back to article Hair-stripping fungus threatens future of judo and sumo

Japanese academics have warned that the national sports of sumo and judo are under threat of extinction because of the rapid spread of a fungal infection that is making participants' hair fall out. The All Japan Judo Federation has commissioned research into the spread of Trichophyton tonsurans, The Times reports, amidst fears …

COMMENTS

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Dead Vulture

    Jui Jistsu, sole grappling art in Japan??

    Well not to burst your bubble but there are many arts that come from the island of robotic and martial art joy. Ninjitsu or Aikido to name a further 2. While not traditionally compeditive sports their styles do still involve grappling as an art.

    Though I do expect the geek ninja army to also protest said comment, its suprising how many geeks 'claim' to be masters of the arts

  2. Elmer Phud
    Unhappy

    Hugo Rune

    Will this affect acolytes of Hugo Rune - the 12th Dan Master of Dimac?

  3. scott green
    Dead Vulture

    Re: Jui Jistsu, sole grappling art in Japan??

    Can also throw in Aiki-jutsu (cross over beween aikido and ju-jitsu) and I don't claim to be a master, but do have a Ju-jitsu black belt from about 15 yrs ago, probably couldn't get out of my own way now tho :-(

  4. Christoph

    Which martial art?

    If it's related to athlete's foot, maybe it's spread by Ti Kwan Leep

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    @ AC 1138

    "Well not to burst your bubble but there are many arts that come from the island of robotic and martial art joy. Ninjitsu or Aikido to name a further 2. While not traditionally compeditive sports their styles do still involve grappling as an art."

    Aikido is getting more competition out there with the growth of "sporting" styles. Although the founder didn't like competition, it's there and getting more common with the less traditional schools.

    Now I shall disappear from view with a puff of purple smoke and a *SPANG* noise...

    (wouldn't it be cool to see ninja competitions like "who can smell blood from the furthest distance" and "who can hit a dartboard bullseye with a throwing knife from 100 feet away"? I work with a "Nonja" who claims to be able to do both of the above...)

  6. Dapprman

    Hope this is just short term

    Having been rather lucky and seen a sumo basho last time I was in Tokyo I really do hope this is just a temporary thing.

    Even if you're not really a sumo fan, if you're in Tokyo during a basho, get a seat and turn up for the afternoon (when the top two tiers fight), it's well worth it for the atmosphere and spectacle. You can hire radios for just 100 yen (I seem to remember) or use your own to listen to the English commentary - which is well done and informative for those new to the sport.

  7. Sarah Bee (Written by Reg staff)

    Re: Hope this is just short term

    I just like the fact it is called a basho. Basho!

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Very worried...

    ...this fungus is clearly terrifyingly powerful, so strong in fact I have to wonder if it could even beat hirsute Chuck Norris?

  9. Paul
    Coat

    black belt in nintendo?

    today's youth don't care about exercise, most are only interested in getting a black belt in nintendo, so I would guess martial arts will die out.

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Why doesn't it show up in US?

    The articale says it came to the US via Cuba, I live in the US and never heard of it.

    And our press make a big deal out of everything.

    We don't have Sumo, but we do have Judo and Wrestling, so why isn't it known

    much here?

  11. Goatan
    Black Helicopters

    @ AC 1349

    That'll be cos the CIA engineered the fungus to attack non Americain DNA.

  12. Simon Buttress

    @ Mike Richards

    Perhaps it is indeed the athlete's foot fungus from Chuck's foot (sacrilege I know) that was passed from Chuck to Sumo after numerous roundhouse kicks from hither to thither.

    Although to be fair to Sir Norris Athlete's Foot isn't probably known as a fungal infection on Chuck, probably something snappier like.....<insert comical name here>

  13. Anonymous Coward
    IT Angle

    A few things

    Aiki-jitsu is not a cross between Aikido and Ju-jitsu. It is a precursor to Aikido (Morehei Ueshiba having studied Daito-Ryu Aiki-jitsu) and this itself came from earlier forms of Ju-jitsu (although tracing back various martial forms can turn into a pedantic bun fight as they sometimes cross-pollinate).

    I have not noticed any "baldy fungus" here, but I have seen plenty of Aikidoists on the mat with fungal infections of their feet (usually evidenced by poor nails and flaky skin). It's quite disgusting and these people should know better than to step on the tatami in that state, especially when a quick visit to the docs and a cream would probably sort it.

    "nonja"...like it. :o)

    Me...I'm an Aikidoist. Or an Aikidoesn't as it often feels like. Hey ho.

  14. Colin Barfoot
    Happy

    pas de probleme

    Are you worried by martial art related hair loss? Is your judo outfit looking tired and unclean.

    What you need is OB-220.

    It's dual brightening / fungicide action solves the problem that has beset judo experts since the dawn of time: how to keep those whites clean while remaining hirsute.

    Says K. Jigoro of Japan, "Before OB-220 my hair was everywhere: on the couch, on the floor, everywhere. I had to pretend I had a dog. But now I have luxuriant growth sprouting from head. I've even had George Lucas on the phone asking me how I did it. Not only that but with my new found fluorescence I stun them at the local disco".

  15. Chris
    Thumb Up

    @ Elmer Phud

    Excellent RR reference, and completely unexpected!

    Basho, good sir!

  16. RW
    Happy

    @ Sarah Bee re: Bashō

    Read Matsuo Bashō's "The Narrow Road to the Deep North", one of the monuments of Japanese literature (though not a lengthy book). Doing so will make you a better human being, but you may have to read and re-read before Bashō's message sinks in.

    There's a Penguin edition.

    Anything to polish the divinity of our Divine Moderatrix.

  17. Sarah Bee (Written by Reg staff)

    Re: @ Sarah Bee re: Bashō

    Nice. Thanks.

    These threads could use more culture. Do you want to scatter a few more recommendations for spiritually nourishing works about the place, RW? It could totally stop arguments. Or start them.

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Heart

    Japanese MA lineage fight!

    Now all we need is to add a little kung fu, say, for someone to start claiming they have the *real* Wing Chun, and discuss which prominient martial artists could beat Bruce Lee and we'll have a proper nerd arguement! :)

  19. Steve Evans

    Ringworm in Alaska

    The incidence of this fungus amongst the grappling fraternity is not a new one: see.....

    http://www.epi.hss.state.ak.us/bulletins/docs/b1993_09.htm

    However it was in Alaska, so no wonder the average Anonymous Coward has never heard of it....

  20. DutchOven
    Joke

    ..way...

    If Karate-do, loosely translated means "Way of the empty hand".

    What is Japanese for "Way of the empty hair-follicle"?

  21. This post has been deleted by its author

  22. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    The only cure

    That I have found after picking up up an X-Files strengh case of athletes foot is to soak my feet in a solution of Copper Sulphate. My liver will probably die but my feet don't smell!

  23. Anonymous Coward
    IT Angle

    IT?

    This logo could have been made for this story, interesting though it is.

    I guess some IT workers must lack hair, right?

  24. Gordon Crawford

    foot aids

    buy your footsies here

    and prevent baldness

  25. Chris Hunt
    Pirate

    @ AC 1138

    Competitive Ninjitsu would be a brilliant idea. Once Japan got an international team together they could pit them against the Somali pirates to see who would win.

  26. William Higinbotham
    Boffin

    Why airports ask us to take our shoes off

    Goatan Posting was close to correct: "That'll be cos the CIA engineered the fungus to attack non Americain DNA".

    I think this was to make Fidel's beard fall off.

    Ooops - It was sneaking thallium salts into Castro's shoes.

    This must be what the security guards are actually looking for at the airports.

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