Foreign Friday - Guest Post

Tokyo Sumo Stadium mural
Tokyo, Japan
April 2012
Sheila sent this week's photos after she saw this post.  She wrote, "In Tokyo, we walked by the Sumo stadium, and just as we were there, a bus load of Sumo wrestlers arrived to participate in a tournament. I wish we could have watched them perform!"     



These photos clearly show the traditional hair style for sumo wrestlers. These "top knots" are called chomage.


Researching this, it was interesting to learn that the sumo wrestlers rank is reflected in their hair style and that the Sumo Association hires a hair dresser, called a tokoyama, to prepare the wrestlers' hair in this style for tournaments. Some interesting information on sumo hair dressing can be found here.

I also learned that lower-ranked sumo wrestlers are required to wear kimono and geta when then are out in public from this site. The author gives detailed information on sumo wrestling in a previous post.



Thank you, Sheila for sharing your photos.

Want to see photos from inside the stadium? Check out Michael Weening's photos herehere, and here.

Comments

  1. Very interesting. It seems nothing is done in Japan without a tradition or special meaning attached to it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. So interesting to learn a little about the traditional dress and hair style. Great pictures!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hair and status... love that they wear what I would consider fairly feminine patterned fabrics too. (The Knight would never wear anything with flowers on it!)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I've always thought the kimono looks very comfortable, but the wooden klogs--not so much! This was a very interesting post. Thank you Nancy and Sheila. BTW I love watching sumo wrestling!

    ReplyDelete
  5. SOmething in me wants to be a hairdresser after being a nurse ends..their gorgeous black straight hair is amazing.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Interesting post! I love Sand Dollar, Nancy, and your amazing cloud photo.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

I love comments!

If you are going to ask a question make sure you have your profile set to allow me to respond back by email or email me directly - my address is in upper right hand column.