First Japanese sumo champion in many years
Listen to the story (Canadian accent)
Japan has a new sumo champion or “yokozuna.” He is called Onosato.
This is big news because he is Japanese. Before Onosato, six of the last seven top sumo wrestlers were from Mongolia.
Onosato is very heavy, weighing 191 kilograms (421 pounds). He is the first Japanese sumo wrestler to reach the top rank since 2017.
Onosato spoke after he won the championship. He wore special Japanese clothing called a kimono. He bowed and sat on the floor. He said he will continue to train hard to stay yokozuna.
Onosato is only 24 years old. His real name is Daiki Nakamura. He became champion after winning two big sumo tournaments. He won one in March and another last week.
Onosato is from Ishikawa, Japan. This area had a very bad earthquake and tsunami on January 1, 2024. About 600 died in the disaster and many buildings were destroyed. Onosato said he would work hard to cheer up the people of Ishikawa.
He also said that he decided to become a top sumo wrestler when he started sumo. He said it was not easy, and he is very happy.
Sumo is a very old sport in Japan. It started over 1,000 years ago. It is also the national sport. Sumo traditions are linked to Shinto, which is Japan's main religion. Japan is the only country where sumo wrestlers play professionally.
Sumo wrestlers live in special training homes. They follow old rules about food and clothes.
Now, Onosato will compete with Hoshoryu. Hoshoryu is another yokozuna, but from Mongolia. They will meet in a tournament in Nagoya, Japan in July.
Vocabulary29 words
- Sumo
- A special kind of wrestling from Japan where big people push each other
- Champion
- the winner ?
- Called
- Named; To give something a name
- Top
- the highest point or rank; the best
- Wrestler
- a person who does/plays wrestling
- Reach
- hit; achieve; make it to; attain;
- Rank
- To put things in order from the best to the worst or from the most important to the least important
- Championship
- A big competition to find the best team or player; The biggest prize in a sport
- Bow
- to bend your body forward as a sign of respect; ?
- Train
- To practice and get ready for a sport or job; exercise
- Become
- To change into something else
- Tournament
- a contest or competition with only one winner after many games/rounds
- Area
- A place or part of a place; piece of land, or country; a particular part of a place; somewhere
- Earthquake
- a natural event where the ground shakes and moves suddenly and strongly, caused by the movement of rocks deep beneath the earth's surface
- Tsunami
- a large, powerful wave in the sea caused by an earthquake or volcano that can destroy many things
- Disaster
- A sudden and terrible event, such as an earthquake, flood, or fire, that causes great harm and damage
- Destroy
- to “end” something by damaging it or attacking it; wreck; demolish; break
- Work hard
- to do a lot of work; to put a lot of effort into doing something
- Cheer up
- to make someone feel happier
- Decide
- to choose something; make a choice from many different options; select
- Over
- more than;
- National sport
- A sport that is very important and popular in a country
- Tradition
- a belief, behavior, habit or activity passed down within a group or society; custom
- Link
- A connection between two things; how two things might go together
- Main
- the most important or the biggest;
- Religion
- A set of beliefs, practices, and values concerning the spiritual and moral aspects of life (e.g., Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, etc.)
- Professionally
- Doing something as a job for money
- Follow a rule
- Do what the rule says; To do what the guideline or instruction says
- Compete
- to try to be better than others business or people in a particular activity or market
Quiz
Answer key
1. Onosato 2. Nagoya 3. False
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Japan has a _____ sumo champion or “yokozuna.” He is called Onosato.
_____ is big news because he is Japanese. Before Onosato, _____ of the last seven top sumo wrestlers were from Mongolia.
Onosato is _____ heavy, weighing 191 kilograms (_____ pounds). He is the first Japanese sumo wrestler to reach the top rank since _____.
Onosato spoke after he _____ the championship. He wore special Japanese clothing called a kimono. He _____ and sat on the floor. He said he will continue to train hard to _____ yokozuna.
Onosato is only 24 years old. _____ real name is Daiki Nakamura. He became champion after winning _____ big sumo tournaments. He won one in March and _____ last week.
Onosato is from Ishikawa, _____. This area had a very bad earthquake and tsunami on January 1, _____. About 600 died in the disaster and _____ buildings were destroyed. Onosato said he would work hard to _____ up the people of Ishikawa.
He also said that he decided to _____ a top sumo wrestler when he started sumo. He said it was not _____, and he is very happy.
Sumo is a very old _____ in Japan. It started over 1,000 years ago. It is also the _____ sport. Sumo traditions are linked to Shinto, _____ is Japan's main religion. Japan is the only country where sumo _____ play professionally.
Sumo wrestlers live in _____ training homes. They follow old rules about _____ and clothes.
Now, Onosato will compete with Hoshoryu. Hoshoryu is _____ yokozuna, but from Mongolia. They will meet in a _____ in Nagoya, Japan in July.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think it is big news that the new sumo champion is Japanese?
- Onosato said he wants to "cheer up" the people of Ishikawa. What do you think he means by this? How can a sports champion help people after a disaster?
- Sumo is a very old sport with strong traditions. Do you think it is important to keep old traditions in sports? Why or why not?
- Why do you think only one country has professional sumo wrestlers?
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