LONDON — It’s safe to say they’re making their presence felt.
Japan’s top sumo wrestlers were wandering the streets of London ahead of the sold-out Grand Sumo Tournament taking place this week at the Royal Albert Hall, the British capital’s famous Victorian concert venue.
Dressed in traditional Japanese clothing, the wrestlers known as rikishi, have been exploring the city in between rigorous training for what is just the second event of this type to be held outside Japan in 1,500 years.
This time, the spotlight is on two highest-ranked wrestlers, known as yokozuna — Mongolian Hoshoryu Tomokatsu and Japan’s Onosato Daiki. Onosato, 25, became the 75th fighter to earn that title in May, having risen to the rank in a record 13 tournaments.
His rival, Hoshoryu, was the 74th man to attain the rank.
“I’m happy that sumo is back after so many years,” Onosato told Sky News, NBC News’ broadcasting partner, on Wednesday. “I hope I can show the U.K. fans how fantastic sumo is.”
“Being a yokozuna has a lot of responsibility,” Hoshoryu said. “My uncle was a yokozuna — and I’m happy to follow in his footsteps. But I came here to London as a yokozuna which he didn’t, so I’m even happier,” he added.
Stopping to pose for pictures with traditional souvenirs, the pair were among a group of sumo wrestlers who visited most of London’s touristic landmarks, including Buckingham Palace and Westminster with its iconic Big Ben.
But that didn’t stop them from their rigorous training routine and their equally rigorous eating regime.
Their carefully structured, high-calorie meals are vital for building the size and strength needed to compete at the highest level.
“We are going through 70 kilos of rice a day,” Donagh Collins, the CEO of Askonas Holt, an arts company which helped to organize the event, told Sky News. “Somebody told me that the wholesaler for the noodles has run out of noodles,” he added.
But in a break from their traditional diet, some of the wrestlers were pictured enjoying London’s street food and feeding each other hot dogs as they explored the city.
While the tournament in London was completely sold out, back home Sumo has faced a series of scandals, including allegations of bullying, assault and sexism at stables where the wrestlers train. Allegations of illegal betting and links to organized crime have also cast a shadow over the image of Japan’s national sport.
But in London, Wednesday saw the first day of the five-day exhibition tournament — the first of its kind since one was hosted at the same venue some 34 years ago.
The wrestlers, who weigh a combined six tons, slapped, gripped and lifted each other, as spectators reveled at the sight of the centuries-old Japanese sport.
Around eleven tons of clay were brought into the hall to build the dohyo, the raised ring where the wrestlers compete, outlined with rice bales shaped and secured using beer bottles, according to Reuters.
The two grand champions, Hoshoryu and Onosato, each secured victory in their bouts, closing the evening with weighty performances — literally.