Our current residence artists enjoyed watching the Bellows Festival: Blindfolded Female Sumo (Fuigo Matsuri: Mekakushi Onna Zumo ふいご大祭・目隠し女相撲) at Masue Goro Inari Shrine nearby Studio Kura today!
Blindfold Female Sumo is told that it begun after the end of the war by praying for bumper crop, and expressing the difficulty of passing through by hiding the eyes and taking sumo wrestling.
A sumo referee with gorgeous Kimono
Sumo is normally played by men, however at this event, the players were shifted to women as there were so many injured players when men used to.
Female sumo players in east side
Yokozuna (sumo champion) last year
Wearing a hood depicting the face of the Seven Lucky Gods, the player can only find the rival by peoples calls.
Lady calling each player’s name before each fighting starts
In very relaxing atmosphere, everybody enjoyed this local traditional event with lots of laughs!
This unique event is conducted on 2nd week of Sunday every December, December has some traditional events here like Shimenawa, a sacred straw rope making, and mochi making!
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