Shikiri: psychological moment to get set

Cultural News, December 2007

Shikiri: The rikishi crouch forward in a “get set” position.

    After entering the dohyo, each rikishi goes through a series of symbolic movements. To cleanse his mind and body, he symbolically rinses his mouth with water, the source of purity, and wipes his body with a paper towel.

   Certain motions are repeated from the yokozuna’s dohyoiri, the raising of the arms to the side as well as the stamping on feet. Each rikishi also scatters handful of salt to purify the dohyo. This is further supposed to insure him against injuries.

  The rikishi then squat and face each other in the center of the dohyo, crouch forward in a “get set” position supporting themselves with their fists on the ground and proceed to glare fiercely at each other.

   This portion of the ritual is called the shikiri. They do not begin the match a once, however, but engage in a kind of “cold warfare.” They go back to their corners for more salt, scatter it and return to glare. They repeat the process again and again, usually for full four minutes allowed by the rules.

   Theoretically they wait for the psychological moment when they both feel ready. At any rate it gives the rikishi time to work themselves and the spectators up to the proper pitch of excitement.

   In early sumo the start of a match could be delayed indefinitely. A ten minutes limit was first introduced in 1928, later reduced to seven, then to five down to the present four minutes.

  The bout, itself, is usually over in a matter of minutes, in less time than it took for warming up, but for the sumo aficionado those brief moments are packed with thrills.

    Los Angeles Grand Sumo Tournament will take place on June 7 and 8, 2008 at Los Angeles Sports Arena. For more information, check the website: www.sumotour.com.