Why This Major Sumo Event is Being Held in the UK Capital
This Prestigious Sumo Competition
Location: This Historic London Venue, the British Capital. Schedule: October 15th through 19th
Exploring Sumo Wrestling
Sumo embodies Japan's iconic national sport, combining tradition, discipline and Shinto religious rituals with origins over a millennium.
This physical contest features two wrestlers – called rikishi – competing within a circular arena – a dohyo – spanning 4.55 meters across.
Various rituals are performed before and after each bout, emphasizing the ceremonial aspects in sumo.
Customarily prior to competition, an opening is made in the center of the ring and filled with nuts, squid, seaweed and sake through Shinto ceremonies.
The hole is closed, enshrining inside a spirit. Sumo wrestlers then perform a ritual stamp with hand clapping to drive off bad spirits.
Professional sumo operates under a rigid ranking system, with competitors involved dedicate their entire lives to it – residing and practicing in group settings.
Why London?
The Grand Sumo Tournament is being held outside of Japan only the second occasion, as the tournament taking place in London from Wednesday, 15 October through October 19th.
London with this iconic venue also hosted the 1991 edition – the first time such an event was staged beyond Japan in the sport's history.
Explaining the reasoning behind going overseas, the Japan Sumo Association chair expressed he wanted to "convey with London audiences the appeal of Sumo – an ancient traditional Japanese culture".
The sport has experienced substantial growth in popularity globally recently, with overseas events could further boost the appeal of Japanese culture internationally.
Sumo Bout Mechanics
The basic rules of sumo are straightforward. The bout concludes when a rikishi is forced out from the ring or makes contact with anything other than the sole of his feet.
Bouts might end in a fraction of a second or continue over two minutes.
There exist two main fighting styles. Aggressive pushers typically shove their opponents from the arena by force, while belt-fighters choose to grip their opponent employing judo-like throws.
High-ranking rikishi 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, so surprises and upsets can occur in any bout.
Weight classes are not used in sumo, so it's common to see rikishi of varying dimensions. The ranking system decides opponents instead of physical attributes.
While women do compete in amateur sumo worldwide, they cannot enter elite competitions including major venues.
Life as a Sumo Wrestler
Professional rikishi reside and practice together in training stables known as heya, under a stable master.
Everyday life for wrestlers centers completely on sumo. They rise early for intense practice, followed by a substantial lunch of chankonabe – a high-protein dish aimed at building mass – with rest periods.
The average wrestler eats approximately six to 10 bowls per meal – thousands of calories – with notable instances of extreme consumption exist in sumo history.
Wrestlers purposely increase mass for competitive advantage during matches. Despite their size, they possess remarkable flexibility, rapid reflexes and explosive power.
Nearly all elements of wrestlers' existence are regulated by their stable and the Sumo Association – creating a distinctive existence in professional sports.
A wrestler's ranking affects earnings, accommodation options including personal assistants.
Younger less established wrestlers handle chores around the heya, while higher ranked ones enjoy preferred treatment.
Competitive standings are established through performance during yearly events. Wrestlers with winning records move up, while those losing drop down in standing.
Before each tournament, updated rankings gets published – a ceremonial list displaying all wrestlers' positions in professional sumo.
At the summit exists the rank of Yokozuna – the pinnacle position. These champions represent the spirit of the sport – transcending winning.
Who Becomes a Rikishi
There are approximately several hundred wrestlers competing professionally, primarily from Japan.
International competitors have been involved prominently for decades, including Mongolian wrestlers achieving dominance currently.
Current Yokozuna include global participants, with competitors from various nations achieving high ranks.
Recently, young international aspirants have traveled to Japan pursuing wrestling careers.
