Mawashi

In sumo, a mawashi (Japanese: 廻し) is the belt that the rikishi (or sumo wrestler) wears during training or in competition. Upper ranked professional wrestlers wear a kesho-mawashi (see below) as part of the ring entry ceremony or dohyo-iri. For top, sekitori, ranked professional rikishi it is made of silk and comes in a variety of colors. It is approximately 30 feet (9.1 m) in length when unwrapped, about two feet wide and weighs between eight an... more

In sumo, a mawashi (Japanese: 廻し) is the belt that the rikishi (or sumo wrestler) wears during training or in competition. Upper ranked professional wrestlers wear a kesho-mawashi (see below) as part of the ring entry ceremony or dohyo-iri. For top, sekitori, ranked professional rikishi it is made of silk and comes in a variety of colors. It is approximately 30 feet (9.1 m) in length when unwrapped, about two feet wide and weighs between eight and eleven pounds. It is wrapped several times around the rikishi and fastened in the back by a large knot. A series of matching colour, stiffened silk fronds, called sagari are inserted into the front of the mawashi. Their number varies from 13 to 25, and is always an odd number. If these fall out during competition the gyoji (or referee) will throw them from the ring at the first opportunity. Sometimes a rikishi may wear his mawashi in such a way as to give him some advantage over his opponent. He may wear it loosely to make it more difficult... less