Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-20
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

yama a veritable Hercules, who was ex-
PEELED from the guild four years ago for
INSTRUMENTATION and habitual violation Of
! the rules, but was restored to membership
! last year upon the pledges that he would
reform his habits. He has been on proba-
ton ever since, and was not allowed to
appear in the tournaments last fall and
this summer. He is a great wrestler, how
ever and five years ago, and until his ex-
pulSion, stood second to the champion.
The next man in reputation and skill is
Amagasaki formerly member of the 'Seki-
waki' or second class of the wrestlers,
who has always had a good reputation and
has done some good work. If he had not
violated the rules by leaving the country
and giving exhibitions for money he would
undoubtedly rank well in the first class by
this time. The professional names of the
other wrestlers are as follows:
Midorigawa Green River).
Asahiriu (Morning Sun Dragon.
Meigetsu (Clear Moon).
TamagaSaki (Jeweled Cape.
Dategasaki Ghe name of the town IN
which he born).
Akashigata Coax Tree.
HiraiShi (Flat Stone).
Todoroki (Roaring Brook.
GiOkuzan (Jeweled Mountain).
IWakugaWa (name of river.
MutSuga hama name of beach)
YoshoZakura Court Cherry.
Iwakidake tname of a mountain).
The five other young men are students
or disciples Going with them are several
jujutsu wrestlers and fencers, who Will
also give exhibitions. None of them, how
ever, is a man of reputation, and no one
in the party, except Amagasah, can stand
up for single round with Genjiyama or
compel him to exert his enormous strength.
Hence his performances are likely to be
less sensational than would be the case II
he had an antagonist of his own class.
Wrestling a National Sport.
Wrestling is not only the national amuse-
nj hI1 nn1jke
ball, cricket and the sports of other coun-
| tries. it has a religious association. The
Shinto god Nomino Sakune Jinsha. who
was the first ordinary wrestler, is the pa
iron of the profession, and at the great an
nual festival. beginning on his anniver-
sary, June %. the tests are made and the
members of the guild are promoted after
what may be termed a competitive exam
ination. They are divided into four classes
or grades, just as prize fighters are classed
as heavy weights, feather weights, etc
But in wrestling the weight of a man does
not govern his grade. He is promoted upon
the number of matches he wins. In order
to be promoted man must throw every
one in his class.
The guild numbers 362 active and retired
wrestlers-gross, vulgar, sensual creatures,
enormous eaters and drinkers; and some of
them are mountains Of flesh. Heroes of
wrestling combats are always represented
with enormous stomachS. Human nature
is alike the world over The champion
wrestler is as much admired and courted in
Japan as bull fighters in Spain and pugil-
lists in England or the United States.
Wrestling contests usually take place in
groves and grounds surrounding Shinto
temples. The headquarters of the guild are
at the HOMO Midoricho temple of Tokyo.
Like the feudal lords of Europe in the age
of cnivalry. the daimyos of old Japan had
wrestlers attached to their courts, and tour
naments were held under the patronage Of
the Shotgun.
Tha fret 70, tIar Of
know anything appeared in the seventh year
of the Emperor Suinin, twenty-three years
before Christ His name was Tagimano
keheya He was SO confident of his
ace and boosted that he could whip every
person in the empire. Emperor SUNNI,
amused at his bravado, issued proclama-
ton calling for volunteers, and Nomino Su-
kune came down from Idzumo and at a
rough and tumble match in the palace
garden, the emperor himself presiding as
| umpire, not only overcame the boaster but
punished him SO severity that he died on the
spot. The emperor was SO pleased that he
| made Sukune a retainer at the palace, and
for period of 2,017 years the latter S
| descendants have been the patrons and
chiefs of the wrestling guild. Their pres
ent representative, Viscount Colo, resides
in Tokyo, is an active member of the house
of peers and owns glass factory and
newspaper.
| AS the family of Viscount Colo are the
perpetual patrons Of the guild so family
named Kimura are perpetual umpires, and
| have monopoly of the business. Any per-
son ambitious to be an umpire of wrestling
| matches must become pupil of that fam
! ily and when he has acquired suftcicnt
| knowledge and proficiency must be adopted
| by them and take their name
The Wrestlers' Guild.
The affairs of the guild and it's policy are
! controlled by officials and committees COM
posed chiefly of retired champions and
| other veterans who have won distinction
and the confidence of the profession and
| the public. The present president is Ika-
zuchi who was champion twelve years
| ago The regulations are based upon very
| high principles. They prohibit betting and
| mercenary motives. No member of the
guild is permitted to appear for money
| or other rewards except such as may be
| offered by the organization. Admission
| fees are charged at all tournaments to pay
| current expenses, and the guild has large
| amount of property inherited from past
generations. 1t has received many Valu-
| able legacies from its members and patrons
| from time to time during the last 2.O0O
| years, and has an income from its invest
| ments sufficient to give every member an
| ample annual allowance corresponding to
| his rank and standing and to pay judges,
| umpires and officers reasonable compen-
| sation Champions and other popular
wrestlers may have paying students, and
| they receive many valuable presents from
| their admirers. which they are allowed to
| accept, but under the rules they must be
| very particular and make 1t clear that
| their presents are not intended compen-
| sation for professional performances.
| In other respects the regulations are ex-
| ceedingly strict and there are usually sew
| eral cases of expulsion every year for vio-
| lating them. Another rule prohibits mem
| bers from wrestling with opponents who
| do not belong to the guild. They are as
| particular about this as members of a
| labor union at home.
| While am told that there Is no definite
| rule prohibiting members of the guild leav-
| ing Japan. the policy of the organization
| D. against 1t because, first, travel and con-
| tact with foreigners and foreign habits and
/ customs are apt to impair discipline and
/ weaken the influence of the officials Of the
guild; second, wrestling in foreign coun-
| tries cannot be conducted under the condi-
/ lions and regulations which prevail here;
4 third, the guild Is not disposed to assume
cial management of foreign tours and can
not intrust 1t to others without violating