BY OSABUOHIEN VIVIAN ROSE
The Royal Albert Hall has announced the return of Sumo wrestling after it was last hosted at the venue after three decades.
The Grand Sumo Tournament, which will last five days, is set to take place between 15-19 October next year. It will be hosted by the Royal Albert Hall 34 years after the first-ever official tournament outside of Japan was held there.
An elite crop of Makuuchi rikishi (wrestlers) from Japan’s top level Sumo division will go belly-belly in front of live audiences of Londoners as they compete for the coveted title of grand champion.
James Ainscough OBE, Chief Executive of the Royal Albert Hall said: “It’s a true honour for the Royal Albert Hall to be the only venue to ever host a Sumo basho outside Japan.
“This will be a historic occasion, and an incredible week of sport, athleticism, and culture.
“We can’t wait to share the rich heritage of this ancient sport with the British public.”
Each evening of sport will feature a dohyō-iri (ring entrance ceremony) and approximately 20 bouts of Sumo wrestling.
Sumo’s history stretches back over 1,500 years, with the only other instance of a grand tournament (or basho) being held outside of Japan being in 1991, again at the Royal Albert Hall.
Hakkaku Rijicho (Yokozuna Hokutoumi), Japan Sumo Association chairman and winner of the 1991 tournament said:
“I feel great joy and a strong sense of responsibility to be able to take part in the London Grand Sumo Tournament once again as chairman of the Japan Sumo Association, which I participated in as an active Yokozuna 34 years ago.
“I look forward to meeting many of you there.”
To accommodate the iconic Japanese sport the Royal Albert Hall will “transform into a temple of Sumo”, with an authentic soil and sand dohyō ring and a roof inspired by a Shinto shrine.
More than 40 wrestlers will compete, bringing the customs of Sumo with them, from hand-embroidered silk kesho-mawashi robes to ancient salt-throwing rituals.
H.E. Mr Suziki Hiroshi, Japanese Ambassador to the UK, also expressed the embassy’s strong support for the Tournament.
Tickets for the event will be available from early next year.
