In the wake of the Tokyo Olympics we thought we’d take a look at a very important connection between ukiyo-e and sport, specifically sumo wrestling. One of the first uses of Mokuhanga was the weekly publication of the Sumo match results! Sumo became one of the most popular forms of entertainment in Japan during the Edo period (1603-1867). The Edo period – over two hundred year of unprecedented peace in Japan – was an exceptionally fruitful time for cultural development. It was during this period that sumo and ukiyo-e developed in parallel. Sumo wrestlers were cultural heroes with thousands of fans, and a huge demand for pictures of these sport-heroes arose. Mokuhanga publishers were quick to respond. Prints of famous wrestlers and matches were produced and sold, and became very popular souvenirs. In the end however, the advent of photography in the subsequent Meiji period replaced ukiyo-e prints of wrestlers, and the tradition of sumo prints mostly died out.
Today there are still some artists who keep the spirit of sumo alive in their work. These range from mokuhanga artists who create traditional ukiyo-e to painters, installation artists and even musicians. Read more about this fascinating connection between art and sumo here.
Have you ever watched a sumo match? The rules are surprisingly simple to learn, and the sport is very exciting. Catch some of the highlights of this year’s September season here.
Image Caption: Daimon Kinoshita, 1985. Grand Champion Sumo Wrestlers (Yokozuna) – Takanohana and Akebono. From the series “Grand Sumo Tournament Colour Woodblock Print” Published by Kyoto Hanga.
Japanese born, Daimon Kinoshita, worked as an illustrator before adopting colour woodblock print as his medium in 1980. To commemorate the opening of the National Sports Arena in Ryogoku, the Nippon Sumo Association commissioned Kinoshita to create a series of prints depicting grand champion (Yokozuna) sumo wrestlers. The wrestlers featured in this print are Akebono Taro and Takanohana Koji. Akebono joined sumo in 1988 and became a Yokuzuna in 1993. He is the first non-Japanese born wrestler to reach the highest rank in sumo having been born and trained in Hawaii. Takanohana reached the rank of Yokuzuna in 1994. He is the son of a famous wrestler and, together with his brother, became the first Yokozuna brothers in the history of sumo wrestling. The rivalry between Takanohana and Akebono brought many fans to sumo in the 1990s with attendance at matches souring during their reign.