The sacred sport of sumo boasts a history of 1,300 years, but recent scandals and undignified exploits of some of its champions are threatening to reduce its status to heresy.
The first sumo matches took the form of rituals dedicated to the gods, with prayers for a bountiful harvest. But nowadays, Japan's national sport has become popular fodder for TV gossip shows.
The entire sumo industry has been damaged by scandals, ranging from allegations of systematic match-fixing to the fatal beating of a junior wrestler in October that resulted in the arrest of his stable master and three of his senior colleagues last month.