The Perfect Guide To Sumo

Sumo, with over 1,500 years of history, is a religious rite, an deep-rooted part of traditional Japanese culture with a rich aesthetic and a truly combative sport. In recent years a whole new category of female sumo fans known as the "sujo" (literally the, "sumo girls") has sprung up. Due to international broadcasts and the number of foreign born rikishi performing at the highest levels, Sumo's international appeal continues to grow. This bilingual book is the product of a combined effort by writer Ito Katsuharu, who served as the 34th Kimura Shonosuke, and translator David Shapiro who is a colour commentator on NHK's bilingual sumo broadcasts. The book contains detailed explanations of Sumo techniques, rituals and semantics and the use of traditional woodblock prints as illustrations enhances a greater sense of sumo's history.