London welcomed 40 of the world’s greatest sumo wrestlers last week as part of The Grand Sumo Tournament, marking the first time the event has been hosted in London in over 30 years.
The landmark occasion allowed Londoners to witness some brilliant instances of Rikishi (meaning “Power Men” in English) sightseeing, riding Lime bikes and pulling pints in the capital.
With an average weight of 160kg, the hefty sumo wrestlers were a striking presence on the streets of London, dressed in their traditional kimonos and zōri sandals.
The tournament took place from Wednesday to Sunday at the Royal Albert Hall, with all 25,000 seats sold out. The best seats in the house were also the most dangerous: guests were warned that wrestlers “may fall or be thrown from the ring”, so sitting near the action would be “entirely at their own risk.”
The RAH had quite the makeover for the event, with the Dohyoō (ring) and suspended roof built especially for the occasion and the photos of iconic musicians that typically decorate the corridors replaced with images of legendary Sumo stars.
Then there was what went on behind the scenes: toilets were reinforced (yes, really), 400 Kikkoman Soy Sauce bottles were purchased, and a noodle shortage meant that organisers needed to call in extra stock mid-way through the tournament. The Rikishi got through roughly 750 packets of instant noodles during their stay, which equates to eight packets a day, each.
“We’ve been making sure we have plenty of Bento boxes for the wrestlers. One box isn’t going to do it. I’ve been backstage and seen 100,” Matt Todd, director of programming at the RAH, told The Times.
While not at the venue, the wrestlers have been snacking on more quintessentially British cuisine, such as fish and chips, washed down with a pint of Guinness.
The event was won by Yokozuna Hoshoryu of Mongolia, who triumphed over his opponent Ōnosato Daiki of Japan on Sunday. While Hoshoryu may have been the smaller opponent, weighing in at 150kg to Ōnosato’s 191kg, he managed to win the fight in just 10 seconds, using all his weight to push Ōnosato out of the ring at speed.
“I'm just glad to have got through the five days with no injuries,” Hoshoryu told reporters. When asked how he planned to celebrate, he offered a cheeky smile and said: “I haven't thought about that yet, but I will do now.” Perhaps another Guinness was on the cards?
In pictures: Sumo wrestlers take on central London as part of The Grand Sumo Tournament
