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The Grand Sumo Tournament

Location: The Royal Albert Hall, the British Capital. Dates: October 15th through 19th

Exploring Japan's National Sport

Sumo embodies Japan's iconic national sport, combining tradition, rigorous training and ancient spiritual practices dating back over a millennium.

This combat sport involves two competitors – known as rikishi – competing inside a raised circular ring – the dohyo – spanning 4.55 meters across.

Various rituals are performed before and after each bout, highlighting the traditional nature of the sport.

Customarily before a match, a hole is made in the center of the ring and filled with symbolic offerings by Shinto priests.

The hole gets sealed, enshrining inside a spirit. Sumo wrestlers subsequently execute a ceremonial stomp and clap to scare away bad spirits.

Elite sumo operates under a strict hierarchy, with competitors involved commit completely to it – living and training in group settings.

Why London?

The Grand Sumo Tournament is being held outside of Japan only the second occasion, with the competition taking place in London from Wednesday, 15 October until Sunday, 19 October.

London with this iconic venue also hosted the 1991 edition – marking the initial occasion a tournament took place beyond Japan in the sport's history.

Clarifying the decision for the international competition, the Japan Sumo Association chair expressed the intention to "convey to the people of London sumo's attraction – a historic Japanese tradition".

Sumo has experienced a significant rise in popularity among international fans in recent years, with overseas events potentially enhancing the popularity of Japanese culture internationally.

Sumo Bout Mechanics

The basic rules of sumo are straightforward. The match concludes when a rikishi gets pushed from the ring or touches the floor with anything other than the sole of his feet.

Matches can conclude almost instantly or continue over two minutes.

Sumo features two main fighting styles. Pusher-thrusters generally push competitors from the arena through strength, while belt-fighters choose to grip their opponent and use throwing techniques.

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

There are dozens of victory moves, ranging from dramatic throws strategic evasions. This diversity of techniques and strategies keeps audiences engaged, meaning unexpected results may happen in any bout.

Size categories are not used within sumo, making it normal to observe wrestlers of varying dimensions. The ranking system decides opponents instead of physical attributes.

While women do compete in amateur sumo worldwide, they cannot enter elite competitions including major venues.

Life as a Sumo Wrestler

Professional rikishi reside and practice together in training stables known as heya, led by a stable master.

The daily routine of a rikishi centers completely around the sport. They rise early dedicated to training, then consuming a large meal of chankonabe – a protein-rich preparation aimed at building mass – with rest periods.

The average wrestler consumes between six to 10 bowls per meal – thousands of calories – although legendary stories of massive eating are documented.

Wrestlers purposely increase mass to enhance leverage in the ring. Although large, they possess remarkable flexibility, quick movements with strong bursts.

Virtually every aspect of wrestlers' existence get controlled by their stable and the Sumo Association – making a distinctive existence in professional sports.

A wrestler's ranking affects earnings, accommodation options including personal assistants.

Younger or lower ranked wrestlers handle chores around the heya, whereas senior ones enjoy special privileges.

Sumo rankings get determined through performance in six annual tournaments. Successful competitors advance, while those losing descend the rankings.

Prior to events, updated rankings gets published – a traditional document showing all wrestlers' positions within the sport.

At the summit features the title of Grand Champion – the ultimate achievement. These champions represent the essence of the sport – beyond mere competition.

Who Becomes a Rikishi

There are approximately 600 rikishi in professional sumo, primarily being Japanese.

Foreign wrestlers have been involved prominently over years, with Mongolian athletes achieving dominance currently.

Current Yokozuna feature global participants, with competitors multiple countries reaching elite status.

Recently, foreign prospects have journeyed to Japan pursuing professional sumo careers.