Reported by Jake Weber

ALBION, Mich. – It may not be on the radar screen of most Americans, but Japanese Sumo wrestling is emerging as an international sport in the 21st century. A “beginner’s guide” to watching Sumo, plus a fascinating discussion on how foreign participants are sparking fierce debates in Japanese circles, is presented Thursday, April 13 at 8 p.m. in Bobbitt Auditorium. This event is hosted by the Albion College Asian Awareness Group, as part of its Asian Heritage Month celebration.

“ESPN now broadcasts Sumo, and even though it originated long ago from religious tradition in Japan, it’s internationalized,” said Albion College international studies professor Midori Yoshii. “I think people will be very interested to learn about why people outside of Japan are participating in this very Japanese sport.”

Presenter John Davis, assistant professor of anthropology, at Michigan State University, is a researcher of human-rights issues in Japan, and an expert on many aspects of Japanese contemporary culture.

This presentation is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Asian Awareness Group co-president Grace Keeney at 517/629-1488 or gck11@albion.edu.

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