The Reason the Grand Sumo Tournament is Being Held in London
The Grand Sumo Tournament
Location: This Historic London Venue, London. Schedule: 15-19 October
Exploring Japan's National Sport
Sumo embodies the traditional sport of Japan, combining custom, discipline and ancient spiritual practices dating back over a millennium.
This physical contest features two wrestlers β called rikishi β battling within a circular arena β a dohyo β spanning 4.55 meters in diameter.
Various rituals are performed both preceding and following every match, emphasizing the ceremonial aspects in sumo.
Customarily before a match, an opening is created at the center of the dohyo and filled with symbolic offerings through Shinto ceremonies.
The hole is closed, enshrining inside a spirit. The rikishi subsequently execute a ceremonial stomp with hand clapping to scare away bad spirits.
Professional sumo operates under a strict hierarchy, with competitors who participate dedicate their entire lives to it β residing and practicing communally.
Why London?
The Grand Sumo Tournament is being held internationally for just the second time, with the competition taking place in London from Wednesday, 15 October through October 19th.
London and The Royal Albert Hall previously held the 1991 edition β the first time a tournament took place beyond Japan in the sport's history.
Clarifying the decision behind going overseas, sumo leadership stated he wanted to share to the people of London sumo's attraction β a historic Japanese tradition".
The sport has seen substantial growth in international interest among international fans recently, and a rare international tournament could further boost the popularity of Japanese culture internationally.
Sumo Bout Mechanics
The basic rules in sumo wrestling are straightforward. The bout is decided once a wrestler gets pushed of the dohyo or touches the floor using anything besides their foot soles.
Matches might end in a fraction of a second or continue several minutes.
There exist two primary techniques. Aggressive pushers generally push competitors out of the ring by force, whereas grapplers choose to grip their opponent and use judo-like throws.
Elite wrestlers frequently excel in multiple combat styles adjusting to their opponents.
Sumo includes 82 winning techniques, ranging from audacious throws to clever side-steps. This diversity in moves and tactics maintains fan interest, so surprises and upsets may happen during any match.
Size categories are not used within sumo, making it normal to observe wrestlers with significant size differences. The ranking system decides opponents instead of physical attributes.
While women can participate in non-professional sumo worldwide, they cannot enter elite competitions or the main arenas.
Life as a Sumo Wrestler
Professional rikishi live and train together in training stables known as heya, led by a head trainer.
The daily routine for wrestlers centers completely on sumo. Early mornings for intense practice, then consuming a large meal of chankonabe β a protein-rich preparation designed for weight gain β and an afternoon nap.
The average wrestler eats approximately multiple servings each sitting β approximately 10,000 calories β with notable instances of extreme consumption exist in sumo history.
Rikishi intentionally gain weight for competitive advantage during matches. Although large, they demonstrate remarkable flexibility, rapid reflexes and explosive power.
Nearly all elements of rikishi life get controlled through their training house and the Sumo Association β creating a distinctive existence among athletic professions.
Competitive standing determines earnings, living arrangements and even personal assistants.
Younger less established wrestlers perform duties around the heya, while higher ranked ones enjoy special privileges.
Competitive standings get determined by results during yearly events. Wrestlers with winning records move up, unsuccessful ones descend in standing.
Before each tournament, a new banzuke are released β a traditional document displaying everyone's status within the sport.
At the summit features the title of Yokozuna β the ultimate achievement. Yokozuna embody the essence of sumo β beyond mere competition.
Who Becomes a Rikishi
The sport includes 600 rikishi in professional sumo, primarily from Japan.
International competitors have been involved prominently for decades, including Mongolian wrestlers reaching top levels currently.
Top champions include global participants, including wrestlers multiple countries reaching elite status.
In recent news, foreign prospects have traveled to Japan pursuing professional sumo careers.
