Sumo Grand Champion's name inscribed at Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine

Harumafuji, the 70th Yokozuna, sumo grand champion, attended the Yokozuna's name inscription ceremony at Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine in Tokyo on June 6.

Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine is the place where the first professional sumo tournament was held in the late 17th century. Because of the close relationship with sumo, the shrine has a huge stone monument of Yokozuna sumo wrestlers on which successive grand champions' names are engraved. Harumafuji's name was added on the monument by putting his own finishing touches with a chisel.

After the ceremony, Harumafuji performed his ring-entering ceremony on the approach to the main hall in front of executives of Nihon Sumo Association and roughly 600 spectators.

(Photos & report by Nobuko san)

Want to visit Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine to check the name of Harumafuji? There's a tour for that. Our next free walking tour will be on June 29, Saturday. Click here for detail.