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The Grand Sumo Tournament

Venue: The Royal Albert Hall, the British Capital. Schedule: 15-19 October

Exploring Japan's National Sport

Sumo embodies Japan's iconic national sport, combining tradition, discipline and Shinto religious rituals dating back over a millennium.

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

Traditional ceremonies take place both preceding and following each bout, highlighting the ceremonial aspects in sumo.

Traditionally prior to competition, an opening is created at the center of the ring then filled with symbolic offerings by Shinto priests.

This opening gets sealed, containing within divine presence. The rikishi then perform a ceremonial stomp with hand clapping to drive off bad spirits.

Professional sumo operates under a strict hierarchy, and the wrestlers involved dedicate their entire lives to the sport – residing and practicing in group settings.

Why London?

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

London with this iconic venue previously held the 1991 edition – the first time a tournament was staged beyond Japan in the sport's history.

Explaining the reasoning behind going overseas, sumo leadership expressed he wanted to share with London audiences the appeal of Sumo – an ancient traditional Japanese culture".

The sport has experienced a significant rise in popularity globally recently, and a rare international tournament could further boost the popularity of traditional Japan internationally.

How Sumo Matches Work

The fundamental regulations in sumo wrestling are straightforward. The bout concludes when a rikishi is forced out of the dohyo or touches the floor with anything other than their foot soles.

Bouts can conclude in a fraction of a second or last several minutes.

There exist two main fighting styles. Aggressive pushers typically shove competitors out of the ring by force, while belt-fighters prefer to grapple the other rikishi employing judo-like throws.

Elite wrestlers often master various techniques and can adapt to their opponents.

There are dozens of victory moves, including dramatic throws strategic evasions. The variety of techniques and strategies maintains fan interest, meaning unexpected results may happen in any bout.

Weight classes are not used in sumo, so it's common to observe wrestlers with significant size differences. Sumo rankings decides opponents rather than body measurements.

Although female athletes do compete in amateur sumo worldwide, they cannot enter elite competitions including major venues.

Rikishi Lifestyle

Professional rikishi live and train in communal facilities known as heya, led by a stable master.

Everyday life for wrestlers focuses entirely on sumo. They rise early for intense practice, followed by a substantial lunch the traditional stew – a high-protein dish aimed at building mass – and an afternoon nap.

The average wrestler eats approximately multiple servings each sitting – approximately 10,000 calories – with notable instances of extreme consumption exist in sumo history.

Wrestlers purposely increase mass for competitive advantage during matches. Despite their size, they possess surprising agility, rapid reflexes with strong bursts.

Nearly all elements of rikishi life are regulated by their stable and governing body – creating a distinctive existence in professional sports.

Competitive standing determines their payment, accommodation options and even support staff.

Junior or lower ranked wrestlers handle chores in the stable, while higher ranked ones enjoy preferred treatment.

Sumo rankings are established through performance during yearly events. Successful competitors advance, while those losing descend the rankings.

Prior to events, updated rankings are released – a ceremonial list displaying everyone's status within the sport.

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

Who Becomes a Rikishi

There are approximately 600 rikishi competing professionally, with most from Japan.

International competitors have been involved significantly for decades, including Mongolian wrestlers reaching top levels in recent times.

Current Yokozuna feature international representatives, with competitors multiple countries achieving high ranks.

In recent news, young international aspirants have journeyed to Japan pursuing wrestling careers.