Why the Grand Sumo Tournament Takes Place in the UK Capital
The Grand Sumo Tournament
Venue: The Royal Albert Hall, London. Schedule: 15-19 October
Understanding Japan's National Sport
Sumo embodies the traditional sport of Japan, combining tradition, rigorous training and Shinto religious rituals with origins more than 1,000 years.
This physical contest features two wrestlers – called rikishi – battling inside a raised circular ring – a dohyo – measuring 4.55m (14.9 ft) in diameter.
Various rituals take place both preceding and following each bout, emphasizing the ceremonial aspects in sumo.
Customarily before a match, a hole is made at the center of the dohyo and filled with symbolic offerings through Shinto ceremonies.
This opening gets sealed, enshrining inside divine presence. The rikishi subsequently execute a ceremonial stomp with hand clapping to drive off negative energies.
Elite sumo operates under a strict hierarchy, and the wrestlers involved dedicate their entire lives to it – residing and practicing in group settings.
The London Location
The Grand Sumo Tournament is taking place internationally for just the second time, as the tournament occurring in London from Wednesday, 15 October through October 19th.
The British capital and The Royal Albert Hall previously held the 1991 tournament – the first time a tournament took place beyond Japan in the sport's history.
Explaining the reasoning behind going overseas, sumo leadership stated he wanted to share to the people of London sumo's attraction – an ancient traditional Japanese culture".
The sport has seen a significant rise in popularity globally in recent years, and a rare international tournament potentially enhancing the popularity of Japanese culture internationally.
How Sumo Matches Work
The basic rules in sumo wrestling are straightforward. The match concludes when a rikishi is forced out of the dohyo or makes contact with anything other than their foot soles.
Matches can conclude almost instantly or continue over two minutes.
Sumo features two main fighting styles. Pusher-thrusters generally push competitors from the arena by force, whereas grapplers prefer to grapple the other rikishi employing throwing techniques.
High-ranking rikishi frequently excel in multiple combat styles and can adapt to their opponents.
Sumo includes 82 winning techniques, including dramatic throws strategic evasions. The variety of techniques and strategies maintains fan interest, so surprises and upsets may happen during any match.
Weight classes are not used within sumo, making it normal to observe wrestlers of varying dimensions. Sumo rankings decides opponents instead of physical attributes.
Although female athletes do compete in amateur sumo worldwide, they cannot enter elite competitions or the main arenas.
Life as a Sumo Wrestler
Professional rikishi reside and practice together in training stables known as heya, led by a stable master.
Everyday life of a rikishi centers completely around the sport. They rise early dedicated to training, then consuming a large meal the traditional stew – a high-protein dish aimed at building mass – with rest periods.
The average wrestler consumes between six to 10 bowls per meal – thousands of calories – although legendary stories of extreme consumption exist in sumo history.
Wrestlers intentionally gain weight for competitive advantage during matches. Despite their size, they demonstrate surprising agility, rapid reflexes and explosive power.
Virtually every aspect of rikishi life are regulated through their training house and governing body – creating a unique lifestyle in professional sports.
Competitive standing affects their payment, accommodation options including personal assistants.
Younger or lower ranked rikishi perform duties around the heya, whereas senior ones enjoy special privileges.
Sumo rankings get determined through performance in six annual tournaments. Successful competitors move up, while those losing drop down in standing.
Before each tournament, updated rankings gets published – a traditional document displaying everyone's status within the sport.
The highest level features the title of Grand Champion – the ultimate achievement. Yokozuna embody the essence of sumo – transcending winning.
Sumo Wrestlers Demographics
The sport includes 600 rikishi in professional sumo, primarily being Japanese.
Foreign wrestlers have participated significantly over years, including Mongolian wrestlers achieving dominance in recent times.
Current Yokozuna include global participants, with competitors from various nations achieving high ranks.
Recently, young international aspirants have journeyed to Japan seeking professional sumo careers.
