Sumo wrestlers delight Thai audience

Increasing global understanding of the 2,000-year-old sport is one of the goals the four former professional sumo wrestlers hope to achieve with their performance in Thailand.

“We are extremely honoured and pleased to show Thai people real sumo wrestling. Seeing sumo live is definitely different than seeing sumo on television," said Jokoryu, one of the sumo wrestlers told The Nation on Saturday.

Jokoryu is a "Komusubi", fourth in the top 10 professional sumo ranking known as "Makuuchi", and was the highest ranked sumo wrestler participating in the event, followed by three others who had achieved a ranking of "Makushita" or seventh: Bungo Nishiki, Kumago, and Kotootori.

They demonstrated basic rules and techniques of sumo wrestling, saying the performance would be an excellent opportunity for outsiders to see how serious the sport is.

Years of practice are required before becoming a professional sumo wrestler, and most start training from the young age of seven.

Sumo requires at least five to six hours of strict and rigorous training daily, they said, explaining that because they started young they became accustomed to their sumo schedules.

Discipline is the most difficult part, they agreed.

Another requirement of being a professional sumo wrestler is to become massive physically.

Kumago said that there is no prohibited food for sumo wrestlers.

"We're taught to be able to eat almost anything," he said.

Bungo Nishiki and Kotootori said they had been warned about eating too much sugar.

All four insisted that although sumo wrestlers need massive bodies to fight powerfully, they also need to stay healthy and fit.

The minimum weight of a sumo wrestler is 68 kilos, but there is no maximum weight. Each wrestler must find his proper weight, Kunago explained, adding that being heavier does not mean having a better chance of winning.

"If you are too heavy, your movements will be slow and not agile. This is not good in competition as well," he said.

Most Sumo wrestlers have 25.6% body fat, according to a Nippon Medical School study.

Sumo wrestlers must work extremely hard to maintain fitness.

The four wrestlers were eager to show sumo and its traditional culture to an audience that had not seen it before.

They used humour to engage the audience, which responded with laughter, loud applause and plenty of cheerful shouting.

Jokoryu said it was an honour to perform sumo in Thailand.

The sport is popular in Japan, but not highly paid.

Top wrestlers can earn about 10 million yen (US$90,000) a year, according to the Japan Sumo Association. This can be topped up with bonuses for winning tournaments as well as earnings from sponsorships and endorsements.

There are six major sumo tournaments annually. Each one can attract a live audience of about 800,000 Japanese and foreign nationals. Hundreds of thousands more watch them on TV.

When asked why they became sumo wrestlers, all four said they were motivated by passion from a young age. Getting paid and being famous is just a bonus, they said.

They hope to return to Thailand for another performance and to eat more Thai food, especially their favorite, Kao Man Kai (steamed rice topped with chicken).

The sumo demonstration was part of a series of events commemorating the 136 year diplomatic relationship between Thailand and Japan. It was held at Siam Paragon shopping mall this weekend, with support from the Japanese embassy and Japan Airlines.