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ritual apprentice

In a sumo training stable, the person responsible for holding the salt bowl is usually a junior wrestler or a low-ranking member of the stable. This duty is considered a humble and essential task. Before a sumo match, it is a tradition for wrestlers to purify themselves and the ring by tossing salt as a symbolic gesture. The person holding the salt bowl provides it to the wrestler, ensuring they have an ample supply for the ritual before they enter the ring. The salt purification ritual is a significant part of sumo culture, symbolizing the purification of the ring and the removal of evil spirits.

 

Tokitsukaze Stable Tokyo, Japan

 

December, 2023

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Uploaded on February 4, 2024
Taken on December 28, 2023