Why the Grand Sumo Tournament is Being Held in London
This Prestigious Sumo Competition
Venue: This Historic London Venue, the British Capital. Schedule: October 15th through 19th
Understanding Sumo Wrestling
Sumo represents the traditional sport of Japan, combining tradition, discipline and Shinto religious rituals with origins more than 1,000 years.
This combat sport involves two competitors – called rikishi – battling inside a raised circular ring – the dohyo – spanning 4.55 meters in diameter.
Traditional ceremonies take place both preceding and following every match, emphasizing the traditional nature of the sport.
Customarily prior to competition, an opening is created in the center of the dohyo then filled with symbolic offerings by Shinto priests.
This opening gets sealed, enshrining inside a spirit. The rikishi then perform a ceremonial stomp with hand clapping to scare away bad spirits.
Elite sumo is governed a strict hierarchy, and the wrestlers who participate dedicate their entire lives to it – residing and practicing communally.
The London Location
The Grand Sumo Tournament is being held outside of Japan for just the second time, with the competition taking place in London beginning October 15th until Sunday, 19 October.
London and The Royal Albert Hall also hosted the 1991 edition – marking the initial occasion such an event took place outside Japan in sumo history.
Explaining the reasoning behind going overseas, sumo leadership stated he wanted to share to the people of London sumo's attraction – a historic Japanese tradition".
Sumo has seen substantial growth in popularity among international fans in recent years, with overseas events potentially enhancing the popularity of Japanese culture abroad.
How Sumo Matches Work
The fundamental regulations in sumo wrestling are straightforward. The bout concludes once a wrestler gets pushed from the ring or touches the floor with anything other than the sole of his feet.
Matches might end in a fraction of a second or continue over two minutes.
There exist two main fighting styles. Pusher-thrusters generally push their opponents from the arena through strength, whereas grapplers prefer to grapple their opponent employing judo-like throws.
Elite wrestlers frequently excel in multiple combat styles and can adapt against different styles.
Sumo includes dozens of victory moves, including dramatic throws to clever side-steps. The variety in moves and tactics maintains fan interest, meaning unexpected results may happen during any match.
Size categories are not used in sumo, so it's common to see rikishi of varying dimensions. Sumo rankings determine matchups rather than body measurements.
While women do compete in amateur sumo globally, they're excluded from professional tournaments or the main arenas.
Life as a Sumo Wrestler
Professional rikishi live and train in communal facilities known as heya, led by a stable master.
Everyday life of a rikishi focuses entirely on sumo. Early mornings for intense practice, followed by a large meal of chankonabe – a protein-rich preparation aimed at building mass – with rest periods.
Typical rikishi consumes between multiple servings per meal – thousands of calories – with notable instances of extreme consumption are documented.
Wrestlers purposely increase mass for competitive advantage during matches. Although large, they demonstrate surprising agility, quick movements and explosive power.
Nearly all elements of rikishi life get controlled by their stable and the Sumo Association – creating a distinctive existence among athletic professions.
A wrestler's ranking determines their payment, accommodation options and even support staff.
Younger or lower ranked wrestlers handle chores around the heya, whereas senior ones enjoy preferred treatment.
Sumo rankings are established through performance during yearly events. Successful competitors advance, while those losing descend the rankings.
Prior to events, updated rankings are released – a traditional document displaying everyone's status in professional sumo.
The highest level exists the rank of Yokozuna – the pinnacle position. Yokozuna embody the essence of the sport – transcending winning.
Who Becomes a Rikishi
There are approximately 600 rikishi competing professionally, with most being Japanese.
International competitors have participated prominently over years, including Mongolian wrestlers achieving dominance in recent times.
Current Yokozuna feature global participants, including wrestlers from various nations achieving high ranks.
In recent news, young international aspirants have journeyed to the homeland seeking professional sumo careers.
