The dark secrets of sumo wrestling | Unreported World 

The 'interviewer' comes across as a trouble maker,looking for controversy. There's plenty of stories where outsiders have been allowed to film inside the dojo,but they could see she was looking for trouble.

"He might be tired but Kyota easily beats everyone in his age group" No shit homie weighting 50 extra pounds over his every opponent. It's apparent that being a sumo isn't Kyota's dream but his father.

Asking a 12 year old kid "why do you want to be the best at this sport?" is such a loaded question. He's not going to have some profound answer full of wisdom and certainty. Wouldn't matter if it was Sumo or Baseball. He's just a kid.

It seems like the guy is living vicariously through his son

Awful reporter! This topic should have been covered by someone with at least a modicum of knowledge regarding Sumo instead of someone quite clearly looking to report controversy. Further access & depth into this culture would've surely been granted.

this interviewer is so out of touch. you can't extrapolate from a single meal with these guys that you understand their relationship with each other and with their sport. it is obviously very dear to both of them, and a love/hate relationship as well. that's how it is with any sacrifice in life. i doubt she has ever pursued something in the same way that this student is pursuing sumo, therefore she does not have the capacity to comment.

Certainly something I hadn’t thought about, but thanks for shedding light…

They asked you to leave, but he was very polite the way he asked you

The interviewer seemed surprised that the dad thought it was funny when she measured his BMI but honestly she seems pretty silly in that moment because of course a sumo wrestler is going to be overweight… kinda weird moment but great video regardless

This is a great video, but I do have to suggest that you call them either sumo wrestlers, wrestlers, or rikishi. "Sumos" is not a correct term because sumo is the sport. Rikishi is the wrestler who does sumo. That would be like calling football players "footballs". Makes sense? And while the JSA is very protective and secretive when it comes to many aspects of sumo and the culture, they really are still following covid protocols over there. A few months ago there were tons of wrestlers who had to drop out during the course of the 15 day tournament due to infections. Whole stables had to quarantine and get regularly tested even if they were negative. You probably would've had better luck if you contacted these stables in advance rather than just popping up unannounced. That's the protocol with visitors to stables.

Though there were some potential red flags in the beginning of this video (calling the wrestlers 'sumos' instead of rikishis or just wrestlers, Yakazuna instead of Yokuzuna and the very very basic overview of what sumo is as a sport and tradition) I think it was a good investigative piece of journalism covering some of the biggest issues sumo has today. Really disappointed they couldn't film inside the heya they visited, looked like Tochinoshin was training there, a georgian who is a fan favorite. Would've been fun to see, but I actually think the Sumo association was in earnest when they denied them because of covid restrictions, Japan overall and the sumo association has been very strict concerning the pandemic. The way new and low ranking members of heyas (stables) are treated has to be changed if Sumo is to survive in the future. Things have gotten better, from what I gather, especially concerning physical abuse, and heyas probably differ from each other in how tough they are, but it seems there's still a long way to go. Since Japan is a rich country where most could make a decent living after studying, trying to become a rikishi and reach the salaried levels is just a bad and very risky career path. If you add to that bad treatment, which you won't receive elsewhere, there's little to encourage young men to try to become rikishis. Also, the treatment of injuries occurring in the dohyo (ring) in tournaments is nothing short of shameful. They should be ashamed. It's disgraceful that a rikishi can lay on the floor, clearly injured, for close to a minute whilst all the judges just look around not knowing what to do. It still happens. What happened to Hibikiryu is inexcusable, and the small changes they made since then are contemptible in their laziness and small scope. The Sumo Association need to start treating their rikishis, the heart of the sport and tradition, as human beings. Much of this comes from traditions that haven't kept up with the times. Rikishis are basically samurais, warriors, and as such they were/are expected to adhere to elements bushido philosophy. They're supposed to not complain, endure pain, and get up by themselves after bouts even if they get injured. Times change though, and we realize today that enduring abuse isn't courage, it's enabling bullies, and that what doesn't kill may not in fact make you stronger. Now, sometimes the line might be thin and hard to discern between these things. Sumo is an intense sport, and I don't want to see the fundamentals changed; there will always be risks of injuries and long time effects, as for any elite level contact sport. The training is tough, and needs to be. But the lack of any attempt to prevent injuries, treat them effectively when they occur, and provide support if a rikishi is permanently injured and can't continue the sport is deplorable. Another thing that this video didn't cover was how the ranking system works and how it heavily disincentivice rikishis to recover from injuries, just as the former rikishi she met touched on. If you skip a tournament, that essentially counts as an all-loss record, meaning a big demotion. Demotion to lower ranks means falling in status at the heya, and making less money. Much less if you go from Juryo (2nd division) to Makushita (3rd division). This means rikishis themselves may chose to ignore or hide injuries, just so they don't have to forfeit matches and fall down the ranks. How this is gonna be solved without opening up for exploitation is tricky, but it needs to be addressed. Sumo is a wonderful sport and tradition, and I really hope the Sumo Association tries it best to change for the future. There are some signs that changes are happening, and though the pace is glacial, I really hope they continue to gather momentum. The future of the long tradition of Sumo can only continue if those traditions can be adjusted for the times. That's how living traditions endure, and truly become great.

