Why This Major Sumo Event is Being Held in London
The Grand Sumo Tournament
Venue: This Historic London Venue, London. Dates: 15-19 October
Understanding Sumo Wrestling
Sumo embodies the traditional sport of Japan, combining custom, rigorous training and Shinto religious rituals with origins more than 1,000 years.
This combat sport features two wrestlers – called rikishi – battling inside a raised circular ring – the dohyo – spanning 4.55 meters in diameter.
Traditional ceremonies take place before and after each bout, highlighting the ceremonial aspects of the sport.
Traditionally before a match, a hole is made at the center of the ring and filled with nuts, squid, seaweed and sake by Shinto priests.
The hole gets sealed, enshrining inside a spirit. The rikishi subsequently execute a ceremonial stomp with hand clapping to scare away negative energies.
Professional sumo is governed a strict hierarchy, and the wrestlers involved commit completely to it – residing and practicing in group settings.
Why London?
This Major Sumo Event is taking place outside of Japan for just the second time, with the competition occurring in London beginning October 15th until Sunday, 19 October.
London with this iconic venue previously held the 1991 tournament – the first time such an event took place beyond Japan in sumo history.
Explaining the reasoning behind going overseas, sumo leadership expressed he wanted to share with London audiences the appeal of Sumo – a historic Japanese tradition".
Sumo has seen a significant rise in international interest globally recently, and a rare international tournament potentially enhancing the popularity of Japanese culture internationally.
How Sumo Matches Work
The fundamental regulations in sumo wrestling are quite simple. The bout is decided once a wrestler is forced out from the ring or makes contact with anything other than the sole of his feet.
Bouts might end almost instantly or continue several minutes.
There exist two main fighting styles. Pusher-thrusters typically shove their opponents out of the ring through strength, whereas grapplers prefer to grapple their opponent and use judo-like throws.
Elite wrestlers often master multiple combat styles and can adapt to their opponents.
Sumo includes dozens of victory moves, including dramatic throws to clever side-steps. The variety of techniques and strategies maintains fan interest, so surprises and upsets can occur during any match.
Size categories do not exist within sumo, making it normal to observe wrestlers with significant size differences. Sumo rankings decides opponents instead of physical attributes.
Although female athletes do compete in amateur sumo worldwide, they cannot enter professional tournaments or the main arenas.
Life as a Sumo Wrestler
Professional rikishi live and train in communal facilities called heya, led by a stable master.
Everyday life for wrestlers focuses entirely on sumo. They rise early dedicated to training, then consuming a substantial lunch the traditional stew – a protein-rich preparation aimed at building mass – with rest periods.
Typical rikishi eats approximately multiple servings each sitting – approximately 10,000 calories – although legendary stories of extreme consumption exist in sumo history.
Wrestlers intentionally gain weight to enhance leverage during matches. Although large, they possess remarkable flexibility, rapid reflexes with strong bursts.
Virtually every aspect of rikishi life are regulated through their training house and governing body – making a unique lifestyle among athletic professions.
Competitive standing affects earnings, living arrangements including support staff.
Younger or lower ranked wrestlers perform duties around the heya, whereas senior competitors receive preferred treatment.
Competitive standings are established by results in six annual tournaments. Successful competitors move up, unsuccessful ones descend the rankings.
Prior to events, updated rankings are released – a traditional document displaying everyone's status in professional sumo.
At the summit features the title of Grand Champion – the ultimate achievement. These champions embody the essence of the sport – beyond mere competition.
Who Becomes a Rikishi
The sport includes several hundred wrestlers competing professionally, with most being Japanese.
Foreign wrestlers have been involved prominently for decades, with Mongolian athletes reaching top levels currently.
Current Yokozuna include international representatives, including wrestlers multiple countries achieving high ranks.
In recent news, foreign prospects have traveled to the homeland pursuing professional sumo careers.
