The traditional Japanese ritual known as “crying sumo,” in which dozens of babies compete to see who cries first, took place last Saturday. This event, which is held at temples and shrines throughout Japan, has returned after a four-year absence due to the pandemic.
Accompanied by their parents, the babies wore the traditional ceremonial aprons of sumo wrestlers while temple employees walked around them wearing “oni” demon masks to scare them into crying.
For the Japanese, a baby’s crying is a sign of good health, so this ritual is considered important to ensure the children’s well-being. According to Hisae Watanabe, mother of an eight-month-old baby, “we can tell the health of a baby by listening to how it cries.” However, the rules vary by region: in some places, parents expect their child to be the first to cry, while in others, the first baby to cry is considered the loser.
Although some may consider making babies cry on purpose to be terrible, Shigemi Fuji, president of the Asakusa Tourism Federation and organizer of the event, assures that in Japan, babies who cry out loud are believed to grow up in good health. A total of 64 babies participated in the ritual.