Why the Grand Sumo Tournament is Being Held in London
This Prestigious Sumo Competition
Venue: The Royal Albert Hall, London. Schedule: 15-19 October
Understanding Japan's National Sport
Sumo embodies the traditional sport of Japan, combining tradition, discipline and Shinto religious rituals dating back over a millennium.
This physical contest involves two competitors – known as rikishi – competing within a circular arena – the dohyo – spanning 4.55 meters across.
Traditional ceremonies are performed before and after every match, highlighting the traditional nature of the sport.
Customarily prior to competition, an opening is made in the center of the dohyo and filled with nuts, squid, seaweed and sake by Shinto priests.
The hole gets sealed, containing within a spirit. The rikishi then perform a ceremonial stomp with hand clapping to scare away bad spirits.
Professional sumo operates under a rigid ranking system, with competitors who participate dedicate their entire lives to the sport – residing and practicing communally.
The London Location
This Major Sumo Event is being held outside of Japan for just the second time, with the competition occurring in London from Wednesday, 15 October until Sunday, 19 October.
The British capital and The Royal Albert Hall previously held the 1991 tournament – the first time such an event was staged outside Japan in sumo history.
Explaining the reasoning behind going overseas, sumo leadership expressed he wanted to share to the people of London the appeal of Sumo – a historic Japanese tradition".
The sport has seen substantial growth in popularity globally recently, with overseas events could further boost the popularity of Japanese culture internationally.
Sumo Bout Mechanics
The fundamental regulations of sumo are straightforward. The match is decided once a wrestler is forced out of the dohyo or makes contact using anything besides their foot soles.
Matches might end almost instantly or last over two minutes.
There exist two primary techniques. Aggressive pushers typically shove their opponents from the arena through strength, whereas grapplers prefer to grapple their opponent employing throwing techniques.
High-ranking rikishi frequently excel in multiple combat styles and can adapt to their opponents.
Sumo includes 82 winning techniques, ranging from audacious throws to clever side-steps. This diversity of techniques and strategies maintains fan interest, so surprises and upsets may happen during any match.
Size categories do not exist within sumo, so it's common to see rikishi of varying dimensions. The ranking system determine matchups rather than body measurements.
Although female athletes do compete in non-professional sumo globally, they cannot enter professional tournaments or the main arenas.
Life as a Sumo Wrestler
Sumo wrestlers live and train together in training stables known as heya, under a head trainer.
Everyday life for wrestlers centers completely on sumo. 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 – with notable instances of massive eating are documented.
Rikishi purposely increase mass for competitive advantage in the ring. Although large, they demonstrate remarkable flexibility, rapid reflexes with strong bursts.
Nearly all elements of wrestlers' existence get controlled by their stable and governing body – making a unique lifestyle among athletic professions.
Competitive standing determines earnings, living arrangements including personal assistants.
Junior less established wrestlers perform duties around the heya, whereas senior competitors receive special privileges.
Sumo rankings are established by results in six annual tournaments. Successful competitors advance, while those losing drop down in standing.
Prior to events, a new banzuke are released – a traditional document showing all wrestlers' positions in professional sumo.
The highest level exists the rank of Yokozuna – the ultimate achievement. Yokozuna embody the essence of sumo – transcending winning.
Who Becomes a Rikishi
There are approximately 600 rikishi competing professionally, primarily being Japanese.
International competitors have participated significantly over years, including Mongolian wrestlers reaching top levels in recent times.
Top champions feature global participants, with competitors multiple countries achieving high ranks.
Recently, young international aspirants have journeyed to the homeland seeking professional sumo careers.
