Sumo - The Reference Guide: The Soul of Japan's Ancient Martial Art. History, Ritual, Fighting Techniques of the Dohyō and the Rise of the Yokozuna

Two wrestlers face each other on a circle of clay. In a few explosive seconds, centuries of history, ritual and discipline collide.This is sumo, and you are about to understand it as never before.If you have ever wanted to know what the salt thrown before a bout really means, why the wrestlers stamp the ground, how a man climbs from the humble ranks of maegashira to the almost divine status of yokozuna, then this is the guide you have been waiting for.Sumo is far more than a sport.It is a living link with an ancient tradition, an experience that goes well beyond physical competition. Imagine following the daily life of a rikishi: waking before dawn, devoting body and soul to punishing training, eating and living inside the stable where deference is learned along with technique. As you come to understand the moves, you also discover the cultural and spiritual layers that make this discipline unique: the sacred ceremonies, the meaning of every gesture, the profound respect for one's opponent.Written by Nicholas J. Harding, who has loved Japan for twenty-five years and followed sumo closely for twenty, this book is not a distant academic account. It is an invitation to see sumo with new eyes, told with the warmth of someone who knows the discipline from the side of the ring, and illustrated throughout with colour photographs from inside the world of sumo.INSIDE THIS GUIDE YOU WILL DISCOVER:The complete history of sumo, from its sacred origins as a rite for the gods to the champions who shaped the modern era.Nearly ninety fighting techniques, named, explained and grouped, several of them illustrated, so you finally understand exactly how a bout is won and lost.The banzuke, the official ranking list, explained and illustrated step by step, so you can read it and understand it at a glance.The hierarchy of the sport in full: the divisions, the ranks, the tournaments and the road to yokozuna.The sacred rituals, symbols and traditions that wrap this sport in centuries of mystery.The world of the stables, the famous chankonabe diet, the fighting names and the legendary wrestlers whose records still stand.Dozens of vivid colour photographs, from the keiko training inside the Isegahama stable to the grand Aki Basho tournament in Tokyo, bringing the ring, the ceremony and the raw power of sumo to life.Even if you have never watched a single match, this guide will lead you through the rules, the rituals and the techniques in clear, engaging language. You may think sumo is only a matter of brute strength. Turn these pages and you will discover a world of strategy, discipline and reverence for tradition, where every bout becomes a thrilling contest of body and mind.Do not let the chance to step inside this fascinating world slip away.Scroll up, click "Buy Now", and begin your journey into the soul of Japan's ancient martial art Read more