Source link : https://london-news.net/sumo-spectacle-how-londons-grand-tournament-bridged-ancient-rituals-with-modern-fandom/
Few sports can enthrall an audience for 45 minutes of ritual before the first competitive moment even arrives.
However, the elaborate traditions displayed in a modest clay circle—largely unchanged for centuries—managed to captivate just that.
Welcome to the Grand Sumo Tournament, a five-day spectacle held at the Royal Albert Hall, showcasing 40 of the finest sumo wrestlers in a sport that has roots dating back to 23 BC.
The historic Victorian concert hall has undergone a remarkable transformation, now featuring a six-ton Japanese temple roof suspended above the ring.
Here, the wrestlers, referred to as rikishi, will perform their distinctive leg stomps to ward off evil spirits and clap their hands to attract the attention of the deities.
Above this ancient ritual, a massive, rotating LED screen, reminiscent of those seen at American basketball games, provides the crowd with all the statistics and replays they could desire.
While sumo is steeped in tradition—with stringent rules dictating every aspect of a rikishi’s behavior—it continues to thrive in a contemporary era.
This modern environment is pivotal in introducing sumo to audiences beyond Japan.
Sian Spencer’s fascination began with a “random video” she stumbled upon a couple of years ago.
Following this, she found specialized YouTube channels for various sumo stables, where rikishi live and train, rising early to practice, followed by a nutritious chankonabe stew and an afternoon rest—an effort to…
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Publish date : 2025-10-18 16:25:00
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