This may not seem out of place in a country in which you can play video games on a toilet (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/19/macho-urinal-game-makes-a-big-splash_n_1215294.html) and the national tourism ambassador is... Hello Kitty (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tokyorose/2509672441/), but Japan has a crying baby competition, and it's a little weird.
The "Naki Sumo," contest consists of two sumo wrestlers holding up children who were born in the previous year, standing across a sumo wrestling ring from each other and trying to make their opponent's baby cry.
The event, which has been held annually for over 400 years, is meant as a prayer for the children's healthy growth.
And if the babies don't cry? The referee puts on a mask to scare them (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1268867/The-crying-sumo-contest-Japanese-wrestlers-compete-make-baby-first.html).
Check out photos of the event below.
Via: HuffingtonPost