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Sumo Scalp Surgery To Beat Height Rules
- Sumo wrestler Minanmi Shuhei surgically implanted a silicone bag in his scalp to meet a historical height requirement and could inflate it up to 4 cm. He later became famously tall and earned the nickname roughly translated as "department store of techniques."
Sumo Rituals Combine Symbolism And Practicality
- Sumo rituals like clapping, stamping, and salt-throwing serve both symbolic and practical roles: they signal lack of weapons, purify the ring, and historically aimed to intimidate rivals. Women entering a ring during an emergency once prompted additional salt to be thrown to "re-purify" the arena.
Gnashing Repeats In Biblical Imagery
- A quarter of Bible mentions of "teeth" also include some form of "gnashing," showing it's a recurring motif of anguish or anger. The phrase "escaped by the skin of my teeth" likely reflects ancient language rather than literal dental skin.