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This Prestigious Sumo Competition

Location: The Royal Albert Hall, the British Capital. Dates: 15-19 October

Exploring Sumo Wrestling

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

This combat sport features two wrestlers – known as rikishi – competing within a circular arena – the dohyo – measuring 4.55m (14.9 ft) across.

Various rituals are performed both preceding and following every match, emphasizing the traditional nature of the sport.

Customarily before a match, a hole is made in the center of the ring then filled with nuts, squid, seaweed and sake through Shinto ceremonies.

The hole is closed, enshrining inside divine presence. Sumo wrestlers subsequently execute a ritual stamp with hand clapping to scare away bad spirits.

Elite sumo operates under a strict hierarchy, with competitors who participate commit completely to it – residing and practicing in group settings.

The London Location

The Grand Sumo Tournament is being held internationally for just the second time, as the tournament taking place in London beginning October 15th through October 19th.

The British capital and The Royal Albert Hall previously held the 1991 edition – the first time such an event was staged outside Japan in sumo history.

Clarifying the decision for the international competition, the Japan Sumo Association chair expressed the intention to share with London audiences sumo's attraction – a historic Japanese tradition".

The sport has seen a significant rise in international interest globally recently, and a rare international tournament could further boost the appeal of traditional Japan internationally.

How Sumo Matches Work

The basic rules in sumo wrestling are quite simple. The bout concludes once a wrestler gets pushed from the ring or touches the floor with anything other than their foot soles.

Matches might end in a fraction of a second or last over two minutes.

There exist two main fighting styles. Aggressive pushers generally push competitors out of the ring through strength, whereas grapplers choose to grip their opponent and use judo-like throws.

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 of techniques and strategies keeps audiences engaged, meaning unexpected results may happen during any match.

Weight classes do not exist within sumo, so it's common to see rikishi with significant size differences. The ranking system decides opponents instead of physical attributes.

Although female athletes do compete in amateur sumo globally, they cannot enter professional tournaments or the main arenas.

Life as a Sumo Wrestler

Sumo wrestlers reside and practice together in training stables called heya, led by a stable master.

Everyday life for wrestlers focuses entirely on sumo. Early mornings for intense practice, then consuming a large meal of chankonabe – a protein-rich preparation aimed at building mass – with rest periods.

Typical rikishi consumes between multiple servings each sitting – approximately 10,000 calories – with notable instances of extreme consumption exist in sumo history.

Wrestlers purposely increase mass for competitive advantage in the ring. Although large, they possess surprising agility, quick movements with strong bursts.

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

Competitive standing determines earnings, living arrangements including personal assistants.

Younger less established rikishi perform duties around the heya, whereas senior ones enjoy special privileges.

Competitive standings are established by results during yearly events. Successful competitors move up, while those losing descend in standing.

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

At the summit exists the rank of Yokozuna – the ultimate achievement. Yokozuna embody the essence of the sport – beyond mere competition.

Who Becomes a Rikishi

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

Foreign wrestlers have been involved significantly for decades, including Mongolian wrestlers reaching top levels in recent times.

Top champions feature international representatives, including wrestlers from various nations achieving high ranks.

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