This year’s Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament started on Sunday, November 13th and will end on November 27th. By the way, this year marks the tournament’s 60th anniversary!
The Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament is the only tournament that takes place in Fukuoka and one of six remaining tournaments held every year.
Starting every day at around 8:30 a.m., the tournament kicks off with the lower-ranking sumo wrestlers, whereas the matches of the second (Juryo) and first league (Makuuchi) take place in the afternoon. The last match ends around 6 p.m.
Sumo has a very long tradition in Japan’s history and it is said to have existed for over 800 years. In the earliest days, Sumo was a Shinto ritual held during festivals. During the Meiji period, around the year 1884, Sumo became a symbol for Japanese national sports.
If you are in Fukuoka around November, you should not miss out on this impressive tournament!
http://www.japanese-school-asahi.com/
