There was once a sumo wrestler who was troubled by the fact that he ultimately could not become a “wooden rooster.” (A reference to the idiom “as dumb as a wooden rooster!”) Does such a person really exist? Yes, as the following story of Futabayama Sadaji reveals.
Sumo, Japan’s traditional sport, is listed alongside judo, kendo, and kyudo as a “national sport,” similar to soccer in Argentina, baseball in the United States, or table tennis in China. Sumo is immensely popular, and everyone wants to become a wrestler, yet it is difficult to achieve, much like the elusive swan meat. This is due to the stringent requirements.
Obesity is the most obvious characteristic. They all appear to have large bellies, resembling lazy creatures that eat and sleep all day, hardly able to walk. Is that not true? Generally, a young person feels overweight if they reach 70 or 80 kilograms, but in sumo, one must weigh at least 120 kilograms to qualify, so the physiques of sumo wrestlers are unique. Moreover, if one looks at seals in the sea, they seem to have no legs or arms, yet they have a round, barrel-like belly. They rely on this belly to bounce up and down freely. Sumo wrestlers are also heavy, yet their movements are agile.
Futabayama Sadaji (1912-1968) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler. Entering sumo in 1927, he was the sport’s 35th yokozuna from 1937 until his retirement in 1945. He won 12 yūshō, or top division championships, and had a winning streak of 69 consecutive bouts, an all-time record.
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