[sumo] New videos, Princess Aiko

[Barbara]

I started this thread but it got a bit politicized and personal. How did
that happen?

Anyway, back to the subject of the Emperor and sumo.  If Aiko-sama were
to someday become Empress, it would not be unprecedented for her to have
Sumo command performances.  Empress Kogyoku who reigned for a while
beginning about 642AD arranged sumo matches using her palace guards, for
the entertainment of foreign dignitaries.  This was well before there
was such a thing as professional sumo though.

After that, it became commonplace for the Emperor to arrange sumo
matches.  They were often during festivals.  Like today, perhaps with
thought of not disturbing the main occupation of the wrestlers, who
always had other jobs.  The Emperor, in fact, is credited with making
sumo into a real sport as opposed to merely a poorly defined sort of
strength contest practiced by two men.  Warlords in imitation of the
Emperor later began holding their own sumo festivals, and that led to
sponsorship of favorites, which eventually led to beya.

Before Hirohito became emperor, he used to present trophies himself to
the winners in the top divisions.  The trophy for the makuuchi division
became known as the "Emperor's Cup" at that time.  Later as Emperor, he 
started the custom of attending at least one day's competition each 
basho, beginning in 1955. He remained a fan his entire life. Hirohito 
watched sumo from his deathbed in 1988.  When he died, the sumo matches 
for the next day were postponed in his honor.

When Emperor Meiji was young, he had a habit of getting drunk and then
challenging his aides to sumo bouts.  The famous samurai Tesshu was a
new aide and at first refused to participate.  Finally forced to
respond, he defeated the Emperor quickly and then used the opportunity
to demonstrate the folly of drunken behavior to the Emperor, who
subsequently took on Tesshu as one of his most trusted advisors. It was 
Emperor Meiji who later declared Sumo as Japan's national sport.

One imperial "command performance" is still required.  If a sumo 
wrestler is promoted to yokozuna, he must go to the Meiji Jingu shrine 
and do a dohyo-iri. It appears that, in a sense, he is doing the 
demonstration to seek the blessing of the spirit of the deified Emperor 
there, namely Emperor Meiji and his consort Empress Shouken.  Even if 
Hirohito renounced deification, Meiji did not, because he was already 
dead, so the rites continue to this day. After presumably receiving the 
blessing of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shouken's spirits, the wrestler 
may go on to practice sumo in the ring as a yokozuna. The shrine has a 
sumo museum also.

A recent Reuters report about the new baby prince has a footnote about
Princess Aiko: [quote] " The baby's cousin Aiko, who before his birth
might have become the first empress since the 18th century, on Sunday
got her first taste of a Japanese tradition when her parents took her to
see the ancient sport of sumo. Her father said in his birthday news
conference earlier this year that his daughter is a sumo enthusiast who
excitedly watches the giant wrestlers on TV and loves to imitate their
moves. A wide-eyed Aiko held her father's hand as she entered the Tokyo
Kokugikan, where sumo tournaments are held. Her mother, Crown Princess
Masako, walked behind them. As the rounds went on, Aiko sat on the edge
of her seat, sometimes smiling or grimacing at the result. Her parents
have made efforts to give Aiko a taste of life outside the palace. In
March, she went to Tokyo Disneyland, and last month she accompanied her
parents on a visit to the Netherlands. " [end quote]

Barbara Murasakihana

References:
http://www.scgroup.com/sumo/faq/faq2.html
http://www.journeythroughjapan.org/culture/culture_detail.cfm?id_news=47696823&type=1
http://www.att-japan.net/modules/tinyd1/rewrite/tc_25.html
http://www.e-budo.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-32753.html
http://www.zenstoriesofthesamurai.com/Characters/YamaokaTesshu.htm
http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/6-9-10/45836.html
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DEFDB103BF935A1575AC0A96E948260
http://tinyurl.com/l3g3s
http://tinyurl.com/eczvs