Under the name Sumi-Yume Hokusai Tournament, the art project Dondoko! Giant Paper Sumo Wrestling (rolled out by artist unit KOSUGE1-16 across Japan) is being held in Sumida, a place strongly associated with sumo.
Workshops dubbed “jungyo” provincial tours will take place at four heya “training stables” set up in four locations across Sumida-ku. Children will come up with ideas in teams and create 180cm-high giant “sumo wrestlers” made of cardboard. The children’s rich and imaginative ideas produce sumo wrestlers with unique “shikona” ring names and “tokui waza” signature techniques. At the “honbasho” official sumo tournament, a total of 40 “wrestlers” will gather from each “heya.” The team who made the sumo wrestlers and other participants then pound on the edges of the ring to move the wrestlers through vibration and determine the strongest wrestler.
Featuring commentary by oyakata “stable masters,” sumo jinku folk singing by former “wrestlers” and yobidashi as well as a taiko drum performance and a demonstration of the yumitori-shiki bow twirling ceremony, the event will serve as an introduction to the Sumida area’s living sumo culture. The event is being held with the cooperation of people associated with sumo together with the local community, with local businesses awarding prizes in their role as “tanimachi” sumo patrons.
Sumi-Yume Executive Committee
“Sumi-Yume” began in 2016 on the occasion of the opening of the Sumida Hokusai Museum. Katsushika Hokusai was an artist who pursued a universe of phenomena. Like little ink-painted dreams colored in by people from various walks of life, we aim to paint the Sumida area in vivid colors while connecting people who are active not only in the arts and culture, but in all types of expression.
Over a four-month period we’ll present a wide array of projects making use of the Sumida district’s local resources, with “Hokusai” and “Sumida River” as principal themes.
Yasuko Ogiwara
Director
Sumi-Yume Executive Committee
Sumida Arts Foundation, 1-2-3, Kinshi, Sumida-ku, Tokyo 130-0013
+81-(0)356085446
sumiyume@sumida-bunka.jp
Sumida Riverside Hall, Sumida City, Tokyo