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The Grand Sumo Tournament

Location: This Historic London Venue, London. Dates: October 15th through 19th

Exploring Japan's National Sport

Sumo embodies Japan's iconic national sport, blending tradition, discipline and ancient spiritual practices with origins more than 1,000 years.

This physical contest features two wrestlers – known as rikishi – competing inside a raised circular ring – the dohyo – spanning 4.55 meters in diameter.

Traditional ceremonies are performed before and after every match, emphasizing the ceremonial aspects of the sport.

Customarily before a match, an opening is made at the center of the ring and filled with nuts, squid, seaweed and sake by Shinto priests.

The hole gets sealed, enshrining inside a spirit. The rikishi then perform a ceremonial stomp with hand clapping to drive off negative energies.

Elite sumo operates under a rigid ranking system, and the wrestlers who participate dedicate their entire lives to the sport – residing and practicing communally.

The London Location

This Major Sumo Event is taking place outside of Japan for just the second time, as the tournament occurring in London beginning October 15th through October 19th.

London and The Royal Albert Hall previously held the 1991 tournament – marking the initial occasion such an event took place beyond Japan in sumo history.

Clarifying the decision 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 experienced substantial growth in international interest among international fans recently, and a rare international tournament potentially enhancing the appeal of Japanese culture internationally.

Sumo Bout Mechanics

The basic rules of sumo are quite simple. The bout concludes once a wrestler gets pushed of the dohyo or touches the floor using anything besides the sole of his feet.

Matches might end in a fraction of a second or last several minutes.

Sumo features two main fighting styles. Aggressive pushers generally push competitors out of the ring through strength, whereas grapplers choose to grip their opponent and use throwing techniques.

Elite wrestlers frequently excel in various techniques adjusting to their opponents.

Sumo includes dozens of victory moves, including audacious throws strategic evasions. This diversity in moves and tactics maintains fan interest, so surprises and upsets can occur during any match.

Size categories do not exist within sumo, so it's common to observe wrestlers of varying dimensions. The ranking system determine matchups rather than physical attributes.

While women do compete in amateur sumo globally, they're excluded from elite competitions or the main arenas.

Rikishi Lifestyle

Professional rikishi live and train together in training stables known as heya, under a stable master.

The daily routine for wrestlers centers completely on sumo. Early mornings dedicated to training, then consuming a large meal of chankonabe – a high-protein dish designed for weight gain – with rest periods.

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

Rikishi purposely increase mass for competitive advantage during matches. Despite their size, they possess remarkable flexibility, quick movements and explosive power.

Virtually every aspect of rikishi life get controlled through their training house and governing body – making a distinctive existence in professional sports.

A wrestler's ranking affects their payment, accommodation options including support staff.

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

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

Before each tournament, updated rankings are released – a traditional document showing everyone's status in professional sumo.

The highest level features the title of Grand Champion – the ultimate achievement. Yokozuna represent the spirit of the sport – transcending winning.

Who Becomes a Rikishi

The sport includes 600 rikishi in professional sumo, primarily from Japan.

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

Top champions feature international representatives, including wrestlers multiple countries reaching elite status.

In recent news, foreign prospects have traveled to the homeland pursuing professional sumo careers.