Nomi no Sukune
{{Short description|Legendary sumo wrestler}}
{{nihongo|Nomi no Sukune|野見 宿禰}} was a legendary figure in Japanese history who appears in the {{Lang|ja-latn|Nihon Shoki}}. He is regarded as the founder of sumo wrestling.{{Cite book |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/33014222 |title=Asashi Nihon rekishi jinbutsu jiten |date=1994 |publisher=Asahi Shinbunsha |isbn=4-02-340052-1 |at=藤原光能 |oclc=33014222}} He was the founder of the Haji clan.{{Cite book |title=Nihon dai hyakka zensho |publisher=Shōgakkan |year=1989 |isbn=4-09-526001-7 |at=野見宿禰 |oclc=14970117}}
Life
File:Nomi no Sukune Wrestling with Taima no Kehaya LACMA M.84.31.87.jpg)]]
Sukune is said to have lived during the reign of Emperor Suinin (29 BC – 70).{{cite web |title=The history of Kitano Jinja |url=http://www12.ocn.ne.jp/~katano/e-yuisyo.html |url-status=dead |publisher=Kitano Jinja |accessdate=2008-02-19 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080219104915/http://www12.ocn.ne.jp/~katano/e-yuisyo.html |archivedate=February 19, 2008}} Allegedly, in 23 B.C., the Emperor instructed Nomi no Sukune to deal with {{nihongo|Taima no Kehaya|当麻蹴速}} after he boasted that he was the strongest man "under the heavens". Nomi no Sukune engaged Taima no Kehaya in hand-to-hand combat and broke his ribs with one kick and his back with another, killing Taima no Kehaya.{{cite book|last1=Guttmann|first1=Allen|last2=Thompson|first2=Lee|title=Japanese Sports: A History|url=https://archive.org/details/japanesesportshi00gutt|url-access=limited|date=2001|publisher=University of Hawai'i Press|location=Honolulu, HI|isbn=9780824824143|page=[https://archive.org/details/japanesesportshi00gutt/page/n24 14]}}{{cite web|url=http://www.essortment.com/wrestlingsumoh_rvqp.htm|title=Sumo wrestling history, the Ancient Japanese sport|publisher=Essortment|accessdate=2008-02-19}} It was not modern sumo, but he is regarded as the creator of sumo.{{cite web |title=History of Sumo Wrestling |url=http://www.chinatownconnection.com/sumo-wrestling-history.htm |accessdate=2008-02-19 |publisher=Houston Chinatown |archive-date=2008-03-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080320035028/http://www.chinatownconnection.com/sumo-wrestling-history.htm |url-status=dead }}
He is believed to be an ancestor of Sugawara no Michizane, and the great-grandfather to Haji no Mino.
The emperor gave him the title of Haji (lit. Master of Pottery) after he and 300 potters crafted {{lang|ja|haniwa}} for the burial of Empress Hibasuhime.{{Cite web|title=Nomi no Sukune • A History of Japan - 日本歴史|url=https://historyofjapan.co.uk/wiki/nomi-no-sukune/|access-date=2021-09-01|website=A History of Japan - 日本歴史|language=en-GB}}
Legacy
A mural of him, removed from the old National Stadium in 2014, was put on display at the new stadium in 2019.{{cite news|title=東京五輪向け壁画取り外し…建て替え国立競技場|url=http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/olympic/2020/20141105-OYT1T50114.html?from=ycont_top_txt|accessdate=8 November 2014|work=Yomiuri Shinbun|date=5 November 2014}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://historyofjapan.co.uk/wiki/nomi-no-sukune/ Nomi no Sukune] - History of Japan Website.
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