# Wailing Baby Competitions Nakizumo Festival is a Bizarre Competition Held in Japan By manzil | Published 2010-04-27 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nakizumo References: [dailymail](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1268867/The-crying-sumo-contest-Japanese-wrestlers-compete-make-baby-first.html) & [dailymail](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1268867/The-crying-sumo-contest-Japanese-wrestlers-compete-make-baby-first.html) This unusual and interesting competition -- known as the Nakizumo Festival or Crying Sumo Festival -- takes place across Japan. It is one of the oldest competitions, dating back to the 15th century. In the Nakizumo Festival, [university club sumo wrestlers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sumo-showdowns) hold babies aloft and [make them cry](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/starling-natural-heritage). The baby who cries first and loudest is declared winner. When babies laugh and refuse to cry, then the judge steps forward with a ferocious mask to make the babies wail. Parents in Japan believe that a long wail is [good and healthy for babies](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sleep-score-designed-for-babies). However, researchers have proved that crying for a long period of time can damage the developing brains of babies. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.6/10 - Popularity: 36% | Activity: 3% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Life](https://www.trendhunter.com/life) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Competitive Baby Crying:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop technologies or techniques that promote healthier ways for babies to express themselves without causing potential harm to their developing brains. - **Alternative Parenting Practices:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create products or services that cater to parents seeking alternative ways to encourage emotional development in their babies, beyond traditional methods like crying. - **Cultural Festivals as Entertainment:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Explore the potential for organizing cultural festivals that celebrate unique traditions while also promoting positive and safe experiences for all participants, including babies. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Childcare:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop innovative childcare solutions that prioritize the emotional well-being and growth of babies in a safe and nurturing environment. - **Healthcare:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Leverage healthcare research and technology to provide evidence-based guidelines and resources for parents to ensure the healthy development of their babies. - **Event Planning:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create event planning strategies and services that combine cultural traditions with modern entertainment, emphasizing inclusivity, diversity, and safety. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Japanese Wrestling QSR Burgers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/baby-body-burger.md) - [Ninja-Themed Card Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/baby-ninjas.md) - [Baby Decoder Devices](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/q-bear.md) - [Cry-Translating Baby Monitors](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/see-pro-360-baby-monitor.md) - [Cry-Detecting Sleep Devices](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gianna-lullume-baby-soother.md) - [Infant Mood-Tracking Devices](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ainenne.md) - [Demonic Parenting Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/oni-kara-denwa-app.md) - [Calming Baby Massagers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/baby-massage.md) - [AI-Fuelled Caregiving Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nanni-ai.md)