The Sumo Grand Tournament (大相撲協会) happens 6 times a year - thrice in Tokyo and once each in Nagoya, Kyushu and Osaka. The tournament lasts 15 days and each sumo wrestler (rikishi 力士) gets to fight once each day. The one with the best record of wins at the end of the tournament wins the coveted Emperor's Cup. One of the most interesting things about Sumo (to me anyway) is the rigid hierarchical rankings. Who you fight is not based upon weight/height or any physical-related factors - rather it's upon your ranking. The sumo rankings (banzuke) is really complicated, with 4 divisions and 5 different rankings in just the top division. Basic rule for Sumo is basically to force your opponent out of the ring (dohyou 土俵) or force him to touch the ground with any part other than feet.
Even though the first fights started at about 9am, we went around 11am instead and it was SO empty, even though the tickets were almost sold-out. Lowest rankings start first, building up to a climax where the highest ranks fight last at 6pm. So most people only started coming at about 3pm, after the middle division fights started. The difference between the lowest ranks and the upper ranks was marked though - from size and fighting technique, to crowd response, to prepatory rituals and sponsors. The fight itself is actually less than a minute most times, but the prepatory and obligatory pre-fight rituals and cold war (shikiri 仕切り) often lasted up to the maximum 4 minutes that was allowed. This was only for the top ranks though - beginners had to start immediately. Okay less talk and some pictures:
(The arena at about 11.30am...)
(Sumos stay in traditional sumo stables - like a martial arts centre - and are paid a salary according to their divisional ranking. Only the top sumos often get sponsors - and one had like almost 20.)
(The coveted Emperor's Cup.) 
(Speaking of which, guess who came unannounced? The Imperial Couple!)
(Several other prizes are given out each tournament as well like Best Techinique, Biggest Upset and Fighting Spirit.) 
(Past winners get a huge potrait-picture up on the walls of the Kokugikan 国技館.)
(The Shinto Shrine roof that hangs above the sumo wrestling ring. Surprisingly, Sumo had alot of ties with Shinto religion, including actions like throwing salt to purify the ring, and stomping the left leg then right leg to drive away evils, or even just the Shinto-priest-like headgear of the match referees.) (And the sold-out crowd at 4pm.)
(A sumo wrestler performing the Bow Dance after the last fight - it's a victory dance on behalf of all the winners of that day's bouts.) Interesting fact about Sumo:
- The highest rank (yokozuna) is not one that is automatically granted upon winning tournaments. The Sumo federation and elders have to approve that the candidate is 1) consistently good enough, and 2) is character-worthy; because once a yokozuna, you never get demoted. Instead if you drop in standards, you are expected to retire.
- There are only 2 yokozunas now and both are Mongolians (Asashoryu and Hakuho).
- Besides Mongolians, there are Georgians, Russians and Bulgarians within the top division too.
- The referees are ranked as well, with the lowest rank ones going barefoot into the ring.
- The silk cloth wrapped around the sumo's waist and lower body is called mawashi.
- Being a sumo is more than a sport - it's a way of life. Staying at the Sumo Stables, doing chores and training according to rank, not being allowed to wear anything else but the traditional Japanese garb of yukatas, skipping breakfast, eating chanko-nabe for big lunch and sleeping afterwards...
- The sumo ring is considered sacred, and women are never allowed into it.
The last one is such bullshit honestly but it just totally reeks of Japanese-ness to me. The previous Osaka governor (a female) challenged this because she was to give out the trophies but the elders refused to budge, citing tradition. Sumo is declared as a 'modern Japanese sport' but everything in it is from centuries-old traditions. Interesting.
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