The Reason This Major Sumo Event is Being Held in the UK Capital
This Prestigious Sumo Competition
Location: This Historic London Venue, the British Capital. Dates: 15-19 October
Exploring Sumo Wrestling
Sumo embodies Japan's iconic national sport, combining custom, rigorous training and ancient spiritual practices dating back over a millennium.
This physical contest involves two competitors – called rikishi – battling inside a raised circular ring – a dohyo – spanning 4.55 meters in diameter.
Traditional ceremonies are performed before and after each bout, highlighting the traditional nature of the sport.
Traditionally before a match, an opening is created in the center of the ring and filled with symbolic offerings by Shinto priests.
The hole gets sealed, containing within a spirit. Sumo wrestlers then perform a ceremonial stomp with hand clapping to scare away bad spirits.
Elite sumo operates under a strict hierarchy, and the wrestlers involved dedicate their entire lives to it – living and training communally.
Why London?
This Major Sumo Event is being held outside of Japan for just the second time, with the competition taking place in London from Wednesday, 15 October through October 19th.
The British capital 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 for the international competition, sumo leadership expressed he wanted to share with London audiences sumo's attraction – an ancient traditional Japanese culture".
The sport has experienced a significant rise in international interest among international fans recently, with overseas events potentially enhancing the popularity of traditional Japan abroad.
How Sumo Matches Work
The basic rules of sumo are quite simple. The match is decided once a wrestler is forced out of the dohyo or touches the floor using anything besides their foot soles.
Bouts can conclude almost instantly or continue several minutes.
Sumo features two primary techniques. Pusher-thrusters typically shove their opponents from the arena by force, whereas grapplers choose to grip the other rikishi and use judo-like throws.
Elite wrestlers frequently excel in multiple combat styles and can adapt to their opponents.
There are 82 winning techniques, ranging from dramatic throws strategic evasions. The variety in moves and tactics maintains fan interest, meaning unexpected results may happen in any bout.
Weight classes do not exist within sumo, making it normal to see rikishi with significant size differences. The ranking system determine matchups instead of physical attributes.
While women do compete in non-professional sumo worldwide, they cannot enter elite competitions or the main arenas.
Life as a Sumo Wrestler
Professional rikishi reside and practice in communal facilities known as heya, under a head trainer.
The daily routine for wrestlers centers completely on sumo. Early mornings dedicated to training, then consuming a large meal the traditional stew – a protein-rich preparation aimed at building mass – with rest periods.
The average wrestler consumes between multiple servings each sitting – approximately 10,000 calories – with notable instances of massive eating exist in sumo history.
Rikishi purposely increase mass for competitive advantage in the ring. Despite their size, they possess remarkable flexibility, rapid reflexes and explosive power.
Nearly all elements of rikishi life get controlled by their stable and governing body – creating a unique lifestyle in professional sports.
Competitive standing determines earnings, living arrangements including support staff.
Junior less established wrestlers perform duties around the heya, whereas senior competitors receive special privileges.
Competitive standings are established by results during yearly events. Wrestlers with winning records move up, while those losing descend in standing.
Before each tournament, updated rankings gets published – a ceremonial list showing everyone's status within the sport.
The highest level features the title of Grand Champion – the pinnacle position. These champions represent the spirit of the sport – beyond mere competition.
Who Becomes a Rikishi
The sport includes several hundred wrestlers in professional sumo, primarily from Japan.
International competitors have participated significantly for decades, with Mongolian athletes reaching top levels currently.
Top champions feature international representatives, with competitors multiple countries reaching elite status.
In recent news, young international aspirants have traveled to the homeland seeking professional sumo careers.
