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A Baby Contest

The contenders

The contenders square off

In the western world, we tend to feel that a crying baby means that there is something wrong. We tend to ignore the fact that it develops chest muscles, exercises the heart, and has other benefits, as well. It is unpleasant and we don't like it. Neither does the baby, by the way.

No mother, in any culture, likes it when her toddler starts crying, but at the Naki Sumo baby crying contest wailing is actually encouraged.

In fact, an annual baby crying festival has been held at the Sensoji Temple in Tokyo, Japan for the last 400 years. Their belief is that crying keeps babys in good health. The louder a baby can cry, the healthier it can be.

That's right, this is a Baby Crying contest.

Holding the babies high to begin

Hold 'em high

So, amateur sumo wrestlers hold the babies high in the air and try to scare them into crying while a sumo referee judges the match. The toddler who cries longest and loudest will be considered the winner.

Let the games begin

Let the games begin







And we have a winner.

And we have a winner!

If you're attentive, you will have noticed that there is a different pair of babies in each picture. We could not find a series taken for just one pair, but in each case, the process is the same. Many families bring their babies to the temple to have them compete in the contests. The families take the health and blessings of their children very seriously and are both glad and proud to have their babies participate in these contests.

Japanese parents bring the babies to the contest, of their own free will and truly believe the sumo induced crying keeps their children in good health, and wards off evil spirits. This year, 80 babies, all under one year old, participated in Naki Sumo. As you might have guessed, the whiniest contender won.

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