Oki Mōmō Dome

Oki Ushi-tsuki Bull Sumō is thought to date back 800 years, making it the oldest traditional bull sumo in Japan. It is believed to have been started by the people of the Oki Islands to entertain Emperor Go-Toba, who was exiled here in 1221. The emperor spent the rest of his life on the Oki Islands (Nakanoshima Island) before he died at the age of 60 in 1239. You can visit plac­es related to his stay on Nakanoshima Island, but bull sumo is practiced to­day only on Dōgo Island. In a traditional match, the winner is decided the moment one bull turns away from the fight, signalling its defeat. At this point, other bull keepers will enter the ring to help sepa­rate the bulls and ensure they are not injured. Only the highest ranking bulls fight until one of them loses. The younger bulls are separated before one of them gets the chance to win or lose. This is to prevent them from losing their fighting spirit. During bull sumo tourism demonstrations, all of the bulls will be separated before the end of the fight.