Sixth-grade students in Sensei Margaret Tsubakiyama’s Japanese class received a visit last Friday from a really big man on campus – 350-pound sumo champion Byambajav Ulambayar.
Known simply as “Byamba,” the two-time world sumo champion talked to the Culver City Middle School students about the sport, his training regimen and even squared off with Principal Jon Pearson in a sumo demonstration.
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Ms. Tsubakiyama said it was a wonderful experience for her students to see a slice of Japanese culture on the Middle School campus.
Sumo is an ancient sport dating back 1,500 years.
The first sumo matches were a form of ritual dedicated to the gods along with prayers for a bountiful harvest. Today, sumo remains one of Japan’s most popular sports, packing stadiums and standing as a wonderful symbol of Japanese ritual, discipline, and philosophy.
While some less-knowledgeable watchers of the sport crack jokes, Byamba dispelled some of the myths about sumo for the students.
“Many people think sumo is just two huge guys crashing in a circle,” he said. “It looks simple, but actually sumo requires intense concentration. You need not only power, but also technique and flexibility.”
Andrew Freund, director of the California Sumo Assn., which organized the visit, said at 350 pounds, Byamba proves his point by routinely defeating wrestlers who weight over 500 pounds.
The 25-year-old champion began his sumo career at the age of 15 when he was recruited from his native Mongolia by a Sumo Grand Champion from Japan. Five years later, he started a winning streak that lasted well over two years as he defeated opponents in seven countries and collected two championship titles.
Yukking it up with the students, though, Byamba let 11-year-old Kota Ozawa force him out of the ring.
“That was fun,” Ozawa said.
Afterward, Byamba, who joined Freund in speaking only Japanese to the students throughout the morning, spent time answering questions and signing autographs.
