The Reason This Major Sumo Event is Being Held in London

The Grand Sumo Tournament

Location: This Historic London Venue, the British Capital. Schedule: October 15th through 19th

Exploring Sumo Wrestling

Sumo represents Japan's iconic national sport, blending tradition, rigorous training and ancient spiritual practices with origins over a millennium.

This combat sport involves two competitors – known as rikishi – competing inside a raised circular ring – a dohyo – spanning 4.55 meters in diameter.

Traditional ceremonies take place both preceding and following every match, emphasizing the ceremonial aspects of the sport.

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

The hole is closed, containing within a spirit. The rikishi subsequently execute a ceremonial stomp and clap to scare away negative energies.

Elite sumo operates under a strict hierarchy, and the wrestlers who participate 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 occurring in London from Wednesday, 15 October until Sunday, 19 October.

London and The Royal Albert Hall also hosted the 1991 tournament – marking the initial occasion a tournament took place beyond Japan in the sport's history.

Clarifying the decision for the international competition, sumo leadership expressed the intention to share to the people of London sumo's attraction – a historic Japanese tradition".

The sport has experienced substantial growth in international interest globally recently, with overseas events could further boost the appeal of Japanese culture internationally.

How Sumo Matches Work

The basic rules in sumo wrestling are quite simple. The bout concludes once a wrestler is forced out from the ring or makes contact with anything other than the sole of his feet.

Matches can conclude almost instantly or continue several minutes.

Sumo features two main fighting styles. Pusher-thrusters generally push competitors out of the ring by force, whereas grapplers choose to grip their opponent employing throwing techniques.

Elite wrestlers often master various techniques adjusting to their opponents.

There are 82 winning techniques, including dramatic throws to clever side-steps. This diversity of techniques and strategies maintains fan interest, meaning unexpected results may happen during any match.

Weight classes are not used in sumo, so it's common to see rikishi with significant size differences. Sumo rankings determine matchups rather than physical attributes.

Although female athletes do compete in amateur sumo worldwide, they're excluded from professional tournaments including major venues.

Life as a Sumo Wrestler

Sumo wrestlers live and train in communal facilities known as heya, under a stable master.

Everyday life for wrestlers focuses entirely around the sport. They rise early dedicated to training, followed by a substantial lunch of chankonabe – a protein-rich preparation aimed at building mass – and an afternoon nap.

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

Rikishi intentionally gain weight to enhance leverage in the ring. Although large, they possess surprising agility, rapid reflexes and explosive power.

Nearly all elements of rikishi life get controlled through their training house and the Sumo Association – creating a distinctive existence in professional sports.

Competitive standing affects earnings, living arrangements and even support staff.

Junior or lower ranked rikishi handle chores around the heya, while higher ranked competitors receive special privileges.

Competitive standings are established through performance in six annual tournaments. Successful competitors move up, while those losing descend in standing.

Before each tournament, a new banzuke are released – a ceremonial list showing everyone's status in professional sumo.

The highest level exists the rank of Grand Champion – the ultimate achievement. These champions represent the spirit of sumo – beyond mere competition.

Who Becomes a Rikishi

The sport includes 600 rikishi in professional sumo, with most being Japanese.

Foreign wrestlers have participated significantly for decades, including Mongolian wrestlers achieving dominance currently.

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

Recently, foreign prospects have traveled to the homeland seeking professional sumo careers.