The Aoi Festival is one of Kyoto’s Big Three Festivals, though if like me you appreciate authenticity over pageantry you might say it’s one of Kyoto’s Big Two (together with Gion Matsuri in July). Like the Gion Festival, there are … Read the rest
Category: Martial arts and sumo (Page 1 of 2)
Bawling babies face off in Japan’s ‘crying sumo’
By Toru YAMANAKA Japan Today article May 15, 2017
More than 100 Japanese babies faced off Sunday in a traditional “crying sumo” ring, an annual ceremony believed to bring infants good health.
Brian Victoria, author of Zen at War, recently gave a talk in Kyoto about Zen terrorism in the 1930s. Brian is a Soto Zen priest, and his book has been hugely influential – as well as controversial. The … Read the rest
As the new year beckons, let’s hope that it ushers in a year of peace in place of the hatred and warfare of recent times. One man who realised the futility of aggression was the Shinto-inspired Morihei Ueshiba (1883-1969), who … Read the rest
With the Osaka tournament currently on day 5 of its two-week span, it’s a timely moment to consider the Shinto origins of the sport (there are six tournaments a year). For anyone familiar with the rituals of sumo, the … Read the rest
The Tokyo tournament is now under way (there are six tournaments a year), and as usual the wrestling is featured on Japan’s main television programme, NHK. Despite the relative weakness of Japanese wrestlers in recent years, sumo remains the … Read the rest
Aikido is a Japanese martial art that does not rely on strength but is based on avoiding conflict and concentrates on using the momentum of the assailant. It was developed by Ueshiba Morihei, who drew on Shinto traditions.
The … Read the rest