Who cries first?: baby sumo wrestling matches ‘test health’ of Japanese children

Before the pandemic, toddlers held aloft by sumo wrestlers would enter rings around Japan to square off for a centuries-old annual contest where the first cries determine which baby is the winner. The bouts, which are also meant to predict which children will grow up to be relatively healthy, went on a four-year hiatus. But in April 2023, the “crying baby sumo” events were back at shrines and temples across Japan. Amid continued health concerns, parents stood in for wrestlers for most of the tearful tournaments.