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**TheBest-Host** · 05-17-2007, 10:09 AM

[slightly off tangent]
I think sumo as a professional spectator sport has survived pretty intact over the decades. By this I mean that the particularly Japanese cultural forces, rituals, and lifestyle, permeate sumo very deeply, even during the reign of non-Japanese yokozuna. As highly competitive as it is, you do not see any hooting and hollering by the wrestlers and no pumping of fists after a victory. Their rei at the beginning and end of each match seem very sincere to me.

I know that sumo is not in the running to be the next olympic sport, but I thought it might be a good example of how a "professional spectator sport" can still retain the reigi that we believe would be lost in kendo should it become primarily sport-oriented.

-michael

05-17-2007, 10:09 AM	#26
TheBest-Host Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 463 Senior Member	[slightly off tangent] I think sumo as a professional spectator sport has survived pretty intact over the decades. By this I mean that the particularly Japanese cultural forces, rituals, and lifestyle, permeate sumo very deeply, even during the reign of non-Japanese yokozuna. As highly competitive as it is, you do not see any hooting and hollering by the wrestlers and no pumping of fists after a victory. Their rei at the beginning and end of each match seem very sincere to me. I know that sumo is not in the running to be the next olympic sport, but I thought it might be a good example of how a "professional spectator sport" can still retain the reigi that we believe would be lost in kendo should it become primarily sport-oriented. -michael
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