Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-20
JAPANESE WRESTLING.
How the National Sport is
Carried On.
CONTESTS DESCRIBED
FUNCTIONS OF THE JUDGES AND
UMPIRE.
Delsartian Exhibitions Of the Con-
testants-Bouts of Short Duration
Laws Of Training Violated.
CONTESTS DESCRIBED
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star and
Chicago Record Herald
YOKOHAMA, July "a. 1904
There Is decided difference between
'jujutsu," the soft art" as the Japanese
call 1t, and sumo" or ordinary wrestling
as practiced by professionals In Japan.
Sumo requires skill as we'll as strength
and weight, but the latter are absolutely
necessary. Without them no amount OF
skill can prevail. "Ju1utsu" cannot be
practiced without long and careful tram
ing, and with it skill will prevail over
strength and weight If properly applied
according to the rules Of the science. with
thorough knowledge of ''jujutsu'' and a
cool head, a man of light stature and dell
cate physique can defend himself success
fully against any of the monsters who per-
form muscular wonders In the wrestling
pavilions Exhibitions Of both sciences are
interesting. Jujutsu, however. Is seldom
practiced by professionals in public. 1t Is
reserved for amateurs, for the police ana
military forces and for gentlemen; whereas
sumo" exhibitions are given regularly III
all the large cities OF the empire q. -, ,o ,ns
twice a year under the auspices and by tne
mo 7rhe~s of the Sumo-Kio-kwal, or "res-
tiers guild.
The Champion Wrestler.
The champion wrestlers of japan at pres
ent are Hidachiyama, for the west and
Yumegatani in the east. The latter Is the
son of Ikazuchi, president Of the guild, who
was himself champion from 1888 to 1885,
when he was beaten and went on the re-
tired list He has since served as Judge
and an official of the organization.
Yumegatani is the latest man you ever
saw When he appears in the ring strip
tn bo h1ff' - without a single SClCCn VI
Clothing except breechclout. he furnishes
an amazing spectacle. His stomach is as
big as a beer barrel, and his legs are as
large around as sack of meal. His arms
above the elbows are a foot In diameter.
and he weighs more than 400 pounds. Yet
he is as agile and quick as cat, ana, az
though he carries so much tailo" on ms
muscles, his flesh is SO hard and his SKIN IS
SO tough that you cannot stick pin INTO
him. His weight gives him great advan-
tage being coupled with herculean strength
and extraordinary agility. l nave seen MN nm
stand in the center of ring and fairly HIT
his antagonist over his head as II ne were
baby.
Yumegatani Is reckoned as the greatest
wrestler who has appeared In Japan TOT
half a century. and has recently received
from the Shinto high priest, who LOOKS
after the religious side of the guild, Gee
Grafton of merit that was never conferred
hut once before He has not been thrown
this season, although he has appeared daily
In seven tournaments and has met every
wrestler of his class in Japan at least seven
times.
The Contests.
Contests usually take place in large
tent or canopy made of bamboo poles and
mating for shelter from the sun. with an
elevated bank of earth in the center ABOUT
thirty feet in diameter and two feet high.
The surface is sprinkled with clean. soft,
black sand. and a ring, eighteen feet In
diameter is made with a brush by sweep
ing it up into little ridge. At the iour
corners of the arena the Judges sit, nke
Chinese mandarins, upon piles OF CUSHIONS
with their legs crossed, and fan them
selves complacently until their services are
required when they arise with great soien'-
nifty, move to one or the corners 1ra AM u ne
justices of the Supreme Court. Ihey are
always retired wrestlers, eX-champions and
other veterans, who by reason OF age or
infirmity have been compelled to leave the
ring. -.
In addition to the Judges, who often SIT
silently through an entire tournament with
out being once appealed to- there Is an
umpire who moves rapidly ABOUT the ring
keeping his eyes on both of the antagonists
so as to detect fouls or unfair play, ana,
at the same time, doing his best to keep
out of the way of the spectators, VINO yen
at him in a threatening manner when he
happens to hide the show from them with
his body And sometimes, when the audi
ence dissents from his decisions. they act
much ike tIle occupants VI ZIG
bleachers at a base ball game In America.
AS a symbol of authority he carries in his
hand a handsomely lacauered piece of
board with handle like fan, with tas-
sells of gold cord suspended from 1t, which
is of the same Importance and usefulness
as the baton of the drum major of band
Procession of Wrestlers.
BEFORE the performance begins all the
wrestlers who are to participate, except the
no n a
procession likeethe grand entree at a circus.
Each wrestler is naked as he was born.
with the exception of a breech clout,
silken belt and an apron about yard wide.
which hangs from his waist to his ankles.
This apron is beautifully embroidered in
gold or silver upon velvet or silk, and the
color, red, blue, yellow or purple. repre-
sents the clan to which the owner belongs.
The designs worked out in embroidery rep
resent his crest, his professional name and
other insignia that may pertain to him.
Wrestlers' aprons are among the finest
examples of japanese embroidery and
usually are presented to them by their ad-
mirers Every man of reputation has his
following among the public-often has sew
eral aprons presented to him after contests
in which he especially distinguishes him
self Another mark of the profession is
long hair. which, suppose. may be traced
to precedent established by Samson.
They do not wear 1t hanging on their
shoulders, however, but 1t is done up in
elaborate coiffures on the backs of their
heads, similar to those worn by fashiona-
BILE ladies In Japan. AS they wear no
boards, one might easily mistake them for
women If only their heads were seen.
After marching slowly around the arena
so as to allow the audience to admire them,
the company stand in a circle about the
ring and go through very solemn panto-
mime. a custom said to be inherited from
very ancient times. 1t used to have some
significance, no doubt, but have not found
anyone able to give me its meaning. The
umpire kneels in the center and holds his
wooden fan up before him while he repeats
a few sentences of admonition to the con-
testants regarding their behavior and ex-
presses the hope that each will do his best.
Then. in unison, the wrestlers go through
a sort of Delsarte performance. They ex-
tend their arms before them and make GER
tain gesticulations that end with three
claps of their hands and a funny little
twitch of their aprons, which they seize
with the fingers at each edge. They then
march solemnly back to their dressing
rooms.
The Champion Enters.
After each class or grade has gone
through this ceremony in order the cham
pion of the empire enters. attended by two
retainers, who are selected for that hon.
orable duty as prize fighter selects his