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The Grand Sumo Tournament

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

Understanding Sumo Wrestling

Sumo embodies Japan's iconic national sport, combining tradition, rigorous training and Shinto religious rituals with origins over a millennium.

This physical contest involves two competitors – known as rikishi – battling within a circular arena – a dohyo – spanning 4.55 meters across.

Traditional ceremonies take place before and after each bout, highlighting the ceremonial aspects in sumo.

Customarily before a match, a hole is created in the center of the ring then filled with symbolic offerings through Shinto ceremonies.

This opening gets sealed, enshrining inside divine presence. The rikishi then perform a ritual stamp and clap to drive off negative energies.

Professional sumo operates under a rigid ranking system, with competitors involved dedicate their entire lives to the sport – living and training communally.

Why London?

The Grand Sumo Tournament is taking place outside of Japan only the second occasion, with the competition occurring in London from Wednesday, 15 October until Sunday, 19 October.

London with this iconic venue previously held the 1991 tournament – marking the initial occasion a tournament was staged beyond Japan in sumo history.

Clarifying the decision for the international competition, sumo leadership stated the intention to share with London audiences the appeal of Sumo – an ancient traditional Japanese culture".

Sumo has seen substantial growth in popularity globally in recent years, with overseas events could further boost the appeal of traditional Japan internationally.

How Sumo Matches Work

The basic rules in sumo wrestling are quite simple. The bout is decided when a rikishi gets pushed of the dohyo or touches the floor using anything besides their foot soles.

Bouts might end almost instantly or last several minutes.

Sumo features two main fighting styles. Pusher-thrusters typically shove competitors from the arena through strength, whereas grapplers choose to grip their opponent and use judo-like throws.

Elite wrestlers often master various techniques adjusting against different styles.

There are dozens of victory moves, including audacious throws strategic evasions. This diversity in moves and tactics maintains fan interest, so surprises and upsets can occur during any match.

Size categories do not exist within sumo, making it normal to observe wrestlers of varying dimensions. The ranking system decides opponents instead of physical attributes.

While women can participate in amateur sumo globally, they cannot enter professional tournaments or the main arenas.

Rikishi Lifestyle

Professional rikishi live and train together in training stables known as heya, under a stable master.

The daily routine for wrestlers centers completely around the sport. 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 eats approximately multiple servings each sitting – thousands of calories – with notable instances of extreme consumption exist in sumo history.

Rikishi purposely increase mass for competitive advantage in the ring. Despite their size, they demonstrate surprising agility, quick movements and explosive power.

Virtually every aspect of wrestlers' existence are regulated through their training house and governing body – creating a distinctive existence among athletic professions.

Competitive standing affects earnings, living arrangements including personal assistants.

Younger or lower ranked wrestlers perform duties around the heya, whereas senior ones enjoy preferred treatment.

Sumo rankings are established through performance during yearly events. Wrestlers with winning records advance, unsuccessful ones descend the rankings.

Before each tournament, a new banzuke gets published – a traditional document displaying everyone's status in professional sumo.

At the summit features the title of Yokozuna – the ultimate achievement. Yokozuna embody the essence of sumo – transcending winning.

Sumo Wrestlers Demographics

The sport includes several hundred wrestlers in professional sumo, with most being Japanese.

International competitors have been involved prominently for decades, with Mongolian athletes achieving dominance in recent times.

Current Yokozuna feature international representatives, with competitors multiple countries achieving high ranks.

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