🔗 Share this article

Few sports can keep viewers enthralled through 45 minutes of ritual before the opening contest is even contested.

Yet the intricate traditions unfolding in a traditional dohyō - virtually unchanged for hundreds of years - succeeded in doing so.

Discover the Prestigious Rikishi Event

This five-day event at the historic concert hall features numerous elite sumo wrestlers showcasing a sport whose first mention dates back to the first century BC.

London's renowned auditorium has been completely reimagined, complete with a elaborate suspended canopy hanging above the ring.

Ancient Traditions Meet Contemporary Displays

It is here the wrestlers, known as sumo professionals, perform their leg stomps to drive away dark forces, and where they strike their hands to attract the divine beings.

Above all this traditional ritual, a enormous circular monitor - which wouldn't look out of place at an NBA match - offers the spectators all the statistics and footage they could want.

International Enthusiasts Find Sumo

For one dedicated fan, it was a "unexpected footage" that first captivated her a couple of years ago.

This was quickly followed by the discovery of dedicated YouTube channels for training facilities, where athletes reside and practice, rising before dawn to practice, followed by a nutritious chankonabe and then an afternoon nap - all in the pursuit of increasing mass.

From Edinburgh, Another Perspective

Another couple discovered sumo through a established path: a journey to Asia six years ago.

"We approached it as a common sightseeing event, but we actually ended up loving the sport," notes the enthusiast.

"After that, we tried to find communities, information, just to deepen our understanding about it," her partner continues.

Special Event

Traveling to Asia is almost the only way to see a elite competition.

This current tournament marks only the second occasion the tournament has visited the city - the previous visit was in 1991.

Even traveling to Asia isn't certain of getting a seat, with current times seeing completely booked tournaments.

Live Observation

For many attendees, the London tournament represents the premier chance they have experienced the sport directly - and it exceeds expectations.

"Observing directly, you get a sense of the speed and the force which you can't experience on TV," explains an attendee. "Their size is impressive."

The Matches

To achieve victory, one rikishi needs to force his opponent from the dohyō or to the surface using physical force.

The primary group use one of pair of techniques to achieve this, often in instantaneous actions - shoving, or grappling.

Either way, the noise of the two athletes meeting in the initial contact of the match resounds around the auditorium.

Premium Seating

The positions right next to the dohyō are of course highly prized - but also, a bit risky.

During one recent bout, a 191cm wrestler tumbled into the audience - perhaps making those in slightly cheaper seats breathe a sigh of relief.

Behind the Scenes

Of course, the dimensions of the athletes is one of the primary elements most people imagine when they consider the sport.

The facility's operators revealed they "were required to locate and buy new chairs which can take up to 200kg in weight."

But sumo - for all its successful competitions - is not without its challenges behind the scenes.

Coming Obstacles

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

Its popularity among young Japanese is also being competed with by different athletic pursuits, while Japan's falling birthrate will not help.

Worldwide Following

Not that any of this has concerned enthusiasts in London.

"Experiencing the tradition and practice that is part of sumo is especially significant," one enthusiast notes. "Now, seeing it directly, you feel like you are more part of it."

For other dedicated followers, the intensity "created amazing experiences" - as did interacting with the fellow enthusiasts.

"Leaving a highly specialized online community and being able to witness multiple sumo fans directly and being able to speak to other people who are just as into this as we are - it was completely valuable."