Mayor meets Japan Sumo Association in Tokyo, following the huge success of Sumo at the Royal Albert Hall

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is aiming to bring the Grand Sumo Tournament back to the capital following the spectacular success of the prestigious event at the Royal Albert Hall last year.

As part of his trade mission to Tokyo this week, the Mayor today met with Hakkaku Rijicho, Chairman of the Japan Sumo Association, during a visit to the iconic Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo arena in Tokyo, to discuss the incredible popularity and success of Sumo in London and build further links with the sport.

Last October saw 40 of the very best wrestlers showcase the best of Sumo at the world-famous Royal Albert Hall, showcasing the sport in front of sold-out crowds for all five days of the event. More than 25,000 attended in person while over 1.2 million viewed the event on the BBC. There was also huge interaction online, with 55.7m views of the event across the Royal Albert Hall’s channels including across Instagram and TikTok. The tournament further reinforced London's reputation as a global destination for major sporting events, attracting fans from across the UK and beyond while showcasing the capital's ability to bring world-class sport and culture together.

Sumo has grown dramatically in popularity in the UK, and the number of active Sumo clubs in the UK has skyrocketed from three to 14 since 2023. This increase in interest has also led to the creation of immersive sumo residencies, such as the Tokyo Nights Dining Experience at Greenwich’s Borough Hall.

During the tournament in London, sumo wrestlers quickly made themselves hugely popular with Londoners as they explored the city’s landmarks - and they went viral on social media whilst doing so. They enjoyed the best of London’s culture, trying traditional fish and chips, taking photos outside the Houses of Parliament and visiting the famous 9 3/4 platform at Kings Cross, part of the Harry Potter series. Photos of the sumo wrestlers getting around the capital in London’s famous black cabs and red buses were a huge hit online, generating international interest and highlighting the capital's appeal as one of the world's leading tourism destinations while helping to strengthen cultural ties between London and Japan.

With sumo wrestling’s popularity at an all time high in London, the Mayor is hopeful that the iconic event will return to the capital in the future. Today the Mayor toured the Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Arena in Tokyo, the premier venue for Japan's national sport. It is where every Tokyo Sumo tournament is held in January, May and September – while it also stages Sumo events for boys such as the Goodwill Sumo Tournament, and high-school championships, including the National Junior High School Sumo Tournament. The tour of the prestigious venue gave the Mayor the opportunity to learn more about the sport and further strengthen cultural links between London and Tokyo.

Sadiq met with Hakkaku Rijicho, Chairman of the Japan Sumo Association, who won the 1991 Grand Sumo Tournament at the Royal Albert Hall in London, the first official professional sumo wrestling tournament ever organised outside Japan. In April this year, Hakkaku Rijicho received the Freedom of the City of London, in recognition of his significant achievements to the ancient sport.

Sumo is the iconic national sport of Japan, which is a mix of tradition, discipline and Shinto religious rituals going back more than 1,500 years. It sees two wrestlers try to either push or throw one another outside of a ring, or force one another to the ground, in order to win.

The Mayor is in Singapore and Japan this week leading trade missions to bang the drum for the capital as a place to invest and develop cultural links. Over four days, he is meeting political, business and cultural leaders to promote London, working tirelessly to drive trade and investment across critical sectors including finance, tech, pharma, sport and the creative industries. Events such as the Grand Sumo Tournament help attract visitors, support jobs and generate economic growth, while reinforcing London's position as a global capital for sport, culture and tourism.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Hosting the Grand Sumo Tournament in our city last year was an incredibly proud moment for London. The sport, and the wrestlers themselves, captured the imagination of our city and proved once again that London is truly the sporting and cultural capital of the world. London has hosted global events that every other major city would envy and, following last year’s fantastic tournament, we want to give this famous Japanese sport a home away from home, in London.

“I look forward to working with the Chair of the Japan Sumo Association in the future, as we build a more prosperous city for everyone.”

Chairman of the Japan Sumo Association, Hakkaku Rijicho, said: "It is a great honour to welcome the Mayor of London to the historic Ryogoku Kokugikan. Last year’s sumo performance at the Royal Albert Hall was a resounding success and provided a wonderful opportunity to further deepen the traditional and cultural ties between Japan and the UK."

James Ainscough OBE, Chief Executive of the Royal Albert Hall, said: “Hosting the Grand Sumo Tournament in 2025 was an incredible honour for the Royal Albert Hall. It was a mesmerising cultural and sporting moment that brought people together from all around the world.

“The British public were captivated by this unique experience, and took nearly as much delight from seeing the Rikishi making appearances in iconic locations right across London.

“The Royal Albert Hall team, working hand-in-hand with our close partners, presented a breathtaking global event, and we would love to see the Grand Sumo Tournament return to the Hall in the future. How wonderful that something so distinctive can create an international moment of unity and joy.”

British Sumo Federation President, Steve Pateman, said: “The magnificence of London's Royal Albert Hall and the splendour of Japan's finest Sumo Wrestlers was a recipe for success.

“It has led to an enormous increase in the interest of Sumo and everything Japanese in the UK and we would love to see it return to London again soon.”