Bull Sumo in Ojiya
Ushi no Tsunotsuki and the community who sustain a Niigata tradition
In the hills around Ojiya, terraced rice fields and koi ponds reflect generations of work with the land and its water. For those drawn to Niigata by Nishikigoi, another local tradition offers a closer look at the communities behind the fish.
Ushi no Tsunotsuki, often called Bull Sumo In Ojiya, brings two bulls together in a contest of strength under the watch of handlers known as seko. In Ojiya, the customary outcome is a draw. Knowing when and how to separate the animals is an essential part of the tradition.
The people involved include families whose names are familiar in the koi world. At Izumiya and Marusaka, participation extends to owning bulls, working in the arena and helping sustain the organization that keeps the custom alive.
A Tradition Rooted in Farm Life
The regional setting is Nijumurago, an old name for a group of mountain communities spanning what are now Ojiya’s Higashiyama district, Yamakoshi in Nagaoka, and Hirokami in Uonuma. Ojiya and neighboring Yamakoshi continue to hold their own events at separate arenas. They share a cultural inheritance, while each maintains its own local gathering.
The custom developed in a country where cattle provided valuable labor for farming and carrying goods. One account of its origins holds that animals used to transport iron from the Nambu region of present-day Iwate were bought locally and put to work on the land. Their contests became part of village life.
Ushi no Tsunotsuki is often described as having a history of a thousand years. Its precise beginning, however, is uncertain. Niigata Prefecture’s cultural heritage guide acknowledges that uncertainty and points to its appearance in Kyokutei Bakin’s Edo-period novel Nanso Satomi Hakkenden as evidence of the tradition’s established place in the region.
On May 22, 1978, the associated customs were designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan. The designation encompasses practices surrounding the animals, including stable ceremonies, viewing the bulls and marking their departure for a contest. It recognizes a culture maintained through the knowledge and participation of local people.
The Skill of the Seko
The draw reflects the value placed on the bulls. Owners raise their bulls as members of the family, taking pleasure in their growth and the skills they develop. Bringing a contest to an end before a decisive defeat helps protect animals that have received years of care.
That responsibility rests heavily on the seko. They encourage the animals with calls of “Yoshita!” and watch the encounter at close range. When the chief handler signals the end, the team moves to separate the bulls. Rope handlers catch the hind legs, while others control the animals at the nose. The work requires timing and coordination around powerful, excited cattle.
Ritual accompanies the action. The opening event of the season includes purification by a Shinto priest, and sake and salt are used to cleanse the arena. The bulls and handlers also take part in purification practices. These observances preserve the custom’s connection with prayers for agricultural abundance and safety.
The final three bouts, known as shimai-sanban, feature highly regarded animals. A draw allows appreciation of a bull’s strength and determination, and of the work of its handlers, without requiring a defeated animal at the end of every encounter.
The Koi Breeders in the Arena
At Izumiya Koi Farm, the connection reaches into the work of preserving bull sumo itself. Senichi Mano was born into a family that kept bulls. In 2005, he became chairman of the Ojiya Bullfighting Promotion Council, taking on the role during the recovery from the previous year’s Chuetsu earthquake.
Mano worked on rebuilding the tradition and encouraging the next generation to take part. That included working with Higashiyama Elementary School to help pupils learn through the care of its school bull. He stepped down as chairman in 2021.
Izumiya’s involvement also includes Ryu Mano, the farm’s representative. The bull sumo council lists him among its seko, giving a breeder familiar to koi enthusiasts a working role beside the bulls. Mano San's father has two bulls that participate in the events.
At Marusaka Koi Farm, Teruyuki Hiroi also works as a seko. His participation has brought recognition to both handler and animal.
At Ojiya’s season finale on November 6, 2022, Hiroi received the year’s outstanding handler award, while his bull, Marusaka No. 1, received the outstanding bull award.
The relationship between koi breeders and their community reflects a strong historical bond. Alongside their work with Nishikigoi, breeders contribute time and experience to a tradition of importance to Japan.
The Work Beyond the Arena
The Ojiya Bullfighting Promotion Council organizes the events in cooperation with the city and local groups. Residents contribute in different ways, so the gathering depends on support well beyond those who enter the ring.
Much of the commitment takes place between events. Bulls need feeding, grooming, exercise and clean surroundings every day. Ownership can rest with an individual, a family, a group of friends or a company. Shared barns near Ojiya’s arena provide a place for much of that care.
The next generation encounters the tradition early at Higashiyama Elementary School. Its first school bull was named Gyutaro in May 2002 and entered the arena the following day. Successive bulls have carried that name, giving new groups of pupils an animal to care for and follow.
The relationship includes ordinary tasks, such as caring for Gyutaro during lunchtime, as well as appearances at the arena. Pupils have also visited cattle-raising communities in Iwate, extending their understanding of where the animals come from and the people who raise them.
The connection with koi is especially clear in the school’s music. In 2004, pupils began writing songs about bull sumo and Nishikigoi, hoping to create something future children would continue to sing. Work carried on after the earthquake damaged the school and forced classes into temporary accommodation. The songs were presented in January 2005.
They remain part of school life. At Ojiya’s opening bull sumo event in May 2026, the city recorded all 15 Higashiyama pupils performing the bull sumo song. Such participation gives children a place in the gathering while they are still learning what it means.
Seeing Ojiya Through Bull Sumo
Today, keeping the tradition going also means finding people willing to learn. Niigata’s cultural reporting has documented a shortage of successors and the participation of handlers and staff who travel from outside the area. The work continues through local knowledge shared with those prepared to take part.
For visitors, Ojiya’s events take place on scheduled dates from May through November, generally beginning at noon. The city publishes the annual calendar and access information. Checking that calendar matters, particularly when combining a visit with appointments at koi farms or travel to neighboring Yamakoshi.
For those interested in Nishikigoi, bull sumo offers another way to understand the place where the fish are raised. Familiar breeders take on different responsibilities, children follow an animal they help care for, and experienced handlers pass on skills that require years to acquire. Paying attention to those people gives the encounter in the arena its wider meaning.
A seko pours beer over the back of a bull after his time in the ring Seko watch on as two big bulls battle in the Ojiya Bull Ring. Seko do the pre event ceremony at the Ojiya Bull Ring