Lifestyles and Traditions - Culture
The ushi-zuki bull sumo in the Oki Islands is said to be the oldest bullfighting tradition in Japan. Emperor Go-Toba, who was exiled to the Oki Islands after his defeat in the Jōkyū Disturbance in 1221, was delighted when he saw the cattle on the islands head-butting each other; it is said that ushi-zuki bull sumo began from there, as a way to console the exiled emperor. Nowadays, ushi-zuki bull sumo is held only in Okinoshima Town, and there are two types of tournaments held: the regularly scheduled tournaments and tourism demonstration bouts. Since bulls who lose are said to develop a habit of losing, once they lose they cannot participate in the next tournament. Because of this, in the past when there was prize money given out at the regular tournaments, the winner would receive 30% of the reward and the party that lost would receive 70%.
Some of the characteristics of ushi-zuki bull sumo in the Oki Islands are that it is not used for gambling, and the bulls fight together with their handler, who holds on to the rope attached to the bull's nose ring. During a bout, with the shout of encouragement from the handlers, who hold the key to triumph, the bulls spar with their sharpened horns and slam their gigantic bodies into each other, with bouts sometimes lasting for as long as an hour.
