Why the Grand Sumo Tournament is Being Held in London
The Grand Sumo Tournament
Venue: This Historic London Venue, London. Dates: October 15th through 19th
Exploring Japan's National Sport
Sumo represents Japan's iconic national sport, blending custom, discipline and ancient spiritual practices dating back more than 1,000 years.
This physical contest features two wrestlers – called rikishi – competing within a circular arena – a dohyo – spanning 4.55 meters across.
Traditional ceremonies take place both preceding and following every match, highlighting the ceremonial aspects of the sport.
Customarily before a match, an opening is made in the center of the ring then filled with nuts, squid, seaweed and sake by Shinto priests.
The hole gets sealed, enshrining inside a spirit. The rikishi subsequently execute a ceremonial stomp and clap to scare away bad spirits.
Professional sumo operates under a strict hierarchy, with competitors involved commit completely to it – residing and practicing communally.
Why London?
The Grand Sumo Tournament is being held outside of Japan for just the second time, with the competition occurring in London beginning October 15th until Sunday, 19 October.
The British capital with this iconic venue also hosted the 1991 edition – the first time a tournament took place beyond Japan in sumo history.
Explaining the reasoning for the international competition, the Japan Sumo Association chair stated the intention to share with London audiences sumo's attraction – a historic Japanese tradition".
Sumo has experienced substantial growth in international interest globally in recent years, and a rare international tournament could further boost the popularity of traditional Japan abroad.
How Sumo Matches Work
The basic rules in sumo wrestling are straightforward. The match is decided once a wrestler is forced out of the dohyo or touches the floor with anything other than their foot soles.
Matches can conclude in a fraction of a second or last several minutes.
There exist two main fighting styles. Pusher-thrusters generally push competitors from the arena by force, whereas grapplers prefer to grapple their opponent and use judo-like throws.
High-ranking rikishi often master multiple combat styles and can adapt to their opponents.
Sumo includes dozens of victory moves, ranging from dramatic throws strategic evasions. This diversity of techniques and strategies keeps audiences engaged, so surprises and upsets may happen in any bout.
Size categories do not exist within sumo, so it's common to observe wrestlers of varying dimensions. The ranking system decides opponents instead of body measurements.
Although female athletes can participate in non-professional sumo worldwide, they're excluded from professional tournaments or the main arenas.
Rikishi Lifestyle
Professional rikishi reside and practice together in training stables called heya, under a head trainer.
Everyday life of a rikishi centers completely on sumo. Early mornings dedicated to training, then consuming a substantial lunch of chankonabe – a protein-rich preparation aimed at building mass – with rest periods.
Typical rikishi consumes between six to 10 bowls each sitting – approximately 10,000 calories – with notable instances of massive eating exist in sumo history.
Wrestlers intentionally gain weight to enhance leverage during matches. Although large, they demonstrate surprising agility, rapid reflexes with strong bursts.
Nearly all elements of wrestlers' existence get controlled by their stable and governing body – creating a distinctive existence in professional sports.
A wrestler's ranking affects their payment, living arrangements and even personal assistants.
Younger or lower ranked wrestlers perform duties in the stable, whereas senior competitors receive special privileges.
Competitive standings get determined by results during yearly events. Wrestlers with winning records advance, unsuccessful ones descend the rankings.
Before each tournament, a new banzuke gets published – a traditional document displaying all wrestlers' positions within the sport.
At the summit features the title of Yokozuna – the pinnacle position. These champions represent the essence of the sport – beyond mere competition.
Who Becomes a Rikishi
The sport includes 600 rikishi in professional sumo, with most from Japan.
International competitors have participated prominently over years, with Mongolian athletes reaching top levels in recent times.
Top champions include international representatives, with competitors multiple countries achieving high ranks.
In recent news, young international aspirants have traveled to Japan pursuing professional sumo careers.
