外国人力士の活躍と相撲の仕組み

[From September Issue 2012]

 

At this July’s sumo tournament (basho), ozeki (champion) Mongolian wrestler, Harumafuji won the tournament for his third time. If he wins the tournament in September, he will be assured of a promotion to the highest rank of yokozuna, or grand champion. Sumo is said to be Japan’s national sport, but in fact, over the past ten years, 55 tournaments out of 60 were won by wrestlers (rikishi) from foreign countries. Of these victories, the majority were won by former yokozuna Asashoryu and reigning yokozuna Hakuho. Both men come from Mongolia.

Having won 25 tournaments, Asashoryu holds the third most tournament victories, after Taihou’s 32 and Chiyofuji’s 31. Kitanoumi, who has 24 victories, comes in fourth place. With 22 wins, Hakuho shares fifth place with Takanohana. Currently Hakuho is the only person holding the title of yokozuna. At the next rank down of ozeki there are six rikishi, but only two of these – Kotoshogiku and Kisenosato – are Japanese. The rest are Harumafuji and Kakuryu from Mongolia, Baruto from Estonia and Kotooshu from Bulgaria.

The ranking below ozeki is sekiwake, followed by komusubi and maegashira. Those rikishi holding these ranks fight in the makuuchi which is the top division in sumo; roughly equivalent to the first division in football. Juuryou is the second division. Below juuryou is makushita, followed by sandanme, jonidan and jonokuchi. At juuryou and above, rikishi are called sekitori, and are considered to be fully developed.

For the shikona, which is the name wresters use in the ring, it’s popular to use the name of the ocean, mountain or river of their place of birth or the shikona of their stable master (oyakata). For instance, Baruto’s name was derived from the Japanese name for the Baltic Sea, which borders his native Estonia. The “koto” in Kotooshu’s name is derived from his stable master’s name, while “oushuu” refers to Europe, where his native Bulgaria is located.

In sumo there are many ceremonies and unique traditions. Rikishi wear their hair in samurai style called mage. Rikishi wear only a loincloth, but before makuuchi bouts begin they appear before spectators wearing a ceremonial apron. Yokozuna perform a ring-entering ceremony called dohyou-iri. At the end of a day of sumo bouts, a bow twirling ceremony called yumitori-shiki is performed. NHK broadcasts every sumo tournament nationwide on TV and radio.

How is the Tournament Champion Chosen?

Rikishi are generally large men, but they can differ in weight. Despite this, they don’t fight in weight categories. In exciting matches sponsors offer prize money to winners. Rikishi enter the ring (dohyou) when called by the yobidashi (usher), then scatter salt to purify the dohyou. Before the fight begins, a ceremony called “shikiri” (warming up) is carried out to boost the confidence of the rikishi.

Bouts are won by pushing an opponent out of the 4.55 meter wide dohyo, or by making the opponent touch the ground with another part of his body. Usually a bout is over in few seconds. The referee (gyoji) in kimono raises his fan to the winner. If the result is controversial, five judges sitting beneath the ring choose the winner by checking video footage and conferring amongst themselves. There 82 ways to win a fight.

Sumo tournaments are held six times a year. One tournament lasts 15 days and each day rikishi fight against a different opponent. The champion is the one with the highest number of wins over the 15 days. Besides the winner, three prizes for outstanding achievement are given to those of sekiwake rank and below. They are the Shukunshou (Outstanding Performance Award) given to those who managed to defeat a yokozuna or ozeki, the Kantoushou given to those who did well and displayed fighting spirit, and the Ginoushou for excellent technique. The rank (banzuke) of wrestlers is set depending on the result of the tournament.

[2012年9月号掲載記事]

 

7月場所でモンゴル出身の大関・日馬富士が3度目の優勝を果たしました。9月場所で優勝すれば最高位の横綱になることはほぼ確実です。相撲は日本の国技といわれてきましたが、実はこの10年間の60場所で外国から来た力士の優勝は55回にのぼります。そのうちのほとんどが、元横綱朝青龍と現横綱白鵬です。二人ともモンゴル出身です。

朝青龍の優勝回数は25回で、大鵬の32回、千代の富士の31回に次いで第3位です。4位は24回の北の湖。白鵬は22回で貴乃花と共に現在5位です。現在、横綱は白鵬一人です。次の位の「大関」は6人いますが、日本人力士は琴奨菊と稀勢の里の二人のみです。後は、モンゴル出身の日馬富士と鶴竜、エストニア出身の把瑠都、ブルガリア出身の琴欧州です。

大関以下の位は「関脇」「小結」「前頭」と続きます。ここまでは「幕内」と呼ばれ、最高優勝を争います。サッカーに例えれば1部リーグです。2部リーグに相当するのが「十両」、以下、「幕下」「三段目」「序二段」「序の口」と続きます。十両以上の力士は「関取」と呼ばれ、一人前と見られます。

しこ名(力士の名前)は、力士の出身地の海や山、川などの名前、あるいは部屋の親方のしこ名を取り入れたものが一般的に使われます。たとえば、把瑠都はリトアニアが面しているバルト海に由来します。琴欧州の「琴」は所属する部屋の親方に由来し、「欧州」はブルガリアがあるヨーロッパを取り入れています。

相撲にはさまざまな儀式、ユニークな伝統があります。力士の頭は「まげ」と呼ばれるサムライスタイルです。力士はまわしだけしかつけません。幕内の取組が始まる前に力士は化粧まわしをつけて登場し、お客に披露します。横綱は土俵入りと呼ばれる儀式を行います。その日の全部の取組が終わると、弓取り式という儀式があります。NHKが毎場所テレビとラジオで全国放送しています。

優勝はどのようにして決まるのか

一般的に力士は体が大きいですが、体重差があります。それでも無差別で戦います。良い取組にはスポンサー企業からの懸賞金がつき、勝った力士に贈られます。力士は呼び出しの声で土俵(リング)に上がり、土俵を清める塩をまきます。勝負が始まる前に数分の仕切り(士気を高めていくためのもの)があります。

勝負は相手を先に直径4.55メートルの土俵の外に出すか、相手の体の一部を土俵につけさせれば勝ちです。勝負は通常数秒で決まります。着物スタイルの行司(レフリー)は、勝った力士に軍配を上げますが、きわどい勝負のときには土俵の下にいる5人の審判員がビデオも参考にし、相談して勝者を決めます。決まり手(技)は82手あります。

相撲は1年に6場所開催されます。1場所15日間で、毎日違う相手と戦い一番多く勝った力士が優勝となります。また、優勝の他に、関脇以下の活躍した力士に与えられる三賞があります。殊勲賞(横綱、大関を破った力士)、敢闘賞(闘志あふれる相撲を取り、良い成績をあげた力士)、技能賞(すぐれた技で活躍した力士)。今場所の成績により次の場所の番付(ランク)が決まります。

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