Compare and Contrast

The rehearsal

The differences between U.S. sumo wrestling and Japanese traditional sumo wrestling are striking, in light of the cultural and historical factors which shaped them. Despite both forms of wrestling attending to the basic elements of the sport, their methods of practicing, training, and competing are practiced in different ways. Japanese sumo, which evolved from hundreds of years old cultures, is not only a form of sports but also a deeply religious and ceremonial activity that has codes of etiquette and rituals, as well as a great deal of respect for the art involved. Unlike U.S. sumo, which is a blend of Japanese sumo style and other forms of American sumo, it has grown in a different cultural setting and tends to focus more on athleticism and wider appeal.

The Culture and social

JAPAN

In Japan, there is a profoundly ingrained weight class of sumo wrestling - an activity combining a sport with religious and cultural practices. Sumo wrestling is more than a sport, it is a ceremonial practice rooted in Shinto rituals supported by over 1,000 years of tradition. Japanese sumo wrestlers or "rikishi", abide by the restrictions of strict tradition, including hierarchical social statuses, traditions of ritualistic performance, and a stern discipline and respect for the spiritual inherent to the sport. The routines carried out before each match, such as the sprinkling of the salt for purifying the ring, are just as important to the ritual as the match itself. The importance of sumo wrestling as a spectator sport extends beyond athleticism and also connotes a relationship to history, religion, and a living representative cultural tradition. In professional modes of sumo wrestling, there are no weight classes and wrestlers may face opponents of considerably different body sizes.

AMERICA

While North American sumo has roots in the traditional Japanese sport, it is a relatively new phenomenon that reflects broader cultural values in the USA. In North America, sumo is played with an emphasis on the competitive and athletic sides of the sport, rather than the ritualistic aspects. The US culture which generally places specific emphasis on individualism, inclusivity, and modernization, has led to a more accommodating/ accessible version of sumo that has less strict traditions and places more emphasis on fitness, strength, and athletics rather than ritualism. North American sumo is also typically more inclusive of body types and genders, which mirrors the US culture of equality and diversity. North America has taken a traditional sport and created a new version of sumo that reflects the North American spirit of innovation and adaption, where the competitive sides of the sport flourish while inclusivity is embraced and encouraged across a variety of different groups.

The foundations and commonalities

Both sumo wrestling in the U.S. and Japan share some of the same critical cores, which define the essence of the sport. When you strip the sport down, the most basic elements are unchanged- two individuals competing to force one another out of the ring, or down through skill, physical strength, and balance. Respect is a part of both U.S. and Japanese sumo traditions, as is honoring the traditional roots of the sport, including additional ceremonial practices, such as purifying the ring. The value of discipline and hard work is central to prepare to compete in high-level sumo wrestling, as wrestlers prepare physically and mentally. While it is possible to argue that U.S. sumo de-emphasizes hierarchy and ritual for the most part, it still honors a sport that has so much history, including the importance of its historical roots. Still, there are underlying connections in the sports' evolving details that show the significance of the sport and adaptive nature of the sport to span cultures and honor the essence of the sport, no matter what form it takes.

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