tawara 俵
The straw bales that mark the edge of the ring.
Tawara are the rice-straw bales that mark the edge of the ring, partly buried in the clay. The ring's name, dohyō, comes from them. Forcing an opponent out of the ring is one of the two main ways to win a bout.
Related words
- dohyō 土俵
- The ring: a raised platform of packed clay.
- tokudawara 徳俵
- Four straw bales set slightly outside the circle.