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This Prestigious Sumo Competition

Venue: This Historic London Venue, London. Dates: 15-19 October

Exploring Japan's National Sport

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

This physical contest involves two competitors – called rikishi – battling within a circular arena – the dohyo – spanning 4.55 meters across.

Traditional ceremonies are performed before and after each bout, emphasizing the traditional nature of the sport.

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

The hole gets sealed, containing within a spirit. Sumo wrestlers subsequently execute a ritual stamp with hand clapping to scare away bad spirits.

Elite sumo operates under a strict hierarchy, with competitors who participate commit completely to it – living and training communally.

The London Location

This Major Sumo Event is being held outside of Japan for just the second time, with the competition occurring in London from Wednesday, 15 October through October 19th.

The British capital with this iconic venue also hosted the 1991 tournament – the first time such an event took place beyond Japan in sumo history.

Explaining the reasoning behind going overseas, the Japan Sumo Association chair stated he wanted to share with London audiences the appeal of Sumo – an ancient traditional Japanese culture".

Sumo has seen a significant rise in international interest among international fans in recent years, with overseas events could further boost the popularity of Japanese culture abroad.

How Sumo Matches Work

The basic rules in sumo wrestling are quite simple. The match is decided when a rikishi gets pushed of the dohyo or touches the floor with anything other than their foot soles.

Matches can conclude in a fraction of a second or continue over two minutes.

There exist two main fighting styles. Aggressive pushers typically shove competitors out of the ring through strength, whereas grapplers prefer to grapple the other rikishi and use throwing techniques.

High-ranking rikishi frequently excel in various techniques and can adapt against different styles.

Sumo includes dozens of victory moves, including dramatic throws strategic evasions. The variety of techniques and strategies keeps audiences engaged, meaning unexpected results can occur in any bout.

Weight classes are not used within sumo, so it's common to see rikishi with significant size differences. The ranking system determine matchups instead of body measurements.

While women do compete in non-professional sumo worldwide, they cannot enter professional tournaments or the main arenas.

Rikishi Lifestyle

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

Everyday life for wrestlers focuses entirely around the sport. They rise early for intense practice, followed by a large meal the traditional stew – a high-protein dish designed for weight gain – with rest periods.

Typical rikishi eats approximately six to 10 bowls per meal – approximately 10,000 calories – with notable instances of extreme consumption exist in sumo history.

Rikishi intentionally gain weight for competitive advantage in the ring. Although large, they demonstrate surprising agility, rapid reflexes with strong bursts.

Nearly all elements of wrestlers' existence are regulated by their stable and governing body – creating a distinctive existence among athletic professions.

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

Younger less established rikishi handle chores around the heya, while higher ranked ones enjoy special privileges.

Sumo rankings get determined by results in six annual tournaments. Wrestlers with winning records advance, while those losing descend the rankings.

Before each tournament, a new banzuke gets published – a traditional document displaying all wrestlers' positions within the sport.

The highest level features the title of Grand Champion – the pinnacle position. These champions embody the spirit of sumo – beyond mere competition.

Who Becomes a Rikishi

There are approximately several hundred wrestlers competing professionally, with most from Japan.

International competitors have participated significantly over years, including Mongolian wrestlers achieving dominance currently.

Current Yokozuna feature global participants, with competitors from various nations achieving high ranks.

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