Sumo
Sumo is the national sport of Japan and dates back to the Edo Period (1603 - 1867). The wrestlers will face off in a ring, and a winner is declared when one either steps out of the ring or touches the ground with anything but the soles of his feet. Each match will usually last only a few seconds. Professional sumo wrestlers participate in the "Grand Sumo Tournament".
Wrestlers are divided into six different fighting divisions. Wrestlers in the top two of these divisions, "Maku-uchi" and "Jyu-ryo", receive salary. Except for in the top division, "Maku-uchi", each wrestler is ranked by a number indicating where in his division he stands. In the "Maku-uchi" division, the top five rankings are given names and the highest three are called Yokozuna (grand champion wrestler),Ozeki and Sekiwake.
Six tournaments are held every year, three of which take place in the Kokugikan Sumo Arena in Tokyo, and the other three in Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka.
Foreigner sumo wrestlers, especially from Mongol, have achieved great success in the sumo sport.
Professional Baseball
In Japan, baseball is as popular as it is in the United States. There are two professional baseball leagues, the Central League and the Pacific League, each having 6 teams each. Players recruited from foreign countries such as the United States and Korea, also play professionally in Japan. Japanese players such as Ichiro (Seattle Mariners) and Matsui (New York Yankees) are having great success playing in the Major Leagues.
Professional Soccer
The Professional soccer league in Japan is called the J league and consists of the J1 (major) and J2 (minor) leagues. Besides league matches, there are many other organized games and championships.
Related Links (J : Japanese text)
