Why the Grand Sumo Tournament is Being Held in London
The Grand Sumo Tournament
Venue: The Royal Albert Hall, the British Capital. Dates: 15-19 October
Exploring Japan's National Sport
Sumo represents the traditional sport of Japan, blending custom, discipline and ancient spiritual practices with origins more than 1,000 years.
This combat sport features two wrestlers – known as rikishi – battling inside a raised circular ring – a dohyo – spanning 4.55 meters across.
Various rituals take place both preceding and following each bout, emphasizing the traditional nature of the sport.
Customarily prior to competition, a hole is made at the center of the ring then filled with symbolic offerings by Shinto priests.
The hole gets sealed, enshrining inside divine presence. 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 involved dedicate their entire lives to it – residing and practicing communally.
The London Location
The Grand Sumo Tournament is being held outside of Japan only the second occasion, with the competition taking place in London beginning October 15th through October 19th.
London and The Royal Albert Hall also hosted the 1991 tournament – the first time a tournament took place outside Japan in sumo history.
Clarifying the decision behind going overseas, sumo leadership stated the intention to share with London audiences the appeal of Sumo – an ancient traditional Japanese culture".
The sport has seen a significant rise in popularity among international fans recently, and a rare international tournament could further boost the popularity of Japanese culture internationally.
How Sumo Matches Work
The fundamental regulations of sumo are straightforward. The bout concludes once a wrestler gets pushed of the dohyo or makes contact with anything other than their foot soles.
Bouts can conclude almost instantly or continue over two minutes.
Sumo features two main fighting styles. Aggressive pushers typically shove their opponents out of the ring through strength, whereas grapplers prefer to grapple their opponent employing throwing techniques.
High-ranking rikishi often master multiple combat styles adjusting to their opponents.
There are dozens of victory moves, ranging from dramatic throws strategic evasions. This diversity of techniques and strategies maintains fan interest, so surprises and upsets can occur in any bout.
Weight classes do not exist within sumo, making it normal to see rikishi of varying dimensions. Sumo rankings determine matchups instead of physical attributes.
Although female athletes can participate in amateur sumo worldwide, they cannot enter professional tournaments including major venues.
Rikishi Lifestyle
Sumo wrestlers reside and practice in communal facilities called heya, under a stable master.
The daily routine for wrestlers centers completely on sumo. They rise early for intense practice, then consuming a large meal the traditional stew – a high-protein dish aimed at building mass – and an afternoon nap.
The average wrestler consumes between six to 10 bowls per meal – thousands of calories – although legendary stories of massive eating exist in sumo history.
Wrestlers purposely increase mass for competitive advantage 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 the Sumo Association – making a unique lifestyle in professional sports.
A wrestler's ranking determines earnings, accommodation options including personal assistants.
Younger or lower ranked wrestlers perform duties in the stable, while higher ranked ones enjoy special privileges.
Sumo rankings are established by results during yearly events. Successful competitors move up, unsuccessful ones descend in standing.
Prior to events, updated rankings gets published – a traditional document showing all wrestlers' positions within the sport.
At the summit features the title of Yokozuna – the ultimate achievement. These champions represent the spirit of the sport – transcending winning.
Who Becomes a Rikishi
There are approximately 600 rikishi in professional sumo, primarily being Japanese.
Foreign wrestlers have participated prominently over years, including Mongolian wrestlers reaching top levels currently.
Current Yokozuna feature global participants, with competitors from various nations achieving high ranks.
Recently, young international aspirants have journeyed to the homeland pursuing professional sumo careers.
