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This Prestigious Sumo Competition

Venue: This Historic London Venue, the British Capital. Schedule: October 15th through 19th

Understanding Japan's National Sport

Sumo represents Japan's iconic national sport, blending tradition, rigorous training and ancient spiritual practices dating back over a millennium.

This combat sport features two wrestlers – known as rikishi – competing inside a raised circular ring – a dohyo – spanning 4.55 meters in diameter.

Various rituals are performed both preceding and following each bout, emphasizing the traditional nature of the sport.

Customarily prior to competition, a hole is made in the center of the dohyo then filled with symbolic offerings through Shinto ceremonies.

The hole gets sealed, enshrining inside a spirit. Sumo wrestlers then perform a ceremonial stomp with hand clapping to scare away bad spirits.

Elite sumo operates under a rigid ranking system, and the wrestlers who participate commit completely to it – residing and practicing communally.

The London Location

This Major Sumo Event is taking place internationally only the second occasion, as the tournament taking place in London from Wednesday, 15 October through October 19th.

The British capital and The Royal Albert Hall previously held the 1991 edition – marking the initial occasion such an event took place beyond Japan in the sport's history.

Explaining the reasoning behind going overseas, the Japan Sumo Association chair expressed he wanted to "convey to the people of London the appeal of Sumo – an ancient traditional Japanese culture".

The sport has experienced a significant rise in popularity globally recently, and a rare international tournament could further boost the popularity of traditional Japan internationally.

Sumo Bout Mechanics

The fundamental regulations in sumo wrestling are straightforward. The bout is decided when a rikishi is forced out of the dohyo or touches the floor with anything other than their foot soles.

Matches might end almost instantly or last several minutes.

There exist two main fighting styles. Pusher-thrusters generally push their opponents out of the ring by force, whereas grapplers prefer to grapple their opponent and use throwing techniques.

Elite wrestlers frequently excel in various techniques and can adapt to their opponents.

Sumo includes 82 winning techniques, ranging from audacious throws to clever side-steps. The variety in moves and tactics keeps audiences engaged, so surprises and upsets may happen in any bout.

Weight classes do not exist within sumo, making it normal to observe wrestlers with significant size differences. The ranking system decides opponents rather than body measurements.

While women can participate in non-professional sumo globally, they're excluded from elite competitions or the main arenas.

Rikishi Lifestyle

Professional rikishi live and train together in training stables known as heya, led by a head trainer.

Everyday life of a rikishi centers completely around the sport. They rise early dedicated to training, followed by a large meal of chankonabe – a protein-rich preparation aimed at building mass – with rest periods.

Typical rikishi eats approximately six to 10 bowls per meal – thousands of calories – with notable instances of massive eating are documented.

Wrestlers intentionally gain weight for competitive advantage in the ring. Despite their size, they possess remarkable flexibility, quick movements with strong bursts.

Virtually every aspect of wrestlers' existence are regulated through their training house and the Sumo Association – creating a unique lifestyle in professional sports.

A wrestler's ranking affects earnings, living arrangements and even personal assistants.

Junior less established wrestlers perform duties in the stable, whereas senior ones enjoy preferred treatment.

Sumo rankings are established through performance in six annual tournaments. Wrestlers with winning records advance, unsuccessful ones drop down the rankings.

Before each tournament, updated rankings are released – a ceremonial list showing all wrestlers' positions in professional sumo.

At the summit features the title of Yokozuna – the ultimate achievement. These champions embody the spirit of the sport – transcending winning.

Who Becomes a Rikishi

There are approximately several hundred wrestlers in professional sumo, primarily from Japan.

International competitors have been involved significantly over years, with Mongolian athletes achieving dominance currently.

Current Yokozuna feature global participants, including wrestlers multiple countries achieving high ranks.

In recent news, young international aspirants have journeyed to the homeland pursuing professional sumo careers.