NAKI SUMO: The Crying Baby Festival

Naki Sumo is a bizarre festival held annually at Shinto shrines throughout the nation usually on May 5 (to coincide with Children’s Day). Like any sumo match, this festival pits two sumo wrestlers against each other in the typical dohyo (ring). However, rather than butting heads, each of the enormous wrestlers holds a small baby in their arms. In reality, the showdown is between the children – with the first to cry being declared the winner. The winning baby is bestowed with a blessing of good health by the resident Shinto priest. If the babies cry in unison, then the louder child receives the winning blessing.

The babies are fully decked out for this performance, being provided with tiny kabuto helmets – the traditional pronged armor worn by samurai. Once they are all dressed up, the babies are brought up in pairs to compete throughout the day.

It’s not simply a waiting game however, as each baby’s sumo partner will do their best to assist. The audience can watch as the giant sumo try shaking the baby around, making scary faces or chanting Naki, Naki, Naki! (cry, cry cry!). In rare cases where neither baby seems to want to cry – referees have been known to don traditional masks and run at the children in an attempt to scare them.

The festival’s history goes back almost 400 years and is believed to have begun due to the Japanese folklore belief that a child’s cry can ward off evil spirits. There’s even saying – “Naku ko wa sodatsu” – translating to “crying babies grow”

The most famous Naki Sumo festival is held each year at Senso-ji in Asakusa. Unfortunately, most festivals are temporarily on hold due to COVID-19 – but hopefully will slowly be making a come back in the next few years. While it may seem a little cruel, the whole festival is performed with a tongue in cheek sense of humor (although the children may not be in on the joke).