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Crying Baby Contest

17 Comments

Held by college sumo wrestlers, a couple of babies cry at the Naki Sumo or Crying Baby Contest at Sensoji Buddhist temple in Tokyo on Saturday. The annual traditional ritual is performed as a prayer for the healthy growth of babies.

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17 Comments
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I'd be crying to if my mother had handed me over to a stranger. Those poor kids must be terrified.

9 ( +11 / -2 )

Seems like baby on the right did his/her best to win!

6 ( +6 / -0 )

CosAPR. 27, 2014 - 07:04PM JST It makes them more stronger and less likely to get fear. No, it's the contrary. That's the best way to make a kid fearful.

Actually no. I had a childhood full of fear and crap happening to me and it made me fearless. A little bit of fear training on this new generation will harden them up.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Good for their little lungs. It makes them more stronger and less likely to get fear. Good!

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Saw this once at a shrine in Hyogo prefecture. The wrestlers who held the babies were extremely gentle, and in a way it was cute, but it's less a prayer for the health of babies than it is a kind of entertainment.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

Actually no. I had a childhood full of fear and crap happening to me and it made me fearless. A little bit of fear training on this new generation will harden them up.

Oh, I most definitely agree with you about that.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

This is really cruel.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

Actually no.

OK, your alleged child memories have more value than the thousands scientific studies made about stressing infants.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Although for the intention of actually making my child cry --something I'd not do, to purposefully aim to cause fear in my child-- the crying is a natural response mechanism, I don't understand why you'd WANT your child to be stressed out, but babies do cry when given to strangers by a parent. The infants are not being physically abused, maybe mentally though!

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

I see nothing cruel or wrong, getting kids involved is essential for normal growth and development, and don't you feel better after a good cry? I know I do...

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

It is a contest! The little piglets are being squeezed and pinched to make them squeal louder to win.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

"Actually no. I had a childhood full of fear "

These are not children. They are infants.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

It makes them more stronger and less likely to get fear.

No, it's the contrary. That's the best way to make a kid fearful.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Should be renamed "Most Traumatized Baby Contest".

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

Just Ridiculous.....

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

Why does the government allow this absurd ritual?

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

There is already enough bullying in Japanese society.... at least babies should be spared. This is one stupid "tradition".

-7 ( +2 / -9 )

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