No choking, eye gouging, hair pulling or kicks to the stomach are allowed. And of course, no throwing sand in your opponent's face, either. This is all in the name of fun.
Beach sumo, for the uninitiated, is gaining recognition as an outdoor recreation to promote the healthy development of children. It comes with the added benefit of protecting beaches by raising community awareness about trash and global warming.
Tamakairiki, a former professional sumo wrestler, heads the Japan Beach Sumo Federation established early this month and has already organized several successful beach sumo events. He came up with the idea to support the nonprofit organization Beach Life Japan's efforts to promote beach culture via sports and other activities.