Why the Grand Sumo Tournament Takes Place in London
The Grand Sumo Tournament
Location: The Royal Albert Hall, the British Capital. Dates: 15-19 October
Understanding Japan's National Sport
Sumo represents Japan's iconic national sport, blending tradition, rigorous training and ancient spiritual practices with origins over a millennium.
This physical contest involves two competitors – known as rikishi – battling within a circular arena – a dohyo – spanning 4.55 meters in diameter.
Various rituals are performed both preceding and following every match, emphasizing the ceremonial aspects of the sport.
Customarily prior to competition, a hole is created at the center of the dohyo then filled with nuts, squid, seaweed and sake through Shinto ceremonies.
The hole gets sealed, enshrining inside a spirit. Sumo wrestlers subsequently execute a ceremonial stomp with hand clapping to scare away bad spirits.
Professional sumo is governed a strict hierarchy, with competitors who participate dedicate their entire lives to it – living and training in group settings.
The London Location
The Grand Sumo Tournament is taking place internationally only the second occasion, as the tournament occurring in London beginning October 15th through October 19th.
The British capital with this iconic venue also hosted the 1991 tournament – the first time such an event took place outside Japan in sumo history.
Clarifying the decision behind going overseas, sumo leadership expressed the intention to "convey with London audiences sumo's attraction – a historic Japanese tradition".
Sumo has seen substantial growth in popularity 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 of sumo are straightforward. The match concludes once a wrestler is forced out from the ring or touches the floor with anything other than their foot soles.
Matches can conclude in a fraction of a second or last over two minutes.
Sumo features two primary techniques. Aggressive pushers typically shove competitors out of the ring through strength, while belt-fighters choose to grip their opponent and use judo-like throws.
High-ranking rikishi frequently excel in multiple combat styles adjusting to their opponents.
Sumo includes 82 winning techniques, including dramatic throws strategic evasions. This diversity in moves and tactics keeps audiences engaged, so surprises and upsets may happen in any bout.
Weight classes do not exist within sumo, so it's common to see rikishi of varying dimensions. Sumo rankings determine matchups rather than body measurements.
While women can participate in non-professional sumo worldwide, they're excluded from elite competitions including major venues.
Life as a Sumo Wrestler
Sumo wrestlers reside and practice together in training stables known as heya, under 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 protein-rich preparation aimed at building mass – with rest periods.
The average wrestler consumes between multiple servings each sitting – thousands of calories – although legendary stories of massive eating exist in sumo history.
Rikishi purposely increase mass to enhance leverage during matches. Despite their size, they possess surprising agility, quick movements with strong bursts.
Nearly all elements of wrestlers' existence are regulated through their training house and the Sumo Association – making a distinctive existence among athletic professions.
Competitive standing affects their payment, living arrangements including support staff.
Junior or lower ranked rikishi handle chores in the stable, while higher ranked ones enjoy special privileges.
Competitive standings are established through performance in six annual tournaments. Wrestlers with winning records move up, while those losing drop down the rankings.
Prior to events, updated rankings gets published – a ceremonial list displaying all wrestlers' positions in professional sumo.
The highest level features the title of Yokozuna – the pinnacle position. Yokozuna represent the essence of the sport – transcending winning.
Who Becomes a Rikishi
There are approximately several hundred wrestlers in professional sumo, primarily being Japanese.
International competitors have participated prominently for decades, 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 traveled to Japan pursuing wrestling careers.
