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The Grand Sumo Tournament

Venue: The Royal Albert Hall, the British Capital. Dates: October 15th through 19th

Exploring Japan's National Sport

Sumo embodies Japan's iconic national sport, combining custom, rigorous training and Shinto religious rituals dating back over a millennium.

This physical contest features two wrestlers – known as rikishi – battling within a circular arena – the dohyo – measuring 4.55m (14.9 ft) in diameter.

Traditional ceremonies are performed both preceding and following every match, emphasizing the ceremonial aspects of the sport.

Traditionally before a match, an opening is made in the center of the dohyo then filled with nuts, squid, seaweed and sake through Shinto ceremonies.

The hole gets sealed, enshrining inside a spirit. The rikishi subsequently execute a ritual stamp and clap to drive off bad spirits.

Professional sumo is governed a rigid ranking system, with competitors involved dedicate their entire lives to the sport – living and training in group settings.

Why London?

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

London with this iconic venue also hosted the 1991 tournament – the first time such an event was staged outside Japan in sumo history.

Explaining the reasoning for the international competition, the Japan Sumo Association chair expressed the intention to "convey to the people of London sumo's attraction – an ancient traditional Japanese culture".

The sport has experienced a significant rise in popularity among international fans recently, with overseas events could further boost the popularity of Japanese culture internationally.

How Sumo Matches Work

The basic rules of sumo are straightforward. The match concludes when a rikishi is forced out from the ring or touches the floor with anything other than the sole of his feet.

Matches can conclude in a fraction of a second or last several minutes.

There exist two main fighting styles. Pusher-thrusters generally push competitors out of the ring by force, whereas grapplers choose to grip their opponent and use throwing techniques.

Elite wrestlers frequently excel in various techniques adjusting against different styles.

There are 82 winning techniques, including audacious 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 in sumo, so it's common to see rikishi of varying dimensions. The ranking system determine matchups instead of body measurements.

While women can participate in amateur sumo worldwide, they're excluded from professional tournaments or the main arenas.

Life as a Sumo Wrestler

Sumo wrestlers live and train together in training stables known as heya, led by a stable master.

The daily routine for wrestlers centers completely around the sport. Early mornings dedicated to training, followed by a substantial lunch the traditional stew – a protein-rich preparation designed for weight gain – and an afternoon nap.

The average wrestler eats approximately multiple servings per meal – approximately 10,000 calories – although legendary stories of massive eating exist in sumo history.

Wrestlers purposely increase mass to enhance leverage in the ring. Despite their size, they demonstrate surprising agility, quick movements and explosive power.

Virtually every aspect of wrestlers' existence get controlled by their stable and governing body – making a distinctive existence among athletic professions.

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

Junior less established rikishi perform duties around the heya, whereas senior competitors receive preferred treatment.

Competitive standings get determined by results during yearly events. Wrestlers with winning records move up, while those losing drop down the rankings.

Prior to events, a new banzuke gets published – a ceremonial list showing everyone's status within the sport.

At the summit exists the rank of Yokozuna – the ultimate achievement. Yokozuna embody the essence of sumo – transcending winning.

Who Becomes a Rikishi

The sport includes 600 rikishi competing professionally, with most from Japan.

Foreign wrestlers have participated prominently for decades, with Mongolian athletes reaching top levels currently.

Top champions include global participants, including wrestlers from various nations reaching elite status.

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