New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-20

EmpeOrsip Once Settled by NatcHo1o the Public Contest
Conducted Measurements of Typical Wrester8

In Japan wrestling is what bull fighting is in
Spain. the popular amusement 1t not only pro-
vides entertainment for the masses but is also
patronized by the nobility, who avoid the the
atre vulgar and fit only for the common peo-
Pile In the reign of the Emperor SUNNI, about
the year % b. c., there lived a man Of unusual
strength at TOma, in the province of Nameto
He was renowned for his power Of kicking, and
was therefore known by the name of kehaya,
which means quick kicker The Emperor
hearing Of his wonderful strength, summoned
another strong man named Nom-no-Sukune,
native of Idzumo and commanded the two men
to fight Sukune killed Kehaya and was re-
warGed by the gift Of the land which had he
longed to Kehaya, and entered the imperial ser
vice. He is regarded the tutelary deity of
wrestlers and shrnes are erected in his honor.
This is the first mention of wrestling in the his
tory Of Japan and the combat in this instance
probably rather a kicking contest than
wrestling proper. In the year $50 a. D., when
the Emperor Buntoku died, there two
claimants for the succession, Prince Korehito
and Prince Koretaka. Instead OF gathering
armies and shedding blood the two aspirants 10
the throne agreed to put the matter to the test
of a wrestling match. The champion of Prince
Korehito was the victor, and hOrehito therefore
became Emperor.
military government, of the country, as distin-
auished from its imperial or titular and sacred
lUle by the Mikado, wrestling was not especially
G.. ganized, and its practice was dependent prin-
c.pally upon the caprice of the Emperor. Upon
,he establishment of essentially military
regime however, in the year 1ISJ, by YoritomO,
Wrestling became one of the necessary accom-
plishments of the samurai fighting men, who
were trained in wrestling. well as in horse
L.anship and the use of weapons From this
time until the year 1903 wrestling remained a
military accomplishment, useful in the wars
which were continually raging In the year
1908 the great statesman Iyeyasu established
the Shogunate in his own the TokugaWa, fam
lily, where it remained until the restoration of
Mikado to supreme power, in 1865. During
this period Of more than two hundred and fifty
years there was peace throughout the country.
" hich also remained Isolated from the outside
woTld.
Wrestling from being the accomplishment of
the warrior became the sport Of the daimio or
1eudal lords of the land. These patronized
wrestling much in the way the manly
art Of self-defence' was nurtured and encour-
aged by the mobility and gentry" Of Great
britain during the first half of the nineteenth
century. Many daimio supported troupes OF
wIosuers as part Of their regular establishment
and took the keenest interest in the success OF
failure Of their protegGs. With the downfall of
the Tokugawa Shogunate and the disestabIsh-
Hent Of the feudal system, in the year 1868 the
wIestlers were thrown out Of employment and
became dependent upon the general public for
their support This is the condition of things
to-day. but the Wrestlers also depend largely
upon the uberality of individual patrons,
The wrestlers are about four hundred in num-
Der, and, taking into consideration the umpres
managers, criers or yobidashi, who announce
the various matches and the many hangers on
and assistants, there is a body of six hundred
men more who gain their livelihood directly
Indirectly through wrestling.
The general management of all wrestling af-
fair is intrusted to a body of wrestlers who
have been retired from active work by reason