Crying Baby Sumo (Nakizumo) Festival in Memory of Ichikawa Danjuro IX 九代目市川團十郎『暫』復元記念『泣き相撲』

Note: The 2023 installment of this event has already taken place.

All parents hope their children will grow up to be strong and healthy, and many take part in this event.

The bronze statue of the kabuki actor Ichikawa Danjuro IX behind Sensoji Temple was restored in 1986. It depicts the actor playing Kamakura Gongoro, a character from a famous play called Shibaraku. A strong-willed boy with distinctive bangs, Kamakura delivers his lines in a childlike manner.

The Asakusa Tourism Federation organized the first Crying Baby Sumo event in front of the statue in 1991. At this event, a referee tries to make babies being held by sumo wrestlers cry, as these cries are said to be a sign of good health. With the first event being very well-received, it soon became an annual tradition that's especially popular among parents hoping to raise strong and healthy children.