I think the problem with the interviewer is that she can come across as a bit judgemental. I've seen a few documentaries with her hosting now and altough I agree with the majority of her concerns and views, I feel as a journalist it is important to stay as objective as possible. Or at least that's what good journalism is to me, an objective presentation of facts without any subjective biases.

1) Unsure about the claim that Sumo is gaining in popularity among the youth. All indications point in the opposite direction, and its waning popularity. A lot of elite talent comes from abroad nowadays, and stable masters say the modern Japanese youth are not that interested in this lifestyle anymore. 2) The stable which shooed you away from filming - I recognize Georgian wrestler Tochinoshin, so I'm guessing it was his stable Kasugano. 3) Like a lot of institutions in Japan, Sumo wrestling is steeped in archaic traditions and culture which are at odds with modern culture - the wrestlers are required to always be dressed in traditional clothing, not allowed to drive - plus there is a culture of bullying in the stable (a former yokozuna has been embroiled in a bullying scandal). 4) The dad seems like a classic "sports dad" who is trying to fulfill his unrealized dreams through his son. I've seen documentaries of such "sports parents" in sports like basketball and football too.

They literally fight day and night. How can you not expect them to be injured?

I wanted to make a side note on the small BMI check, those things are highly inaccurate and unscientific, it wasn't made by a nutritionist or doctor with qualifications to do such a thing so they're fairly unreliable. What really matters are blood tests results, you could be fairly overweight by BMI standards while being very healthy, or the other way around.

I dont think this is 'Dark secrets' anymore, this has been covered many times and addressed internationally. i believe they are making changes, slow but it's there. Sumo wrestling isnt like FIFA or Olympics, Sumo wrestling lies deep in Japanese culture's roots, culture is not easily changed overnight. some of these trainers were still trained and brought up from the old ways, when sumo wrestling sport technology evolved like football's i believe we can start seeing changes. Sumo isnt the only sport that have this kind of situation happening.

I hope the kid is okay

They could've at least tried to get someone who actually has a clue about sumo to film this hatchet job

Everyone wants to hate in this lady, but personally I think shes pointing out and exploiting things that need attention. The fact that people are refusing to talk to her after the sumo associations calling her is a huge red flag

anyone else see tochinoshin at 4:43

I think it’s their culture and that’s just it. Their way of dedication and hard work is different than western views. The dad is a good dad. The reporter was pretty rude over dinner

Rikishi (sumo) can sort of change stable just there seem to be certain rules around it. From what I understand the most "common" (doesn't seem to happen very often) is when the coach who recruited them branches off to make their own stable. Then they are allowed to follow the coach. whilst it was cool to see another documentary about Sumo, it would have been nice for a little more research to go into it before making sweeping statements like other comments have pointed out as well

If only society still had people that commitment and drive to achieve greatness in their field of choice. Not saying this is right, definitely not for me. But this commitment is commendable in today's world

I really feel sad for this young boy. It doesn't even seem like he wants to be a sumo wrestler. His dad is forcing his dreams on this young child. And him talking about punching his son every time he wants to back out is all the more saddening and a big red flag

He invest his own son life for money seems like he doesn't care his son health

The fact that a lot of the problems can be fixed with simple head protection and they don't even do that

I felt sorry for the kid. His father is ruining his own child.

Over on the other channel is a documentary made by some pro sumo wrestlers entitled 'The dark secrets of poking-your-nose-into-everything journalism.'

*Force feeding?*

No one else noticed that a 11:35 minute, the kid is drinking a beer? 😂

The bmi also doesn't accurately depict someone's health and it's a very outdated system that needs to be revamped. With that being said, with how much food these sumo wrestlers eat and how many retired wrestlers have health conditions and have come out talking about their health is say these men are not healthy. I wonder where the "bigger" concept in sumo came from when it first started. And how it differs from today.

It's my understanding that sumo wrestlers are generally getting thinner, not fatter, and more muscular. Really, really heavy sumo wrestlers were more common in the higher ranks in the 90's when Hawaiian wrestlers were active. Now they're getting taller (since height is a better determining advantage) rather than larger. Not that they're skinny, especially by our metric, but if you look at the top division now you'll see a lot of guys with athletic builds.

