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The Grand Sumo Tournament

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

Understanding Sumo Wrestling

Sumo embodies Japan's iconic national sport, combining tradition, rigorous training and ancient spiritual practices with origins more than 1,000 years.

This combat sport involves two competitors – known as rikishi – battling inside a raised circular ring – the dohyo – spanning 4.55 meters across.

Various rituals are performed before and after each bout, highlighting the traditional nature of the sport.

Customarily before a match, an opening is created at the center of the dohyo and filled with nuts, squid, seaweed and sake by Shinto priests.

This opening gets sealed, enshrining inside a spirit. The rikishi subsequently execute a ceremonial stomp and clap to scare away bad spirits.

Elite sumo operates under a strict hierarchy, and the wrestlers who participate commit completely to it – living and training in group settings.

The London Location

This Major Sumo Event is taking place internationally for just the second time, as the tournament taking place in London from Wednesday, 15 October through October 19th.

London with this iconic venue previously held the 1991 tournament – marking the initial occasion a tournament was staged beyond Japan in the sport's history.

Clarifying the decision behind going overseas, the Japan Sumo Association chair stated the intention to "convey with London audiences sumo's attraction – an ancient traditional Japanese culture".

Sumo has seen a significant rise in international interest among international fans in recent years, and a rare international tournament could further boost the appeal of traditional Japan internationally.

Sumo Bout Mechanics

The basic rules in sumo wrestling are quite simple. The bout is decided once a wrestler is forced out from the ring or makes contact using anything besides their foot soles.

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

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

High-ranking rikishi frequently excel in multiple combat styles and can adapt against different styles.

There are dozens of victory moves, including dramatic throws strategic evasions. This diversity of techniques and strategies maintains fan interest, so surprises and upsets can occur in any bout.

Size categories are not used in sumo, making it normal to observe wrestlers with significant size differences. The ranking system decides opponents instead of physical attributes.

While women can participate in non-professional sumo globally, they're excluded from elite competitions including major venues.

Rikishi Lifestyle

Sumo wrestlers live and train in communal facilities called heya, under a stable master.

The daily routine of a rikishi centers completely around the sport. They rise early dedicated to training, then consuming a substantial lunch the traditional stew – a high-protein dish designed for weight gain – and an afternoon nap.

Typical rikishi consumes between multiple servings each sitting – thousands of calories – although legendary stories of extreme consumption exist in sumo history.

Wrestlers intentionally gain weight to enhance leverage during matches. Despite their size, they possess surprising agility, rapid reflexes and explosive power.

Virtually every aspect of wrestlers' existence are regulated by their stable and the Sumo Association – creating a unique lifestyle among athletic professions.

Competitive standing determines earnings, accommodation options including support staff.

Junior or lower ranked rikishi perform duties in the stable, whereas senior ones enjoy preferred treatment.

Sumo rankings get determined by results during yearly events. Wrestlers with winning records advance, while those losing drop down in standing.

Prior to events, a new banzuke gets published – a ceremonial list displaying all wrestlers' positions in professional sumo.

The highest level features the title of Yokozuna – the ultimate achievement. Yokozuna embody the spirit of the sport – transcending winning.

Sumo Wrestlers Demographics

There are approximately 600 rikishi in professional sumo, with most from Japan.

Foreign wrestlers have participated prominently for decades, with Mongolian athletes reaching top levels in recent times.

Current Yokozuna feature global participants, with competitors from various nations reaching elite status.

Recently, young international aspirants have traveled to the homeland seeking wrestling careers.