The restoration of a sumo wrestling ring in Taoyuan built during the Japanese colonial era is expected to be completed in July, and sumo star Yokozuna is to be invited to perform, Taoyuan officials said.
The ring, the only one of its kind in the nation, is part of Jhongjheng Park (中正公園) in the Dasi District (大溪). The park has been partially fenced off for six months as its walkways and the sumo ring are being reconstructed.
The park originally housed a Shinto shrine and ritual hall, as well as a community hall built in contemporary Japanese architectural style. After the Japanese colonial period, the park underwent several changes, with the shrine being modified into a pagoda and the sumo ring transformed into a water fountain with lilies at its center.
Photo: Lee Jung-ping, Taipei Times
In 2006, the ring was converted into a performance venue, which lasted until restoration work began last year.
Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) said the city’s Department of Tourism has been supporting the restoration project.
Japanese air-conditioner manufacturer Daikin — a major sponsor of sumo wrestling matches — has provided NT$5 million (US$165,750) in support of the project, Cheng said.
Department of Tourism Director Yang Sheng-ping (楊勝評) said that sumo wrestling has rapidly increased in popularity, because its rules are simple and easy to understand.
In 2005, sumo became an official sport in the International World Games.
The sumo ring at Jhongjheng Park was an important site during the colonial era, as evidenced by its location directly next to the park’s shrine, Yang said.
In the early post-colonial period students from the local elementary school held wrestling competitions in the ring, he said, adding that the ring is a source of shared memories for older residents of Dasi.
Construction work on the ring will restore an elevated platform at the center and four observation platforms around its perimeter.
Trees will serve as a natural shade for spectators sitting in the concentric circular benches that form the ring’s seating area.
Yang said he hoped the restored sumo ring would become a popular tourist spot in Dasi, as well as serve as a performance venue for local artists.
“Along with the nearby suspension bridge, scenic walks and other tourist spots in the district, a restored sumo ring will be great for drawing visitors to Dasi,” he said.
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