Sumo Wrestling

I have introduced Japanese culture a couple of times before but this time, I would like to introduce “Sumo” from my point of view.   

Sumo is a Japanese traditional wrestling performed by two almost naked huge men who wrestle on sumo ring that is made of soil.   If you are interested in “almost naked” part 🤣 and its history, wikipedia shows you here with photos and pictures.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumo

I have heard that sumo started about 1,500 years ago as a part of shrine rituals and sumo is still very unique and popular in our modern times.    Sumo tournaments are broadcasted on TV and we really like sumo wrestlers.  (But I don’t like to get on the same airplane with them, can airplane carry us with them safely?😨)  

For an opening ceremony of the tournaments, sumo wrestlers are marching to and on the sumo ring.  They wear Keshomawashi that looks like apron.  Each gorgeous apron thing is donated to one’s favorite sumo wrestler by individual or business enterprise.  The fabric of the apron is same as very expensive certain kimono belt.    Since the design is different every time for each sumo wrestler and they are extremely gorgeous, the audience say “wow” when they march.  

The following is a sumo wrestler with Keshomawashi (apron) donated by me, Cookie Ave.  The donator’s name is stitched on the apron.  Every sumo wrestler has original sumo name and most of the time the design of apron is related to their names.   The names are used to be …yama(mountain),  …kawa(river),  …hana(flower) but nowadays these names are rare.  They have fancy names with complicated Chinese characters.  

I named my sumo wrestler “Adachi-yama (mountain)” since I can see that mountain from my window and I designed that on his apron.  Cookie Ave. is on it, since it is donated by me!   The mountain has unique feature but I may talk about it some day.

The winner of the tournament also wear huge special rope and ornaments on his apron.  The winner is called “Yokozuna”

Off the tournaments, they wear Yukata (thin and casual kimono) Can you tell the difference of their hair style? one in green yukata and one with apron? For the tournaments and ceremony, their hair style is Ooicho (big gingko leaf) and we can see the performance how to make this hair style. The hairdresser for sumo wrestlers is called “Tokoyama” and Tokoyama has rank. Only the highest ranked hairdresser can do the hair of high-ranked wrestlers.

Lastly, I would like to introduce referee called “Gyoji” Gyoji has rank, too. The top Gyoji is only for top sumo wrestler matches. The color of Kimono for top Gyoji is always purple so I sticked to purple color. I modified my name (Chinese Character) with gold on his dress.

I hope it's interesting.

Now I am going to talk about my cookies.

Techniques 1. pressure piping (most of the part) 2. wet on wet for the mountain on apron 3. royal icing transfer for the left arm of hairdresser and black fan that referee has 4. painting for shades

Media  1.  royal icing  2. marshmallow fondant for white rope on the apron 3. wafer paper for the ornament of rope

I made marshmallow fondant for the first time, it was fun.  

Wow my friend !!!! Are beautiful!!!! Congratulations!!

Ryoko this is beyond cool!  amazing detail work and what a great back story.  I learned so much!  Thank you so much for sharing this with us!!❤️

Wow! It`s so absolutely cool dear Ryoko!! Congrats to this entry my friend!! @Ryoko ~Cookie Ave. ❤️

Beautiful cookies Ryoko @Ryoko ~Cookie Ave. I like the details and texture on the clothing.

So cool and sweet! Hairdresser makes me smile! Good luck, cookie friend!

Wow Ryoko, your entry is stunning!! Thank you for sharing so many details about Sumo tradition! (I wouldn’t like to sit next to one in a flight either!!) Each cookie is amazing and with so many details. Congratulations on your  marshmallow fondant!!🥰

@Heather Bruce Sosa posted:

Wow Ryoko, your entry is stunning!! Thank you for sharing so many details about Sumo tradition! (I wouldn’t like to sit next to one in a flight either!!) Each cookie is amazing and with so many details. Congratulations on your  marshmallow fondant!!🥰

Hi, Heather!  Thank you❣️ I wanted to make marshmallow fondant for a long time.  The rope for the sumo wrestler needed a tiny amount of fondant but I made a big amount of fondant 🤣and I still don't know how much I should have added sugar...  

Sumo tournaments are held many places in Japan, so they really take airplanes ...

@Goloven Olga posted:

So cool and sweet! Hairdresser makes me smile! Good luck, cookie friend!

Thank you, Olga.  Cool, isn't it?  Sumo wrestlers walk around town, they even ride a bike (we have very strong bicycles, I think).... interesting.  

@Zeena posted:

Beautiful cookies Ryoko @Ryoko ~Cookie Ave. I like the details and texture on the clothing.

