The Crying Sumo Festival is undoubtedly one of Tokyo’s more unusual events—and one which has attracted the attention of numerous foreigners over the years.
It is held at several shrines throughout Japan, but the event at Sensoji in Asakusa is one of the most famous.
The Crying Sumo Festival is a competition between one-year-old babies to see which one cries or laughs first after being dangled in the air by sumo wrestlers.
If both babies start weeping at the same time then the winner is decided by who cries the loudest.
The Festival is held to pray for the baby’s healthy growth and development.