Naki Sumo Crying Baby Festival

If you think you've seen every quirky, weird, and downright adorable festival Japan has to offer, you probably haven't stumbled upon the Naki Sumo Crying Baby Festival. This ancient tradition, also known as Nakizumo or Naki Sumo, is essentially a competition where babies are encouraged to cry as loudly as possible. Yes, you read that right. The goal is to make babies cry, and it's all done with the utmost love, good intentions, and hilarity.

Held annually on May 5th to celebrate Children’s Day, the Naki Sumo Festival takes place at several temples and shrines across Japan, with the most popular venue being the historic Sensō-ji Temple in Tokyo. The festival has been around for over 400 years, and it’s rooted in the belief that a good, loud cry will chase away evil spirits and ensure a healthy life for the child. In short, crying is winning. Take that, nap time!

Now, if you’re imagining hordes of parents poking their babies to induce tears, rest assured that’s not how it works. The festival employs sumo wrestlers—big, intimidating, and dressed in traditional mawashi—to do the heavy lifting. Quite literally. Babies are held up in front of their parents and then passed to these colossal men who attempt to make them cry, often by making funny faces, bouncing them up and down, or just giving them a hearty stare-down that would make grown adults reconsider their life choices.

Picture this: burly sumo wrestlers gently cradling tiny infants in their massive arms, wobbling them up and down as they make ridiculous faces or cooing noises. It’s like watching The Rock try to babysit a group of feral kittens, except these kittens are actual human babies who are either terrified or completely unfazed. Some babies, of course, are determined to prove themselves stoic warriors of peace and calm. They refuse to cry despite every effort made by the sumo wrestler holding them. You can almost see the silent resolve in their eyes: “You will not break me.”

If you’ve ever seen a sumo wrestler desperately trying to coax a tear from an absolutely poker-faced baby, you’ll know that the real comedy isn’t in the crying. It’s in the awkward silence, the sumo’s increasing desperation, and the audience’s giggles as the poor guy tries every trick in the book to get just one little sniffle. The ultimate irony of the festival is that it’s supposed to be about tears, but more often than not, it ends up being about laughter.

Sometimes, the babies are too delighted by the bouncing and goofy faces to even consider crying. Others simply fall asleep in the wrestler’s arms, having decided that nap time is far more important than participating in some strange ritual their parents signed them up for. And then there are those babies who cry at the mere sight of the sumo wrestler approaching. These little champs are declared winners almost instantly.

The competition itself is simple: Two babies are held by their respective sumo wrestler guardians, facing each other like miniature warriors about to engage in battle. The first one to cry is declared the victor. In some variations of the festival, a referee—usually dressed in traditional Shinto garb—will help the process along by shouting or making exaggerated noises. And while some babies have meltdowns that could be heard from space, others remain cool as cucumbers, much to the amusement of the audience.

Despite the seemingly bizarre nature of the festival, it’s all done in good spirits. The crying is believed to purify the child, promoting good health and warding off evil spirits. So, really, all the fuss is for a good cause. Think of it as the world’s most unconventional health checkup.

Parents who bring their children to the festival do so with the hope of securing their child’s well-being and future happiness. It’s considered good luck if the child cries, and many believe the louder the wail, the better. For some families, participating in the Naki Sumo Festival is a treasured tradition passed down through generations.

And of course, it wouldn’t be a Japanese festival without food stalls, vendors, and a general atmosphere of celebration. As the babies cry (or don’t), visitors can enjoy snacks, traditional sweets, and various performances around the temple grounds.

In the end, the Naki Sumo Crying Baby Festival is a wonderful, hilarious, and touching event that manages to blend humor, tradition, and community spirit. It’s one of those only-in-Japan experiences that leaves visitors shaking their heads and smiling in equal measure. If you’re planning to be in Tokyo around Children’s Day, make sure to swing by Sensō-ji Temple and witness this endearing madness for yourself. Just don’t be surprised if you find yourself rooting for the tiniest warriors with the mightiest lungs.