Sumo Wrestlers Perform New Year Ritual について・・・
WONG:
And in Japan its time for sumo wrestlers to perform their New Years ceremony. Lets take a look at two of Japans best wrestlers to see how they do it.
STORY:
Japan's sumo grand champions performed the traditional New Year's rites at Meiji shrine in Tokyo. The ceremony dates back to 1920 and is held to pray for the sumo wrestlers' good health.
These two top wrestlers of the ancient sport hold the highest rank of "yokozuna." And they are both Mongolians.
Asashoryu and Hakuho perform the "shiko," or traditional foot stamping. This is to scare away evil spirits in the area.
Thousands of spectators cheer on the champions.
[Yoshie Nakamura, Spectator]:
"I didn't like sumo so much, but now I'm starting to like it."
[Yu Hatakeyama, Spectator]:
"They were so huge -- just incomparable to regular men."
[Kai Tokunaga, Spectator]:
"When they were stamping, I could almost hear a roaring sound."
This 2,000-year-old form of wrestling is full of rituals and ceremonies.
And even if its grand champions are no longer Japanese, they still need to be performed precisely.
|
