The ritual throwing of salt before a sumo bout is one of the sport's most iconic images and one of the most frequently asked questions from newcomers. The answer lies in sumo's deep roots in Shinto religion.
In Shinto, salt is a powerful purifying agent. Before a bout, wrestlers take handfuls of salt from a box at the edge of the ring and throw it into the dohyo. This act purifies the ring — driving away evil spirits and protecting the wrestlers from harm during the violent contest to follow.
The salt ritual is part of a longer pre-bout ceremony that can last up to four minutes for top-division bouts. Wrestlers also stomp their feet (shiko) to drive evil spirits from the earth, rinse their mouths with chikara-mizu (strength water), and wipe themselves with a chikara-gami (strength paper). The entire ceremony is governed by a referee in elaborate robes.
The amount of salt used is staggering: approximately 45 kilograms per day during a tournament, or about 675 kilograms over 15 days. This is not waste — the salt is symbolic, meaningful, and expected by the audience as much as the bout itself.