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This Prestigious Sumo Competition

Venue: This Historic London Venue, the British Capital. Schedule: 15-19 October

Understanding Japan's National Sport

Sumo represents Japan's iconic national sport, blending custom, rigorous training and Shinto religious rituals with origins over a millennium.

This combat sport involves two competitors – known as rikishi – competing inside a raised circular ring – a dohyo – measuring 4.55m (14.9 ft) across.

Various rituals are performed before and after every match, emphasizing the traditional nature in sumo.

Customarily before a match, a hole is created at the center of the dohyo then filled with nuts, squid, seaweed and sake through Shinto ceremonies.

This opening gets sealed, containing within a spirit. Sumo wrestlers then perform a ritual stamp with hand clapping to scare away negative energies.

Elite sumo operates under a rigid ranking system, and the wrestlers involved dedicate their entire lives to the sport – residing and practicing communally.

Why London?

This Major Sumo Event is taking place outside of Japan for just the second time, as the tournament occurring in London from Wednesday, 15 October until Sunday, 19 October.

London with this iconic venue also hosted the 1991 edition – marking the initial occasion a tournament took place outside Japan in sumo history.

Clarifying the decision for the international competition, the Japan Sumo Association chair expressed he wanted to share with London audiences sumo's attraction – an ancient traditional Japanese culture".

The sport has seen 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 straightforward. The bout is decided when a rikishi gets pushed of the dohyo or makes contact with anything other than their foot soles.

Bouts might end almost instantly or last over two minutes.

There exist two primary techniques. Aggressive pushers generally push competitors out of the ring through strength, whereas grapplers prefer to grapple the other rikishi and use judo-like throws.

High-ranking rikishi often master various techniques adjusting to their opponents.

Sumo includes dozens of victory moves, including dramatic throws strategic evasions. This diversity of techniques and strategies keeps audiences engaged, so surprises and upsets may happen during any match.

Size categories do not exist in sumo, so it's common to observe wrestlers of varying dimensions. Sumo rankings determine matchups instead of physical attributes.

While women can participate in non-professional sumo globally, they're excluded from professional tournaments or the main arenas.

Life as a Sumo Wrestler

Sumo wrestlers live and train in communal facilities known as heya, under a head trainer.

The daily routine of a rikishi focuses entirely around the sport. Early mornings for intense practice, followed by a substantial lunch of chankonabe – a protein-rich preparation aimed at building mass – with rest periods.

Typical rikishi eats approximately six to 10 bowls each sitting – approximately 10,000 calories – although legendary stories of massive eating are documented.

Rikishi purposely increase mass to enhance leverage during matches. Despite their size, they possess remarkable flexibility, rapid reflexes and explosive power.

Virtually every aspect of rikishi life get controlled by their stable and the Sumo Association – making a distinctive existence in professional sports.

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

Younger less established wrestlers handle chores in the stable, whereas senior ones enjoy preferred treatment.

Competitive standings get determined by results in six annual tournaments. Wrestlers with winning records advance, while those losing descend the rankings.

Prior to events, 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 essence of sumo – beyond mere competition.

Who Becomes a Rikishi

There are approximately several hundred wrestlers competing professionally, with most being Japanese.

International competitors have participated significantly over years, including Mongolian wrestlers achieving dominance in recent times.

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

Recently, foreign prospects have journeyed to the homeland pursuing wrestling careers.