That’s right, you’re not hallucinating.  That picture you see is a couple of sumo wrestlers holding crying babies while a high priest appears to be conducting an orchestra.  It’s all part of an ancient Japanese ritual mixed with kind of a game-show event.  For over 400 years, parents have been bringing their babies to the Sensoji Temple in Tokyo during the Naki Sumo contest for a crying baby contest.  Over 80 babies were put through their paces this year, their cries graded for volume and persistence.  The priest you see in the picture is actually overseeing the contest.

The goal is to see which baby cries loudest and longest, but the contest is also partly a religious ritual.  While the babies wail, onlookers pray for the health of the infants.  Rather than traumatizing the infants, the event is supposed to be good for them.  I’m not sure why the sumo wrestlers are there; maybe they are the security force for the biggest wailer of the group?  Cross promotion?  There’s no real explanation.

Tags: Sensoji Temple, crying baby contest, rituals, unusual rituals, good health rituals, Naki Sumo contest, Tokyo, Japan, crying to banish evil spirits

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