stepping into Ryōgoku Kokugikan…

…Tokyo’s famed sumo arena, feels like entering another world. The scent of incense hangs in the air, and the crowd falls silent as fighters approach the ring. But just as central to the sports as the wrestling itself are rituals and superstition. Watching these athletes throw salt before a match, stomp their legs with intensity, and perform chants might seem curious to outsiders, but these traditions are part of what makes sumo so uniquely captivating.

The salt-throwing, for instance, is about purification. Wrestlers aren’t just tossing salt around to look dramatic (though, admittedly, it does). The ritual dates back centuries and is believed to cleanse the ring and ward off any lurking bad spirits. And in a sport where competitors can weigh well over 300 pounds, each handful of salt tossed high into the air has a strange elegance, a kind of calm before the storm. This gesture sets the tone, marks the ring as a sacred space and the match as something greater than just a fight.

Then there’s the “shiko,” the famous leg-stomping that seems half intimidation, half meditation. At first glance, it might seem like a move just to unnerve the opponent. But shiko has a purpose beyond psychological warfare: each stomp is meant to drive away evil spirits. The wrestlers themselves use it as a grounding exercise, symbolising strength, balance, and an unbreakable connection to the earth. Watching these massive athletes, with their stoic expressions, slowly raise one leg, then bring it down with controlled force, is a graceful force of nature at work - powerful yet somehow serene.