Japan’s sumo wrestlers waved goodbye to London on Sunday after a five-day Grand Sumo Tournament at the Royal Albert Hall, with the champion rewarded with a giant bottle of soy sauce.
Hoshoryu, 25, sealed victory by defeating fellow grand champion Onosato in the deciding bout to finish the event with a perfect 5–0 record.
The Mongolian star was presented with the oversized prize alongside an equally large Hello Kitty teddy bear to mark his triumph.
The tournament marked sumo’s first visit to London in 34 years and only the second time a full five-day competition of this scale has been held outside Japan.
Crowds packed out the Royal Albert Hall across the week to witness Japan’s 25-stone stars perform the sport’s elaborate rituals and bouts steeped in centuries-old tradition.
The venue reportedly catered to extraordinary demands during the wrestlers’ stay, ordering more than 1,500lbs of rice, 1,000 packets of instant miso soup, 750 packs of noodles, 1,050 rice balls, and 400 bottles of soy sauce.
Hoshoryu rewarded with a giant bottle of soy sauce after clinching victory at the Royal Albert Hall
Hoshoryu (right), 25, sealed victory by defeating fellow grand champion Onosato in the deciding bout to finish the event with a perfect 5–0 record
Each wrestler is said to consume around 10,000 calories a day to maintain their weight, with organisers stocking up accordingly.
Away from the ring, the visiting athletes became a viral sensation around the capital, spotted riding Lime bikes, pulling pints in Soho pubs, and browsing at TK Maxx in Kensington.
Two wrestlers were even photographed at a nearby McDonald’s, where their breakfast order reportedly totalled almost £20.
The deciding bout between Hoshoryu and Onosato proved tense but brief, the eventual winner spinning his opponent before shoving the 191-kilogram fighter out of the ring to secure the title.
‘I’m just glad to have got through the five days with no injuries,’ Hoshoryu told reporters afterwards.
Asked how he planned to celebrate, he smiled and said: ‘I haven’t thought about that yet, but I will do now.’
Earlier in the day, Tobizaru, whose ring name means ‘flying monkey’, lost his own chance at silverware after defeat to Takayasu, but earned the Outstanding Performance Award for his displays across the week.
Takayasu, a veteran of the sport and multiple-time runner-up in Japan’s major tournaments, received the Fighting Spirit Award, while fan favourite Ura collected both the Technique Award and the Audience Favourite Award, voted for online by spectators.
The competition has been hailed as a success by organisers, with ticket sales reportedly exceeding expectations and thousands of fans attending daily sessions featuring pre-match rituals, salt-throwing ceremonies, and musical drumming.
