Dohyō

Adohyō(Thổ biểu,Japanese pronunciation:[doçoː]) is the space in which asumowrestling bout occurs. A typicaldohyōis a circle made of partially buried rice-straw bales4.55 meters in diameter. In official professional tournaments (honbasho), it is mounted on a square platform ofclay66 cm high and 6.7m wide on each side.

Adohyō

Configuration and construction

Illustration showing adohyōin use at a modern professional match

In professional sumo, a newdohyōis built prior to each tournament by theyobidashi(ring attendants), who are responsible for this activity. The process of building thedohyōand its 66 cm high platform takes three days and is done with traditional tools.The clay used is taken from the banks of theArakawa RiverinSaitama Prefecture.However, due to growing urbanization, clay fromIbaraki Prefecturehas started to be used.The surface is covered bysand.Thedohyōis removed after each tournament and, in the case of theNagoyatournament, pieces are taken home by the fans as souvenirs. Theyobidashialso build thedohyōfor training stables and sumo touring events.

The diameter of the ring is 15shaku(4.55 meters),which increased from 13shaku(3.94 meters) in 1931.The rice-straw bales (tawara( biểu )) which form the ring are one third standard size and are partially buried in the clay of thedohyō.Four of thetawaraare placed slightly outside the line of the circle at the four cardinal directions, these are called privileged bales (tokudawara). Originally, this was to allow rain to run off the surface, when sumo tournaments were held outdoors in the open. Today, a wrestler under pressure at the edge of the ring will often try to move himself round to one of these points to gain leverage in order to push back more effectively against the opponent who is trying to force him out.

Match at theRyōgoku Kokugikanc. 1910,note the posts in the corners of thedohyōholding up the roof

The Ryōgoku Kokugikan in 2006, note the suspended roof and hanging tassels

At the center are two white lines, theshikiri-sen(Sĩ thiết り tuyến),behind which the wrestlers must position themselves at the start of the bout. First introduced in the spring tournament of 1928, they are painted 90 cm long, 6 cm wide and 70 cm apart.Theshikiri-senare touched up byyobidashiat the end of each day with white enamel paint.The painted lines are notably slicker than the surrounding dirt, but rarely cause a wrestler to slip due to their narrowness.Around the ring is finely brushed sand called theja-no-me( xà の mục, snake's eye), which can be used to determine if a wrestler has just touched his foot, or another part of his body, outside the ring. Theyobidashiensure this is clean of any previous marks immediately prior to each bout.

A roof resembling that of aShinto shrine(which has been of theShinmei-zukuristyle since the May 1953 tournament) is suspended above thedohyō,called thetsuriyane.The roof weighs 6.25 tons and is supported by cables that can hold up to 30 tons. Around thetsuriyanehangs a purple banner which is embroidered with theJapan Sumo Association'smon.Prior to the September 1952 tournament, thetsuriyanehad been supported by columns, but they were removed to allow fans an uninterrupted view of thedohyō.Colored tassels (fusa), which replaced the colored columns, are suspended from the corners. They represent the four seasons and thefour spiritsof directions:

• Green –Azure Dragon of the East( thanh long ), Spring
• Red –Vermilion Bird of the South( chu tước ), Summer
• White –White Tiger of the West( bạch hổ ), Fall
• Black –Black Tortoise of the North( huyền võ ), Winter

Thedohyōin training stables is not raised but is otherwise the same as those used in tournaments. Onedohyōis standard, although some larger stables have built two.

Dohyō matsuri

After thedohyōhas been built, a ceremony called thedohyō matsuri(ring ceremony) is held. Thedohyō matsuriis said to have been introduced by Yoshida Zenzaemon sometime during theEdo period.TheYoshida familywas a prominentgyōjifamily.

The ceremony is done to purify and consecrate thedohyō,while also inviting thekami(Shintodeities) down to watch sumo. The ceremony is led by one of thetategyōji(head referee) along with two othergyōji.Thegyōjitake the place of Shinto priests. Thetategyojiwill pray for the safety and well-being of the wrestlers. In the middle of thedohyōa square hole is cut in where thetategyojiwill then place inside: torreya nuts, dried chestnuts, salt, washed rice, dried squid or cuttlefish and kombu (seaweed). Thetategyojiwill then will pour sacred sake into the hole, and around several other places around thedohyōbefore he will put more clay into the hole. Theyobidashiwill eventually cover up the hole. The sacred sake is then shared with everyone in attendance.

To conclude the ceremony, theyobidashiin a procession withtaikodrums called afure-daikowill begin. The procession will go around thedohyōthree times before leaving the proceeding out into the street to announce the beginning of the tournament.

At the end of the tournament, onegyōjiis thrown into the air by the low ranking wrestlers as a way of sending off the kami and officially ending the tournament.

Image gallery

• 
  An outdoordohyōinSetagaya,Tokyo.
• 
  Dohyōat Gamagori Junior High School
• 
  TrainingdohyōatDewanoumi stable,note how it is not on a raised platform
• 
  Freshly paintedshikiri-senwith a mat covering them to protect against the tarp that will be placed over thedohyō
• 
  Underside of the suspended roof at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan, note the hidden lights. The roof is usually raised up to the ceiling, and only lowered for sumo matches.
• 
  Amateur sumo competitions and training may sometimes use pre-built, portable dohyō made of canvas and foam plastic.

See also

• Dohyō-iri
• Clay court