Abstract des Autors

Sumo, a highly specialized form of wrestling, is one of Japan's traditional sports. Although it is widely believed that sumo is performed only by men, several forms of women's sumo have been practised from the early days of the sport. The term 'women's sumo' conjures an image of a stout, naked woman in a wrestler's loincloth wearing a topknot hairstyle. It is unfortunate that women's sumo has sometimes been exploited by the erotic interpretation of the wrestler's appearance. It is a fact that some women still make their living from women's sumo as erotic acrobats, hence the frequent confusion between the erotic and sporting forms. This article will not discuss the erotic aspect of women's sumo but will examine the traditional version of the sport. Verf.-Referat