From Battlefield Training to Aristocratic Entertainment
During the Kamakura period (1185-1333) and the subsequent Sengoku period (1467-1615), an era dominated by samurai, sumo thrived as a vital form of combat training for warriors. Its practical application in close-quarters combat made it an indispensable skill. Oda Nobunaga, a prominent daimyo of the Sengoku period, was a great enthusiast of sumo. Between 1570 and 1592, during the Genki and Tensho eras, he frequently held grand sumo tournaments at places like Azuchi Castle, gathering strong wrestlers from across the country. Those who emerged victorious in these imperial-viewing matches were often recruited directly into his retinue as vassals, underscoring the high regard and practical value placed on physical prowess in that turbulent period.