In a country where the ideals of bushido and Zen Buddhism — perseverance, patience, and quiet dignity — are ever-present, no sport embodies the stoic mindset more than sumo.
Whether it’s refraining from celebration after victory, or remaining emotionless in interviews, Japan’s national sport continuously demands the highest levels of self-control and restraint from its athletes.
And yet it’s the moments when decorum slips — Takanohana’s famous May 2001 “demon face,” for example — that linger longest in fans' memories.