For sumo wrestlers, the New Year practically starts in February. This is because they must work hard with almost no rest over the year-end and New Year holidays to prepare for the New Year basho in January. Only after the first basho of the year can they enjoy a short New Year break.
There are six grand sumo tournaments, or basho, in a year, taking place in each odd-numbered month. Between the tournament months, the wrestlers go on four regional tours across the country, from Hokkaido to Okinawa Prefecture. The spring tour, which takes place between the spring basho in March and the summer basho in May, goes through the Kinki, Chubu and Kanto regions. The summer tour, which happens between the Nagoya basho in July and the Autumn basho in September, goes around the Tohoku region and Hokkaido. The autumn tour is between the Autumn basho and the Kyushu basho in November and takes place in the Kinki, Chugoku and Shikoku regions. And the winter tour, which is between the Kyushu basho and January's New Year basho, goes across the whole Kyushu region, including Okinawa.
February and June are the only months of the year that have no regular basho or regional tours.
After the New Year basho, sumo wrestlers can enjoy free time. Those from overseas return to their home countries after a long while. Many of the Japanese wrestlers also visit their hometowns.
February is the month for setsubun, a traditional Japanese festival to drive away evil spirits and bring in good luck by throwing roasted soy beans. Popular sumo wrestlers are often invited to setsubun events at major temples and shrines to take part in bean throwing, which has become a familiar sight of the season.
June used to be the time for overseas sumo tours and shows. Overseas tours are similar to regional tours in Japan in that there are organizers other than the Japan Sumo Association for such events, although overseas shows are given at the invitation of a foreign country, a foreign city or some other entity. Those events are opportunities for sumo wrestlers to showcase Japan's national sport for spectators abroad.
February also happens to be the month for the association's biennial election of board members. The board members comprise 10 oyakata stablemasters who used to be professional sumo wrestlers as well as three members invited from outside the association. This year is an election year, and the 10 stablemaster members' seats will be contested in February. They all belong to one of the five ichimon groups of sumo stables. Who will be elected as board members this year? Each ichimon group will decide which candidates it will back. February is also a month of sleepless nights for sumo stablemasters.
-- Miki is a sumo expert.
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