ENTRY DESCRIPTION
In Japanese, a “honbasho” is an official sumo tournament, distinguished from the unofficial events that take place throughout the year. January 8th was the first night of the first of six official tournaments of 2023, and it was my introduction to what is considered the national sport of Japan.

There’s an art to simplicity, and sumo is about as simple a sport can get. To win a match, a fighter either must force his opponent out of the ring or get any part of the opponent’s body to touch the ground. There are a few prohibited moves – eye gouging, hitting with closed fists, hair pulling, choking, and grabbing a little too far inside on the opponent’s mawashi (belt) – but just about anything else goes. The initial collision sends a shockwave from the ring, and the grappling and regular slaps resonate around the stadium. The referee, or gyoji, adds to the cacophony of sounds, screaming “Hakkiyoi” regularly to encourage the wrestlers to “fight with courage.” Fights often only last a few seconds, but the energy lasts the entire evening.

Sumo consists of a deep tradition, with a history over a thousand years in the making. Despite the physical nature of the contest, the competitors, the crowd, and the spectacle showed that respect forms the foundation for the battles that take place within the ring. Beaten and sometimes bloody after being thrown out of the ring, the wrestlers always conclude their fight with a bow to their opponent, a gesture very much in line with the country’s culture that you see lived out every day.

AUTHOR
Eric's interest in photography began when his parents gave him an old film camera to use for his course in high school. While the class initially served as an escape from his rigorous biology and chemistry courses, it would eventually become the catalyst for each of his interests and passions melding into one. The film process revealed the "magic" of how science and technology could immortalize a scene in front of him. With this, his creative side would soon be unlocked.

Eric earned a Bachelor's Degree in Biology from Wake Forest University. He enjoyed his courses in physiology, molecular biology, and genetics, but it was ecology that grabbed his attention. The idea that life, across species and geographies, is intertwined resonated with him long after his classes concluded.

This concept has driven much of Eric's travel and work to date. He seeks to explore new cultures, new areas of the world, and unique wildlife with the hope that his images can deliver that same empowering idea to others that he felt in his studies — that we can all share some connection and hold interest in other people and living things, even when the link might not be apparent.

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