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February 19, 2005
sumo
I went to the offical Japanese Sumo Federation site and got the rule set. Click the "read more" part to read the rules. It's pretty interesting because the rule set is so simple -- there aren't many rules here. They are based on the space constraint and some physical constraints and that's it! The rest of the game sort of falls into place after that.
"About is won by forcing the opponent out of the inner circle or throwing him in the dohyo. To lose the match it is not necessary to fall in the circle or to be pushed completely out. The rikishi who touches the ground with any part of his body, his knee or even the tip of his finger or his top-knot, loses the match. Or he need only put one toe or his heel over the straw bales marking the circle. Striking with fists, hair pulling, eye gouging, choking and kicking in the stomach or chest are prohibited. It is also against the rules to sieze the part of the band covering the vital organs. As there are no weight limits as in boxing or western wrestling it is possible for a rikishi to find himself pitted against an opponent twice his own weight."
source:
http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/ozumo_joho_kyoku/shiru/kiso_chishiki/beginners_guide/rules.html#rule
I think it's important to have the physical constraints so that the sport does not get unnecessarily violent. Of course sumo wrestlers still sustain injuries, but it's normally from falling and not from being hit by the opponent.
I think it's interesting that there are no size catagorizations. From watching sumo, I can say the size of the player doesn't always correlate to their ability to win the game. In fact, their speed, stamina, and strength also count quite a bit.
Another thing I like about sumo is the extent to which it is a spectator sport -- for example, the ritualistic dance that is performed before the tournament, the marching out of the wrestlers in their fancy aprons and the bow dance performed by the winner after the tournament. These are part of a cultural and folk religious traditions, but they are also for the the audience to enjoy. When there is an unpredicted upset in a game, fans may throw cushions onto the stage to show their disappointment in the wrestler they were cheering for.
Posted by kaho at February 19, 2005 07:09 PM