Why This Major Sumo Event is Being Held in London
The Grand Sumo Tournament
Location: This Historic London Venue, the British Capital. Dates: 15-19 October
Exploring Japan's National Sport
Sumo embodies Japan's iconic national sport, blending tradition, rigorous training and Shinto religious rituals dating back over a millennium.
This combat sport features two wrestlers – known as rikishi – battling inside a raised circular ring – the dohyo – spanning 4.55 meters in diameter.
Traditional ceremonies are performed both preceding and following every match, highlighting the traditional nature in sumo.
Customarily before a match, an opening is created at the center of the ring then filled with nuts, squid, seaweed and sake by Shinto priests.
This opening gets sealed, enshrining inside divine presence. The rikishi then perform a ceremonial stomp with hand clapping to scare away bad spirits.
Professional sumo is governed a strict hierarchy, with competitors involved dedicate their entire lives to it – living and training communally.
The London Location
This Major Sumo Event is taking place outside of Japan only the second occasion, as the tournament occurring in London from Wednesday, 15 October until Sunday, 19 October.
The British capital with this iconic venue previously held the 1991 edition – the first time such an event was staged beyond Japan in the sport's history.
Explaining the reasoning behind going overseas, sumo leadership expressed he wanted to "convey to the people of London the appeal of Sumo – a historic Japanese tradition".
Sumo has seen substantial growth in international interest among international fans recently, and a rare international tournament potentially enhancing the appeal of traditional Japan internationally.
How Sumo Matches Work
The basic rules in sumo wrestling are straightforward. The bout concludes when a rikishi is forced out from the ring or makes contact using anything besides their foot soles.
Bouts can conclude in a fraction of a second or last several minutes.
Sumo features two main fighting styles. Pusher-thrusters typically shove competitors from the arena by force, while belt-fighters prefer to grapple their opponent and use throwing techniques.
Elite wrestlers often master multiple combat styles and can adapt to their opponents.
There are dozens of victory moves, ranging from audacious throws to clever side-steps. The variety in moves and tactics keeps audiences engaged, meaning unexpected results may happen during any match.
Size categories are not used within sumo, making it normal to see rikishi of varying dimensions. The ranking system decides opponents instead of physical attributes.
While women can participate in amateur sumo worldwide, they cannot enter professional tournaments including major venues.
Life as a Sumo Wrestler
Sumo wrestlers reside and practice in communal facilities known as heya, under a stable master.
Everyday life of a rikishi centers completely around the sport. Early mornings dedicated to training, then consuming a large meal of chankonabe – a protein-rich preparation aimed at building mass – and an afternoon nap.
Typical rikishi consumes between multiple servings per meal – approximately 10,000 calories – with notable instances of massive eating exist in sumo history.
Wrestlers purposely increase mass to enhance leverage during matches. Despite their size, they demonstrate remarkable flexibility, quick movements with strong bursts.
Virtually every aspect of wrestlers' existence are regulated through their training house and the Sumo Association – making a unique lifestyle in professional sports.
Competitive standing affects their payment, living arrangements including personal assistants.
Junior or lower ranked wrestlers perform duties around the heya, whereas senior ones enjoy preferred treatment.
Competitive standings get determined by results in six annual tournaments. Wrestlers with winning records advance, unsuccessful ones drop down the rankings.
Before each tournament, updated rankings are released – a ceremonial list showing all wrestlers' positions within the sport.
At the summit exists the rank of Yokozuna – the pinnacle position. Yokozuna represent the essence of sumo – transcending winning.
Who Becomes a Rikishi
There are approximately 600 rikishi in professional sumo, primarily from Japan.
International competitors have participated significantly over years, with Mongolian athletes reaching top levels in recent times.
Top champions feature global participants, including wrestlers from various nations reaching elite status.
Recently, young international aspirants have journeyed to Japan seeking professional sumo careers.
