'Weight of 1,500 years of tradition' comes to Scotland as Japanese sumo performed at Fringe for first time
Sumo has been growing in popularity in Scotland in recent years
It is an ancient pursuit which has been practised in Japan for more than 1,500 years and is recognised as the country's national sport.
Now Japanese sumo wrestling is to come to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for the first time.
Performers from Osaka-based company Hirakuza are to take to the stage at the festival to showcase the practice - as well as teaching audiences about the traditions behind it.
Performed in a dohyo, or sumo ring, The Sumo Show Hirakuza combines authentic demonstrations of Sumo with theatrical staging, dramatic visuals and immersive sound, giving audiences an opportunity to experience the athleticism, discipline and traditions of sumo up close.
Alongside competitive bouts between former professional wrestlers, audiences will learn about the customs and etiquette that surround the sport, from its ceremonial traditions to the techniques used inside the ring.
A spokesman for Hirakuza said: “We're excited to bring the weight of more than 1,500 years of Japanese tradition to Edinburgh this summer. Our performers have competed at the highest level of sumo, and this show is an opportunity to share the history, rituals and excitement of Japan's national sport in a way that's accessible and fun.
“We hope audiences will laugh, learn, cheer and maybe even discover they have what it takes to step into the ring themselves.”
Originating in ancient Shinto rituals, sumo developed from ceremonial contests performed to pray for good harvests into the professional sport seen today. While modern tournaments attract audiences from around the world, many of the traditions established centuries ago remain unchanged, from the purification rituals before each bout to the use of the traditional dohyo.
Following a successful run in Osaka and an international debut, which sold over 10,000 tickets, at the Adelaide Fringe Festival in Australia earlier this year, The Sumo Show Hirakuza will make its Edinburgh Festival Fringe debut this summer at Underbelly’s Udderbelly venue.
Underbelly said: “Step into the world of Japan’s legendary national sport as former pro wrestlers collide in powerful, high action matches right before your eyes. Presented entirely in English, get ready to learn the rules, rituals and techniques behind this incredible sport.”
The sport of sumo has been growing in Scotland in recent years.
The European Sumo Championships took place in Scotland for the first time this year. Sumo Scotland, which has clubs in Edinburgh and Coatbridge, hosted the event in Stirling. The event, which hosted around 200 athletes from across Europe, was attended by Japanese Consul General Katsutoshi Takeda.
Teenager Nicholas George Tarasenko, who trained with Sumo Scotland, recently passed the new recruit examination by the Japan Sumo Association and has been given the sumo name Eisei Jouji. He is set to make his professional debut in Japan as the second British-born sumo wrestler this year. He is the first British hopeful to join a Sumo stable, which now limit their foreign recruits to just one each, since Nathan Strange in 1989.