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The Grand Sumo Tournament

Venue: The Royal Albert Hall, London. Dates: October 15th through 19th

Exploring Japan's National Sport

Sumo represents Japan's iconic national sport, combining tradition, rigorous training and Shinto religious rituals with origins more than 1,000 years.

This physical contest involves two competitors – called rikishi – competing within a circular arena – the dohyo – spanning 4.55 meters across.

Traditional ceremonies are performed before and after every match, highlighting the traditional nature in sumo.

Traditionally before a match, an opening is created at the center of the ring and filled with nuts, squid, seaweed and sake through Shinto ceremonies.

This opening is closed, enshrining inside divine presence. The rikishi subsequently execute a ritual stamp and clap to scare away bad spirits.

Elite sumo is governed a strict hierarchy, and the wrestlers involved dedicate their entire lives to the sport – living and training communally.

The London Location

This Major Sumo Event is taking place outside of Japan for just the second time, with the competition taking place in London from Wednesday, 15 October through October 19th.

London with this iconic venue also hosted the 1991 edition – the first time such an event took place outside Japan in sumo history.

Explaining the reasoning behind going overseas, the Japan Sumo Association chair expressed the intention to share to the people of London the appeal of Sumo – an ancient traditional Japanese culture".

Sumo has seen substantial growth in international interest among international fans recently, and a rare international tournament potentially enhancing the popularity of traditional Japan abroad.

How Sumo Matches Work

The basic rules in sumo wrestling are quite simple. The match is decided once a wrestler is forced out of the dohyo or touches the floor using anything besides their foot soles.

Matches can conclude almost instantly or last several minutes.

There exist two primary techniques. Aggressive pushers typically shove competitors out of the ring by force, whereas grapplers choose to grip the other rikishi employing judo-like throws.

Elite wrestlers often master multiple combat styles adjusting against different styles.

There are dozens of victory moves, including dramatic throws strategic evasions. This diversity of techniques and strategies maintains fan interest, meaning unexpected results may happen during any match.

Size categories are not used within sumo, so it's common to observe wrestlers of varying dimensions. The ranking system decides opponents instead of body measurements.

While women can participate in non-professional sumo worldwide, they're excluded from elite competitions or the main arenas.

Life as a Sumo Wrestler

Sumo wrestlers reside and practice in communal facilities called heya, led by a stable master.

The daily routine for wrestlers focuses entirely on sumo. Early mornings dedicated to training, followed by a substantial lunch the traditional stew – a high-protein dish designed for weight gain – with rest periods.

Typical rikishi consumes between multiple servings each sitting – thousands of calories – although legendary stories of massive eating exist in sumo history.

Wrestlers intentionally gain weight to enhance leverage in the ring. Although large, they possess surprising agility, rapid reflexes and explosive power.

Nearly all elements of rikishi life get controlled through their training house and the Sumo Association – making a distinctive existence in professional sports.

Competitive standing affects earnings, accommodation options and even support staff.

Junior or lower ranked wrestlers perform duties around the heya, while higher ranked ones enjoy preferred treatment.

Sumo rankings are established through performance in six annual tournaments. Wrestlers with winning records move up, while those losing descend the rankings.

Before each tournament, updated rankings gets published – a ceremonial list showing all wrestlers' positions within the sport.

The highest level exists the rank of Grand Champion – the pinnacle position. Yokozuna embody the spirit of the sport – transcending winning.

Who Becomes a Rikishi

The sport includes several hundred wrestlers in professional sumo, with most from Japan.

Foreign wrestlers have been involved significantly for decades, including Mongolian wrestlers reaching top levels currently.

Current Yokozuna feature international representatives, with competitors multiple countries reaching elite status.

Recently, foreign prospects have traveled to Japan pursuing wrestling careers.