Any person who is familiar about Japan’s sumo history knows that sumo wrestling is more than just a sport or a game for the Japanese. Sumo wrestling is actually a big part of their culture as well as their country’s history. It is also related to their Shinto ritual, one of Japan’s earliest religions in their ancient imperial courts.

If you want to wear sumo wrestler costumes this Halloween, it would be very useful to find out more about the history of sumo wrestling first. It would be fun to wear your costume while sharing everything you know about sumo wrestling to some of your friends and loved ones.

This article explains how sumo wrestling originated in Japan and how it became a huge part of their culture, religion and history. You should read this article if you want to find out more about sumo history and how it developed as a famous global sport.

Sumo wrestling and Shinto

Shinto is one of the first religions that originated in Japan. Shinto is a term that implies the need to follow the way of the gods, a religion of the heart that shaped the Japanese way of life. As a creative principle of life, it serves as the backbone of the Japanese family, code of ethics, culture, and overall national structure.

In Japan’s history, sumo wrestling was often used as a ritual dance wherein a human wrestles with a spirit or god, also known as a Kami. It became an important ritual in the Japanese imperial court, and each representative attending the said ritual is required to watch this ceremonial dance.

Development of sumo wrestling

As the sumo history progressed, sumo wrestling did not merely serve as a ceremony that the Japanese are required to attend. Ancient Japanese rulers used sumo wrestling as a way to train the Japanese in preparation for civil strife. Its rules have also changed according to the whims of some powerful Japanese rulers. In order to emerge victorious in a fight, the only thing that a sumo wrestler should do is to throw his opponent out of the sumo wrestling ring.

During the 16th century, Oda Nobunaga, a principal warlord in Japan, organized a huge sumo wrestling tournament. He required the wrestlers to wear loose loincloths, which then evolved into fringed kesho-mawashis during the Edo period.

Another remarkable fact about the sumo history is how some countries also used traditional wrestling and ceremonies that resemble Japan’s sumo wrestling. A good example is Korea’s Ssireum, a popular sport that is somehow similar to Japan’s sumo wrestling.

These are the most interesting pieces of information that you should know about sumo wrestling. Now that you know more about sumo history, you could finally give justice to the sumo wrestler costumes that you are planning to wear.