🔗 Share this article

Few sports can captivate an audience through three-quarters of an hour of tradition before the first point is even decided.

Yet the detailed ceremonies unfolding in a traditional dohyō - virtually unchanged for hundreds of years - managed to do just that.

Experience the Grand Sumo Tournament

This week-long competition at the iconic London venue features 40 of the very best sumo wrestlers showcasing a sport whose first mention dates back to the first century BC.

London's Victorian concert venue has been totally redesigned, complete with a elaborate suspended canopy hanging above the ring.

Time-Honored Rituals Meet Current Innovations

It is here the wrestlers, known as sumo professionals, perform their leg stomps to drive away evil spirits, and where they clap to get the attention of the gods.

Above all this ancient ceremony, a giant, revolving LED screen - which wouldn't look out of place at an American basketball game - offers the audience all the statistics and footage they could want.

Global Fans Discover Sumo

For one dedicated fan, it was a "random video" that first drew her interest a couple of years ago.

This was rapidly enhanced by the discovery of specialized online content for rikishi houses, where athletes reside and practice, rising before dawn to work out, followed by a protein-rich meal and then an daytime sleep - all in the service of bulking up.

Hailing from Scotland, Another Perspective

Different enthusiasts discovered sumo through a conventional method: a journey to Asia six years ago.

"We considered it a common sightseeing event, but we actually ended up loving the sport," explains the fan.

"Subsequently, we tried to find communities, resources, just to deepen our understanding about it," the other fan explains.

Rare Opportunity

Visiting the homeland is typically the sole method to see a elite competition.

This current tournament marks only the second time the tournament has appeared in the capital - the initial occasion was in over three decades ago.

Even going to Japan doesn't ensure of obtaining admission, with recent years seeing sold-out events.

In-Person Viewing

For multiple fans, the UK competition represents the premier chance they have experienced the sport directly - and it exceeds expectations.

"Seeing it up close, you get a understanding of quickness and the power which you won't feel on TV," explains an attendee. "Their stature is remarkable."

The Matches

To achieve victory, one competitor needs to move the other man from the dohyō or to the floor using raw power.

The primary group use one of dual approaches to accomplish this, often in split seconds - shoving, or clenching.

Either way, the noise of the two wrestlers meeting in the first moment of the match echoes around the venue.

Front Row Positions

The cushions right next to the competition area are of course highly prized - but also, potentially hazardous.

During one recent bout, a large wrestler tumbled into the audience - perhaps making those in more affordable locations breathe a sigh of relief.

Behind the Scenes

Of course, the dimensions of the athletes is one of the primary elements most people think of when they contemplate wrestling.

The hall's organizers revealed they "were required to locate and acquire reinforced furniture which can take up to 200kg in weight."

But sumo - for all its popular tournaments - is not without its troubles behind the scenes.

Coming Obstacles

Perhaps the strict life of a sumo wrestler doesn't look as desirable as it once might have.

Its following among the younger generation is also being challenged by other sports, while Japan's declining population will not help.

International Network

Not that any of this has worried fans in London.

"Experiencing the tradition and practice that goes with sumo is particularly meaningful," one enthusiast notes. "Now, seeing it in person, you feel like you are more part of it."

For other dedicated followers, the intensity "made it so incredible" - as did meeting the like-minded individuals.

"Leaving a particularly focused online community and being able to observe numerous sumo fans live and being able to chat with other people who are just as into this as we are - it was completely valuable."