This kid will never know what it’s like to be an actual human child!😬

How do you get him to keep doing this? Dad: I will punch him

It's like any sport. There are soccer, football, baseball and hockey moms and dads that live vicariously through their children.

If you want to be on top as professional athlete you must sacrifice take for example Motogp most bikers have multiple surgeries every season or deadly accidents but they still riding so its part of the sport. As an ex-athlete i understand that Sumo is pretty important sport in Japan when i saw the full stadium of people watching it.

That young man is amazing

Wait…we can’t be mad at sumo when we have MMA/Boxing/Wrestling/Rugby/Football. This world isn’t all flowers and rainbows.

Very informative .

Once time, my teacher asked in the classroom what we would like to do when I become adult. So, I replied her "I'll be a sumo competitor" but now, when I reminiscense that moment I laugh about myself because I was a foolish little girl hahaha

Sumo wrestling is a sport just like any other. Soccer, NFL, Baseball and boxing among many others have same darkest secrets. No one is covering that. FIFA corruption for example is being taken lightly. Even Cricket for that matter is entertainment and its being directed not played by the Corporates.

The difference between this kid and a western kid of the same age is astounding! I think Sumo would be great for kids here but I doubt if they would have the work ethic and humility of this lad.

Visit any professional gym, it will be the same.

Yokozuna, not Yakozuma! How are you getting that wrong? You’re doing a sumo documentary 😊

The sound of that head clash was terrible ...

Being a sumo wrestler in Japan is like being a NFL player in the US.

Weird, there are many videos on youtube inside the stables. I guess they didn't want to be a part of a video "exposing" the "dark side" of sumo.

Awesome documentary. Thank you and please give us an update.

This is extremely disheartening to hear the head injuries and the lack of medical treatment by sumo association

Great video! I learned a little more about that world. My main concern is the head-cracking start to the fight. ... As well as the 50-100 head cracking training sessions per day. That MUST be corrected...at least with a helmet. Otherwise, great sport.

Sumo does have a problem with bullying, head injuries are a problem and medical professionals need to be at tournaments, that then begs the question should they be at a stable during training. Sumo is steeped in centuries of tradition, change if it comes will come slowly. Please correct me if I am wrong but the Sumo authorities are doing something about bullying, for which they should be rightly commended.

thanks for the reporting, i gain a great insight to this mysterious world

Seeing things like this and hearing these stories makes me so conflicted as a sumo fan. I really don't like the way the JSA treats these guys and how many of the coaches will be abusive towards their wrestlers as a form of punishment. They were treated like that when they started and they end up engaging in that same kind of behavior because "thats the way it is" or "this is how I was treated". Most of these wrestlers just want to be able to wrestler safely and not worry about being beaten because they did something wrong or something their master didn't like. There was a big scandal a few years ago regarding a higher ranking wrestler who would often bully other stablemates or beat his servants (one who apparently had a mental handicap or maybe autism). That mentality belongs in the dark ages, in the past.

Would have been better if a male reporter covered this for more access

I wanted to point out a few inaccuracies in the information presented. Contrary to what was stated in the video, sumo wrestlers are indeed allowed to have girlfriends, get married, and have children during their career. While there are certain guidelines and traditions within the sumo world, it's important to understand that wrestlers are not restricted from having personal relationships or starting families. Additionally, the statement that sumo wrestlers are not allowed to have smartphones is misleading. While it's true that smartphones may not be allowed during training sessions due to potential distractions, sumo wrestlers are generally permitted to use smartphones outside of their training hours. It's essential to avoid spreading misinformation about cultural practices, so let's make sure we have accurate information before drawing conclusions.

It's docs like these that make people mad at journalists

that Dad seemed very pushy

interesting!

Come on he says they were forced to eat meat that was 5 yrs past expired??? Where the hell would they even get that? Who the hell is going to store meat for 5 years and where???

please provide closed captions. I'm disabled and need them.

Knowing what the Japanese folk are like I cringed a bit with a foreigner poking around, Im sure that's how they were feeling as well.

😮 having to eat spoiled food practicing cracking your skull is unconscionable. Sumo is one of my favorite sports, I watch the bashos each time they are broadcasted. Sometimes watching the same matches from different RU-vid channels. I had no idea how much misery the rikishis go through.

A lot of these too comments and repeat commenters sound like JSA bots and people told by them to come say negative things about the video. Same nitpicking, baseless, or just stupid claims and insults. This mini-doc isn't about sumo or her knowledge thereof, it's about the horrible things that are systematically hidden by the JSA.

The guy is worse than a Hollywood mom living vicariously through his child and exploiting him as a cash cow.