Hi Zeena.  Thank you.  Pressure piping is difficult for me, it doesn't come out how I wished but they look O.K.  😊

@Icingsugarkeks posted:

Wow! It`s so absolutely cool dear Ryoko!! Congrats to this entry my friend!! @Ryoko ~Cookie Ave. ❤️

Hi there, Gabi.  It was kind of difficult to choose what I would make....  something interesting and something people don't know.  I hope this cookie set was fun.  

@LisaF posted:

Ryoko this is beyond cool!  amazing detail work and what a great back story.  I learned so much!  Thank you so much for sharing this with us!!❤️

Hi Lisa.  Thank you for your comment and thank you for reading the story.  🥰

@Yazz Ross posted:

Wow my friend !!!! Are beautiful!!!! Congratulations!!

Hi there, Yazz  Gracias.   thank you for leaving comment😍

As always, such a story behind your cookies! I especially love the dimensional belt!

@Julia M. Usher posted:

As always, such a story behind your cookies! I especially love the dimensional belt!

Since the history of sumo is long and people still love, there are many stories behind it and tons of rituals that amaze us.  We have many sumo wrestlers from overseas.   It was kind of hard to choose what I should cookify.  Sumo tournaments are held many places in Japan, they play with kids, do funny performance, sing songs made for each area and they are very good singers, too.  

Believe it or not, there are women sumo, good thing, they wear T-shirt. 🤣

Wow👍🏻

@Rosanna posted:

Wow👍🏻

Thank you

So very interesting to read and to learn about sumo. And your cookies became the illustrations. I loved the Keshomawashi you donated.

Thank you, Ryoko so much for all of the very interesting information about Sumo wrestlers! You have such great detail in your cookies, and they perfectly illustrate your story. Your marshmallow fondant rope and wafer paper ornament look exactly like the real thing. That was also very generous of you to donate the Keshomawashi that your sumo wrestler is wearing. Looks like he won the tournament as well!

@Manu biscotti decorati posted:

So very interesting to read and to learn about sumo. And your cookies became the illustrations. I loved the Keshomawashi you donated.

Next time when you could come to Japan, let's find Sumo wrestlers and take pictures with them💕 We are going to find the exhibition of Keshomawashi!  

@Sweet Prodigy posted:

Thank you, Ryoko so much for all of the very interesting information about Sumo wrestlers! You have such great detail in your cookies, and they perfectly illustrate your story. Your marshmallow fondant rope and wafer paper ornament look exactly like the real thing. That was also very generous of you to donate the Keshomawashi that your sumo wrestler is wearing. Looks like he won the tournament as well!

Thank you, Christine @Sweet Prodigy
😍 This Sumo wrestler, "Adachi-yama" is surely strong and he likes the Keshomawashi.  The school song of elementary school I went says ♪Mountain Adachi encourages us to go forward♪ , so he does.    Just.... my sister said when she looked at my cookie, "Hey that's your husband!" 🤔  Finding out about Sumo, I realized they who are related to Sumo are almost naked or heavily dressed.  🤣

What a wonderful set dear Ryoko @Ryoko ~Cookie Ave.!! I love how you have introduced sumo from your point of view. How awesome that you donated an apron for a sumo wrestler and got to put your business name on the apron itself. What a wonderful thing to do.

Thank you so very much for this detailed history into sumo wrestling attire and ritual. Your cookies are beautifully done, as they always are! I agree with you about getting on a plane and sitting next to a sumo wrestler . Wow, you made marshmallow fondant for the first time?! That's awesome my dear!! I've thought about doing it several times but am hesitant because I don't want to make a mistake and ruin it. I tend to feel much less confident when trying something totally new. LOL.

This is amazing work my dear cookie friend. Love it all and, of course, your wonderful explanation of the history. ❤️❤️❤️ Hugs...

@Cookies Fantastique posted:

What a wonderful set dear Ryoko @Ryoko ~Cookie Ave.!! I love how you have introduced sumo from your point of view. How awesome that you donated an apron for a sumo wrestler and got to put your business name on the apron itself. What a wonderful thing to do.

Thank you so very much for this detailed history into sumo wrestling attire and ritual. Your cookies are beautifully done, as they always are! I agree with you about getting on a plane and sitting next to a sumo wrestler . Wow, you made marshmallow fondant for the first time?! That's awesome my dear!! I've thought about doing it several times but am hesitant because I don't want to make a mistake and ruin it. I tend to feel much less confident when trying something totally new. LOL.

This is amazing work my dear cookie friend. Love it all and, of course, your wonderful explanation of the history. ❤️❤️❤️ Hugs...

Hi Carol @Cookies Fantastique   Thank you for reading what I wrote and leaving nice comment. 💗

It was kind of fun to knead marshmallow with powdered sugar, it was sticky! though.   I tasted many times while I kneaded it. 🤣

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