The Reason the Grand Sumo Tournament is Being Held in the UK Capital
The Grand Sumo Tournament
Location: The Royal Albert Hall, the British Capital. Schedule: October 15th through 19th
Exploring Japan's National Sport
Sumo embodies Japan's iconic national sport, blending custom, discipline and ancient spiritual practices with origins over a millennium.
This physical contest involves two competitors – known as rikishi – competing inside a raised circular ring – a dohyo – measuring 4.55m (14.9 ft) across.
Various rituals take place both preceding and following every match, highlighting the traditional nature in sumo.
Traditionally prior to competition, an opening is created at the center of the dohyo and filled with symbolic offerings by Shinto priests.
This opening gets sealed, containing within a spirit. The rikishi subsequently execute a ceremonial stomp and clap to scare away negative energies.
Professional sumo operates under a rigid ranking system, with competitors involved commit completely to it – living and training communally.
Why London?
The Grand Sumo Tournament is taking place outside of Japan only the second occasion, with the competition taking place in London from Wednesday, 15 October until Sunday, 19 October.
London with this iconic venue previously held the 1991 tournament – the first time a tournament was staged beyond Japan in sumo history.
Explaining the reasoning behind going overseas, the Japan Sumo Association chair stated the intention to share with London audiences sumo's attraction – an ancient traditional Japanese culture".
Sumo has seen substantial growth in popularity among international fans recently, and a rare international tournament could further boost the appeal of Japanese culture internationally.
How Sumo Matches Work
The fundamental regulations in sumo wrestling are straightforward. The match concludes when a rikishi is forced out from the ring or touches the floor with anything other than their foot soles.
Matches might end almost instantly or continue several minutes.
There exist two main fighting styles. Aggressive pushers typically shove competitors from the arena by force, whereas grapplers prefer to grapple their opponent employing throwing techniques.
Elite wrestlers often master multiple combat styles adjusting against different styles.
There are dozens of victory moves, ranging from dramatic throws to clever side-steps. This diversity in moves and tactics keeps audiences engaged, so surprises and upsets can occur during any match.
Size categories do not exist within sumo, so it's common to observe wrestlers of varying dimensions. Sumo rankings decides opponents instead of physical attributes.
Although female athletes can participate in amateur sumo worldwide, they're excluded from professional tournaments including major venues.
Life as a Sumo Wrestler
Professional rikishi live and train together in training stables known as heya, led by a stable master.
The daily routine of a rikishi focuses entirely on sumo. They rise early dedicated to training, followed by a substantial lunch of chankonabe – a high-protein dish designed for weight gain – with rest periods.
Typical rikishi consumes between six to 10 bowls each sitting – approximately 10,000 calories – with notable instances of massive eating are documented.
Rikishi purposely increase mass for competitive advantage in the ring. Despite their size, they possess remarkable flexibility, quick movements and explosive power.
Virtually every aspect of rikishi life are regulated by their stable and the Sumo Association – creating a distinctive existence among athletic professions.
A wrestler's ranking determines their payment, living arrangements including personal assistants.
Junior less established wrestlers perform duties in the stable, whereas senior competitors receive preferred treatment.
Sumo rankings are established by results in six annual tournaments. Successful competitors move up, unsuccessful ones drop down in standing.
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 the sport – beyond mere competition.
Who Becomes a Rikishi
The sport includes several hundred wrestlers in professional sumo, with most from Japan.
Foreign wrestlers have participated significantly for decades, including Mongolian wrestlers reaching top levels in recent times.
Top champions include global participants, including wrestlers multiple countries achieving high ranks.
Recently, young international aspirants have traveled to the homeland pursuing professional sumo careers.