I know very little about sumo, I basically know only one guy by name. First video about sumo I've seen in like a month, and he randomly appears at 4:43. I was so confused

If she had done any serious research, she would know that the Dohyo is considered sacred. Women are not allowed to enter. She had zero chance of getting into one of the training stables. And Sumo is becoming less popular. In the 80's/90's it was at its peak. Of the last 10 Yokozuna, only 3 have been Japanese. (1994-2021) The rest, FOREIGNERS.

aw l wanted to know more about the little sumo kid´s carrer, lm emotionally invested now...

That’s borderline abusive. I feel for the son . His health at risk amd he doesn’t seem like he enjoys it at all

Dont be affected by negativity on the reporting in the comments.. Thanks for your hard work and time. 👍🏼

I want to see a video on just that action figure store.

No father should encourage their son to be so overweight. Cruel.

It seems to be a cultural thing as I've experienced the same in Judo, another Japanese combat sport. Like those other Sumo wrestlers that retired, I also feared for my health after suffering TBIs. One of those TBIs basically disabled me temporarly in various ways for months. Some of the symptoms lasted over a year, one of those was problems with convergence insufficiency. I was allowed to drive for a 14 months because of that. You push until your body fails you, and then you're cast aside so the next potential #1 player can take your place...

To say that your son is an INVESTMENT is so cold hearted!

18:25 His "I'm fine thank you" set phrase comes to use after all! As expected of the great Japanese English education system. This clearly validates it. :D

It’s like watching a realistic version of every anime Especially the past where he father/coach never say good things to the champions

Why not get them to tilt their heads to one specific side on approach to prevent impacts? Fairly simple? You would also think that officials would have basic first aid/CPR training? As a licensed coach, concussion training and 1st aid is now mandatory.

...BMI is the worst possible way to measure a Sumo wrestler's health. To the point where it's disingenuous to use it! Yes, health concerns related to weight are serious, especially in childhood, but even if they were 2% body fat, they would still have a massively large BMI. Hell, it was never intended to be a measure of an individual, it's mostly useful as a statistical measure across GROUPS of people. Trying to cram it in feels like whoever chose that is either ignorant or intentionally trying to be provocative and it really undercuts the point being made for those who recognize how deficient the statistic is in this case.

Good to see a parent invested in his kid. You must take risks in order to be great. Mediocre people will never understand that.

Chick using a BMI scale as a guide LOL

I don't know the first thing about this sport, but this is what I do know going into a foreign country and criticizing there heritage and telling them how wrong they are is fucked up.

I wonder how they get so big? 🤔

Are we going to act like the kid isn’t drinking a beer at 11:35?

At 11:36 did the kid just drink beer or am I tripping

This documentary is super ignorant. The reporter needs to do her research better. Very annoying

But why are they not allowing them to wear something like boxing headgear to protect their hear. Life is precious

These Sumo Wrestlers are not athletes like football or tennis. They are fighters akin to combat sports such as mma or boxing. Note that the Sumo Association is ran by old men who don't like change. These stables have a similar mindset as these higher ups. I can only assume there is a lot of dirty money involved as it is a gambling sport but no one wants to look into that. There are also many moves to sumo that doesn't involve ramming your head into your opponent.

That’s all kids they don’t know how to express their feelings through words

She was the kid in class who made enough to be approved. This is the prime example of what journalism is today, report the image you want others to perceive.

Poor kid...i realy feel for him. This Japonese like Craving for perfection,the Will to almost enslave themselfs for anything they do,to me its very hard to understand such mindset. It's a very "violent" way of life. The punishment that they are willing to accept to achive the smallest reward of any life's objectives,its beyond me.

I'm surprised they are so slow and in denial about head hits and their health. Japan is so advanced in everything else. Add the rule of no head hits and weight classes and bam 💥 things will improve for all kids and adults.

Sumo wrestling is very sacred in Japan alot of pride and heart goes into being a sumo and the sumo world in general

4:44 tochinoshin

These seem alot harder than pro boxers who start from a young age to become top professional later in life lol

Me in the beginning: "ahh Americans, trying to soften up these warrior!" Me at the end: "protect Kyoto!"

Reporters are like professional gossipers

People need to realize the yazuka has its hand deep in the sumo world

Hes still young and m sure his dads passion to push him will be realised when he starts going up the rank and once he gets to the age where hes able to articulate and understand life in general.. I dont think its all "his dad wants and he dont want "... I see him as an encouraging dad with a goal rather thn a forceful one

It’s not just sumo parents who do this every country have this problem. You have it in America And Europe and other countries don’t judge these people before you judge your own country and it’s problems.

I dream of the day when I'll see a sumo doc that is made by someone that knows something about the sport, and isn't just a hit piece

Netflix Sumo series SANCTUARY brought me here 😅