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Few sports can captivate an audience through three-quarters of an hour of ceremony before the first point is even contested.

Yet the detailed ceremonies unfolding in a traditional dohyō - mostly preserved for centuries - succeeded in doing so.

Discover the Major Sumo Competition

This multi-day tournament at the historic concert hall features four dozen top-tier sumo athletes showcasing a sport whose initial documentation dates back to the first century BC.

London's renowned auditorium has been utterly transformed, complete with a elaborate suspended canopy hanging above the competition area.

Time-Honored Rituals Meet Contemporary Displays

It is here the wrestlers, known as sumo professionals, perform their shiko exercises to drive away evil spirits, and where they applaud to attract the divine beings.

Above all this traditional ritual, a massive rotating display - which wouldn't look out of place at an American basketball game - offers the audience all the stats and replays they could want.

International Enthusiasts Find Sumo

For one dedicated fan, it was a "unexpected footage" that first caught her attention a couple of years ago.

This was quickly followed by the discovery of focused video platforms for training facilities, where athletes reside and practice, rising before dawn to train, followed by a high protein stew and then an midday rest - all in the service of gaining weight.

Traveling from the North, Another Perspective

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

"We considered it a typical visitor experience, but we actually came to adore the sport," says Julia.

"After that, we tried to discover networks, materials, just to deepen our understanding about it," the other fan explains.

Special Event

Going to Japan is almost the only way to see a top-flight sumo tournament.

This week's event marks only the second instance the tournament has appeared in the capital - the first time was in over three decades ago.

Even traveling to Asia isn't a guarantee of obtaining admission, with current times seeing sold-out events.

In-Person Viewing

For multiple fans, the current event represents the initial opportunity they have seen live sumo - and it exceeds expectations.

"Seeing it up close, you get a feeling of velocity and the force which you can't experience on TV," explains an attendee. "They are so big."

The Bouts

To achieve victory, one wrestler needs to push another off the clay or to the ground using physical force.

The majority use one of two styles to achieve this, often in instantaneous actions - thrusting, or wrestling.

Either way, the impact of the two rikishi crashing together in the initial contact of the match resounds around the hall.

Premium Seating

The positions right next to the competition area are of course highly prized - but also, a bit risky.

During one specific contest, a large wrestler went plummeting into the spectators - perhaps making those in slightly cheaper seats feel relieved.

Behind the Scenes

Of course, the stature of the rikishi is one of the first things most people consider when they think of sumo.

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 difficulties behind the scenes.

Coming Obstacles

Perhaps the rigorous lifestyle of a professional athlete doesn't look as attractive as it once might have.

Its appeal among youth in Japan is also being threatened by other sports, while Japan's falling birthrate will not help.

International Network

Not that any of this has concerned enthusiasts in London.

"Seeing all this tradition and practice that goes with sumo is quite special," fan Sian says. "Now, seeing it in person, you sense that you are more part of it."

For other enthusiastic fans, the excitement "produced unforgettable moments" - as did meeting the like-minded individuals.

"Leaving a particularly focused online community and being able to observe numerous sumo fans directly and being able to chat with other people who are equally passionate as we are - it was absolutely worthwhile."