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The Grand Sumo Tournament

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

Understanding Japan's National Sport

Sumo represents Japan's iconic national sport, combining tradition, discipline and Shinto religious rituals dating back more than 1,000 years.

This combat sport involves two competitors – known as rikishi – competing within a circular arena – the dohyo – spanning 4.55 meters in diameter.

Traditional ceremonies take place both preceding and following each bout, highlighting the traditional nature of the sport.

Customarily prior to competition, a hole is made in the center of the ring then filled with symbolic offerings by Shinto priests.

This opening gets sealed, enshrining inside divine presence. Sumo wrestlers then perform a ceremonial stomp with hand clapping to scare away negative energies.

Professional sumo operates under a rigid ranking system, with competitors involved dedicate their entire lives to it – residing and practicing in group settings.

Why London?

The Grand Sumo Tournament is taking place internationally only the second occasion, with the competition occurring in London beginning October 15th until Sunday, 19 October.

The British capital and The Royal Albert Hall previously held the 1991 edition – marking the initial occasion a tournament was staged outside Japan in the sport's history.

Clarifying the decision behind going overseas, sumo leadership stated he wanted to "convey with London audiences the appeal of Sumo – a historic Japanese tradition".

Sumo has seen substantial growth in popularity globally recently, and a rare international tournament potentially enhancing the popularity of traditional Japan abroad.

How Sumo Matches Work

The basic rules in sumo wrestling are straightforward. The match is decided once a wrestler gets pushed of the dohyo or makes contact with anything other than the sole of his feet.

Bouts might end in a fraction of a second or continue over two minutes.

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

Elite wrestlers frequently excel in multiple combat styles adjusting against different styles.

Sumo includes dozens of victory moves, including dramatic throws strategic evasions. This diversity in moves and tactics maintains fan interest, so surprises and upsets may happen in any bout.

Size categories do not exist within sumo, so it's common to see rikishi of varying dimensions. Sumo rankings decides opponents rather than physical attributes.

Although female athletes can participate in amateur sumo globally, they're excluded from elite competitions including major venues.

Rikishi Lifestyle

Professional rikishi reside and practice together in training stables known as heya, led by a head trainer.

The daily routine for wrestlers centers completely around the sport. Early mornings dedicated to training, then consuming a substantial lunch of chankonabe – a high-protein dish aimed at building mass – and an afternoon nap.

Typical rikishi eats approximately multiple servings each sitting – thousands of calories – although legendary stories of massive eating exist in sumo history.

Rikishi purposely increase mass to enhance leverage in the ring. Although large, they possess surprising agility, rapid reflexes and explosive power.

Nearly all elements of wrestlers' existence get controlled by their stable and the Sumo Association – creating a unique lifestyle among athletic professions.

A wrestler's ranking affects their payment, living arrangements including personal assistants.

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

Competitive standings get determined through performance in six annual tournaments. Successful competitors move up, unsuccessful ones drop down the rankings.

Before each tournament, a new banzuke are released – a ceremonial list showing all wrestlers' positions within the sport.

The highest level exists the rank of Yokozuna – the ultimate achievement. These champions represent the spirit of the sport – transcending winning.

Who Becomes a Rikishi

The sport includes several hundred wrestlers competing professionally, primarily being Japanese.

Foreign wrestlers have participated significantly over years, with Mongolian athletes achieving dominance currently.

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

Recently, young international aspirants have journeyed to the homeland pursuing wrestling careers.