Why This Major Sumo Event is Being Held in the UK Capital
This Prestigious Sumo Competition
Location: This Historic London Venue, the British Capital. Dates: October 15th through 19th
Understanding Sumo Wrestling
Sumo embodies Japan's iconic national sport, blending tradition, rigorous training and ancient spiritual practices with origins over a millennium.
This physical contest involves two competitors – called rikishi – battling inside a raised circular ring – the dohyo – measuring 4.55m (14.9 ft) across.
Traditional ceremonies are performed before and after every match, emphasizing the ceremonial aspects of the sport.
Traditionally before a match, an opening is made at the center of the ring and filled with nuts, squid, seaweed and sake by Shinto priests.
This opening gets sealed, enshrining inside a spirit. The rikishi then perform a ceremonial stomp and clap to drive off bad spirits.
Elite sumo is governed a strict hierarchy, with competitors who participate dedicate their entire lives to the sport – living and training in group settings.
Why London?
This Major Sumo Event is taking place outside of Japan only the second occasion, with the competition taking place in London from Wednesday, 15 October through October 19th.
London and The Royal Albert Hall also hosted the 1991 edition – marking the initial occasion a tournament was staged outside Japan in sumo history.
Clarifying the decision for the international competition, sumo leadership stated the intention to share with London audiences the appeal of Sumo – a historic Japanese tradition".
The sport has seen substantial growth in international interest globally recently, and a rare international tournament could further boost the appeal of traditional Japan internationally.
How Sumo Matches Work
The basic rules of sumo are quite simple. The match concludes once a wrestler gets pushed of the dohyo or makes contact using anything besides their foot soles.
Matches can conclude in a fraction of a second or last over two minutes.
Sumo features two primary techniques. Pusher-thrusters typically shove competitors out of the ring through strength, whereas grapplers choose to grip their opponent and use judo-like throws.
Elite wrestlers often master multiple combat styles and can adapt against different styles.
Sumo includes 82 winning techniques, including dramatic throws to clever side-steps. This diversity in moves and tactics maintains fan interest, meaning unexpected results can occur during any match.
Size categories are not used within sumo, making it normal to observe wrestlers of varying dimensions. Sumo rankings determine matchups rather than body measurements.
While women can participate in amateur sumo worldwide, they cannot enter professional tournaments including major venues.
Life as a Sumo Wrestler
Sumo wrestlers reside and practice together in training stables called heya, under a stable master.
The daily routine for wrestlers centers completely around the sport. They rise early dedicated to training, followed by a large meal the traditional stew – a high-protein dish designed for weight gain – with rest periods.
The average wrestler consumes between multiple servings each sitting – thousands of calories – with notable instances of extreme consumption are documented.
Rikishi purposely increase mass to enhance leverage in the ring. Despite their size, they possess surprising agility, quick movements with strong bursts.
Nearly all elements 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 support staff.
Younger or lower ranked wrestlers handle chores around the heya, while higher ranked competitors receive preferred treatment.
Competitive standings get determined through performance in six annual tournaments. Wrestlers with winning records advance, while those losing descend in standing.
Before each tournament, updated rankings gets published – a traditional document displaying all wrestlers' positions within the sport.
At the summit features the title of Grand Champion – the ultimate achievement. These champions represent the spirit of sumo – beyond mere competition.
Who Becomes a Rikishi
The sport includes several hundred wrestlers in professional sumo, with most being Japanese.
Foreign wrestlers have been involved significantly for decades, including Mongolian wrestlers achieving dominance currently.
Top champions include global participants, including wrestlers multiple countries achieving high ranks.
In recent news, young international aspirants have traveled to Japan pursuing professional sumo careers.
