Sumo wrestling originated in which country?

Sumo is a traditional form of wrestling that originated in Japan more than 1,500 years ago. It is regarded as Japan's national sport.

How sumo is played:

Two wrestlers, called "rikishi", compete in a circular ring called the "dohyo". The ring is about 4.55 m in diameter, made of clay covered with sand, and marked by straw bales.

A wrestler wins if he forces his opponent out of the ring or makes him touch the ground with any part of his body other than the soles of his feet.

Bouts are usually very short, often lasting only a few seconds.

Wrestlers wear only a thick belt called a "mawashi".

Before a bout, wrestlers perform rituals such as throwing salt into the ring to purify it, stamping their feet (shiko) and clapping their hands.

Sumo has strong links with the Shinto religion; the ring is considered sacred, and a roof shaped like a Shinto shrine hangs above it.

Ranks and tournaments:

• The highest rank in sumo is "yokozuna" (grand champion), followed by ozeki, sekiwake and komusubi.
• There are six grand tournaments (honbasho) each year, held in Tokyo (three), Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka, each lasting 15 days.
• Professional sumo is governed by the Japan Sumo Association.
• Many top modern sumo wrestlers have come from Mongolia, such as Hakuho, who won a record 45 top-division championships.
• Sumo is not an Olympic sport.

National sports of other countries:

• Japan: sumo (with baseball as the most popular sport).
• South Korea: taekwondo.
• China: table tennis is the most popular (unofficially national).
• Mongolia: wrestling (Bökh) is one of the "three manly games" of the Naadam festival.

Other Japanese martial arts and sports:

Judo (founded by Jigoro Kano in 1882), karate (from Okinawa), kendo (sword fighting), aikido and jujutsu.

Why not the other options?

• ✗China is known for wushu (kung fu) and table tennis.
• ✗Mongolia has its own traditional wrestling (Bökh), and many sumo champions come from there, but sumo originated in Japan.
• ✗South Korea is known for taekwondo and ssireum (Korean wrestling).