arts & culture

Having a sumo wrestler make your baby cry is considered good luck in Japanese culture

Its long been believed that extended crying is unhealthy for babies as it can lead to both psychological and potentially phyisiological damage. In Japanese culture, tradition believes something a little different. At the Nakizumo festival held at the Sensoji Temple in Tokyo, sumo wrestlers attempt to make babies cry for as long as possible because the belief is that the longer they cry, the more good fortune is bestowed upon them. This tradition is over 400 years old and maintains that the tears can provide the children with good health and bring them "closer to heaven".

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