Why the Grand Sumo Tournament is Being Held in the UK Capital
The Grand Sumo Tournament
Venue: This Historic London Venue, London. Dates: 15-19 October
Exploring Japan's National Sport
Sumo embodies the traditional sport of Japan, blending tradition, discipline and ancient spiritual practices with origins more than 1,000 years.
This physical contest involves two competitors – known as rikishi – battling within a circular arena – a dohyo – spanning 4.55 meters across.
Various rituals take place both preceding and following each bout, highlighting the traditional nature in sumo.
Customarily before a match, a hole is created in the center of the ring and filled with nuts, squid, seaweed and sake by Shinto priests.
The hole is closed, containing within a spirit. The rikishi subsequently execute a ritual stamp with hand clapping to scare away bad spirits.
Elite sumo is governed a rigid ranking system, and the wrestlers involved dedicate their entire lives to the sport – residing and practicing communally.
Why London?
The Grand Sumo Tournament is being held outside of Japan only the second occasion, with the competition occurring in London from Wednesday, 15 October until Sunday, 19 October.
The British capital with this iconic venue previously held the 1991 edition – marking the initial occasion such an event was staged outside Japan in the sport's history.
Clarifying the decision for the international competition, the Japan Sumo Association chair expressed the intention to share to the people of London sumo's attraction – an ancient traditional Japanese culture".
Sumo has experienced substantial growth in international interest among international fans recently, and a rare international tournament potentially enhancing the appeal of Japanese culture abroad.
How Sumo Matches Work
The fundamental regulations of sumo are straightforward. The match is decided once a wrestler gets pushed of the dohyo or touches the floor using anything besides the sole of his feet.
Bouts can conclude in a fraction of a second or continue several minutes.
Sumo features two main fighting styles. Aggressive pushers generally push competitors from the arena through strength, while belt-fighters choose to grip the other rikishi employing throwing techniques.
High-ranking rikishi often master multiple combat styles and can adapt against different styles.
Sumo includes 82 winning techniques, including dramatic throws to clever side-steps. The variety of techniques and strategies keeps audiences engaged, so surprises and upsets may happen 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.
While women can participate in non-professional sumo worldwide, they're excluded from elite competitions including major venues.
Life as a Sumo Wrestler
Sumo wrestlers live and train in communal facilities called heya, led by a head trainer.
Everyday life for wrestlers centers completely on sumo. They rise early for intense practice, followed by a large meal of chankonabe – a high-protein dish designed for weight gain – with rest periods.
The average wrestler consumes between six to 10 bowls each sitting – thousands of calories – with notable instances of massive eating are documented.
Wrestlers intentionally gain weight to enhance leverage in the ring. Despite their size, they demonstrate surprising agility, quick movements and explosive power.
Nearly all elements of rikishi life get controlled through their training house and the Sumo Association – creating a distinctive existence in professional sports.
Competitive standing determines earnings, living arrangements and even personal assistants.
Younger less established rikishi handle chores around the heya, while higher ranked ones enjoy preferred treatment.
Sumo rankings get determined by results in six annual tournaments. Successful competitors move up, while those losing drop down the rankings.
Before each tournament, a new banzuke gets published – a traditional document displaying everyone's status within the sport.
The highest level exists the rank of Grand Champion – the ultimate achievement. Yokozuna represent the spirit of the sport – transcending winning.
Who Becomes a Rikishi
The sport includes 600 rikishi in professional sumo, with most being Japanese.
International competitors have been involved prominently over years, including Mongolian wrestlers achieving dominance currently.
Top champions feature international representatives, with competitors from various nations achieving high ranks.
Recently, young international aspirants have traveled to the homeland seeking professional sumo careers.
