early 1993, he was promoted to yokozuna.
Despite only playing high school basketball his senior year, he earned a basketball scholarship to Hawaii Pacific University. However, he quit basketball and dropped out of college to pursue a career in sumo wrestling. Using his long reach, Rowan perfected a thrusting style, generating enormous force-enough to send opponents flying out of the ring. In 1992, Rowan won two tournament championships.
He went on to win four of the next eight championships before injuries slowed him.
Rowan initially faced skepticism upon his promotion. "I don’t have any complaints about [his] ability," former grand champion selection committee chairman Yoshitaka Takahashi told the _Associated Press. "_But I don’t feel good about this.”
Added Shinichi Suzuki, the governor of Tokyo: “Akebono is still young and there should be no hurry for promotion.
Yokozuna Akebono: The first foreign born Yokozuna.
Konishiki: A Sumo Legend
The host of the Sumo + Sushi event, Konishiki, is the first non-Japanese-born wrestler to reach ōzeki, the second highest rank in Sumo. Throughout his legendary career, he won the top division championship three times.
Hawaiian-born KONISHIKI is one of the greatest sumo wrestlers of all time, and the heaviest pro sumo wrestler ever, at over 600 pounds. KONISHIKI’s presence as a special guest attracted tons of adoring fans to the inaugural US Sumo Open. He also served as Nisei Week Parade Grand Marshal.
After retirement, Konishiki honors his Hawaiian roots through live musical performances and has released many albums as a Hawaiian singer.
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