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This Prestigious Sumo Competition

Location: The Royal Albert Hall, London. Dates: 15-19 October

Understanding Japan's National Sport

Sumo embodies the traditional sport of Japan, combining tradition, rigorous training and ancient spiritual practices with origins over a millennium.

This combat sport features two wrestlers – known as rikishi – competing within a circular arena – a dohyo – spanning 4.55 meters across.

Various rituals are performed both preceding and following each bout, highlighting the ceremonial aspects in sumo.

Customarily prior to competition, an opening is created at the center of the dohyo then filled with nuts, squid, seaweed and sake by Shinto priests.

This opening gets sealed, enshrining inside divine presence. The rikishi subsequently execute a ceremonial stomp and clap to drive off negative energies.

Professional sumo operates under a strict hierarchy, with competitors who participate dedicate their entire lives to it – residing and practicing communally.

The London Location

The Grand Sumo Tournament is being held internationally for just the second time, with the competition occurring 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 outside Japan in the sport's history.

Explaining the reasoning behind going overseas, the Japan Sumo Association chair expressed he wanted to share with London audiences sumo's attraction – a historic Japanese tradition".

The sport has seen substantial growth in international interest among international fans recently, with overseas events potentially enhancing the appeal of traditional Japan internationally.

How Sumo Matches Work

The basic rules of sumo are quite simple. The match concludes once a wrestler is forced out 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.

Sumo features two main fighting styles. Aggressive pushers typically shove their opponents out of the ring through strength, while belt-fighters prefer to grapple their opponent employing throwing techniques.

Elite wrestlers frequently excel in multiple combat styles and can adapt against different styles.

There are dozens of victory moves, ranging from audacious throws to clever side-steps. The variety of techniques and strategies maintains fan interest, meaning unexpected results may happen during any match.

Size categories do not exist within sumo, so it's common to observe wrestlers of varying dimensions. The ranking system determine matchups instead of physical attributes.

Although female athletes do compete in amateur sumo globally, they cannot enter elite competitions or the main arenas.

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 on sumo. Early mornings for intense practice, followed by a large meal the traditional stew – a protein-rich preparation designed for weight gain – with rest periods.

Typical rikishi consumes between multiple servings per meal – thousands of calories – with notable instances of massive eating are documented.

Wrestlers intentionally gain weight to enhance leverage during matches. Although large, they possess surprising agility, rapid reflexes with strong bursts.

Nearly all elements of wrestlers' existence get controlled by their stable and governing body – making a unique lifestyle among athletic professions.

A wrestler's ranking affects their payment, accommodation options including support staff.

Junior or lower ranked wrestlers handle chores around the heya, while higher ranked ones enjoy special privileges.

Competitive standings get determined by results in six annual tournaments. Wrestlers with winning records move up, unsuccessful ones descend in standing.

Before each tournament, updated rankings are released – a traditional document displaying everyone's status within the sport.

At the summit features the title of Yokozuna – the pinnacle position. Yokozuna represent the essence of the sport – transcending winning.

Sumo Wrestlers Demographics

There are approximately 600 rikishi competing professionally, primarily from Japan.

Foreign wrestlers have been involved prominently for decades, with Mongolian athletes reaching top levels in recent times.

Top champions feature global participants, with competitors multiple countries achieving high ranks.

Recently, foreign prospects have journeyed to the homeland seeking wrestling careers.