Nothing Compares to Feeling the Royal Albert Hall Tremble When Rikishi Clash

Few sports can captivate an audience through an extended period of ceremony before the first point is even decided.

Yet the intricate traditions unfolding in a compact earthen circle - largely unaltered for hundreds of years - accomplished exactly that.

Discover the Prestigious Rikishi Event

This five-day event at the iconic London venue features four dozen top-tier sumo wrestlers showcasing a sport whose first mention dates back to the first century BC.

London's Victorian concert venue has been utterly transformed, complete with a elaborate suspended canopy hanging above the dohyō.

Ancient Traditions Meet Contemporary Displays

It is here the wrestlers, known as sumo professionals, perform their leg stomps to banish negative energies, and where they clap to summon the divine beings.

Above all this ancient ceremony, a giant, revolving LED screen - that appears natural at an NBA match - offers the audience all the statistics and footage they could want.

Worldwide Followers Embrace Sumo

For Sian Spencer, it was a "random video" that first caught her attention a couple of years ago.

This was soon supplemented with the discovery of focused video platforms for training facilities, where wrestlers live and train, waking up early to train, followed by a protein-rich meal and then an afternoon nap - all in the effort toward gaining weight.

From Edinburgh, Different Experience

Julia and her partner Cezar discovered sumo through a conventional method: a journey to Asia six years ago.

"We saw it as a common sightseeing event, but we actually developed passion for the sport," notes the enthusiast.

"After that, we tried to locate groups, information, just to learn more about it," adds Cezar.

Rare Opportunity

Traveling to Asia is typically the sole method to see a elite competition.

This London competition marks only the second occasion the tournament has appeared in the capital - the previous visit was in the early nineties.

Even going to Japan doesn't ensure of securing tickets, with current times seeing completely booked tournaments.

First-Hand Experience

For numerous spectators, the UK competition represents the premier chance they have watched sumo in person - and it exceeds expectations.

"Watching nearby, you get a sense of the speed and the power which you won't feel on TV," explains an attendee. "Their stature is remarkable."

The Competition

To achieve victory, one rikishi needs to force his opponent out of the ring or to the floor using raw power.

The majority use one of pair of techniques to achieve this, often in split seconds - pushing, or grappling.

Either way, the sound of the two rikishi colliding in the opening second of the match reverberates around the venue.

Prime Locations

The cushions right next to the ring are of course extremely sought-after - but also, potentially hazardous.

During one particular match, a tall wrestler went plummeting into the audience - perhaps making those in less expensive positions experience comfort.

Organizational Issues

Of course, the size of the rikishi is one of the initial aspects most people consider when they consider the sport.

The hall's organizers revealed they "were required to locate and acquire reinforced furniture which can support 200kg in weight."

But sumo - for all its sell-out events - is not without its challenges behind the scenes.

Potential Issues

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

Its appeal among the younger generation is also being threatened by other sports, while Japan's decreasing numbers will create further complications.

International Network

Not that any of this has concerned enthusiasts in London.

"Witnessing these tradition and practice that goes with sumo is especially significant," fan Sian says. "Today, watching it in person, you sense that you are more part of it."

For other committed supporters, the intensity "created amazing experiences" - as did meeting the other fans.

"Emerging from a highly specialized online community and being able to see all these sumo fans directly and being able to converse with other people who are similarly enthusiastic as we are - it was absolutely worthwhile."