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London has gone wild for Sumo, with the Royal Albert Hall transformed, tickets for the historic event sold out and noodles reportedly running short.
Dozens of wrestlers arrived in the capital on Wednesday morning for a five-day showcase, with social media clips showing crews building a traditional clay dohyo inside the famous venue.
Organisers have warned fans about congestion inside the Hall and reinforced facilities for the super-heavy competitors as demand surged for seats.
TikTok videos chart the full two-day build, from tarpaulins laid across the arena floor to the finished ring under a suspended purple canopy, with the Royal Albert Hall scoreboard flashing Sumo branding.
Footage also shows wrestlers sightseeing around London, including a McDonald's stop, a TK Maxx browse and a grin-filled recreation of the Beatles' Abbey Road crossing.
Four wrestlers can be seen in traditional dress proudly striding across the zebra lines, with a London bus and cyclists in the background.
Four wrestlers can be seen in traditional dress proudly striding across the zebra lines, with a London bus and cyclists in the background
The Albert Hall's transformation has really captured the imagination, with build videos showing workers turning the space around
London has gone wild for Sumo, with the Royal Albert Hall transformed and tickets for the anticipated event sold out
The Albert Hall's transformation has captured the imagination, with build videos showing workers raking and sweeping the clay, stamping the surface flat and sealing the raised borders before pulling back the final cover to reveal the finished dohyo.
Other clips show groups pausing for photographs near Big Ben and along the Embankment as tourists double-take at the unlikely sightseeing party.
'We've actually had to source and buy new chairs which can take up to 200kg in weight,' Matthew Todd, the Royal Albert Hall's director of programming, told The Guardian. 'Our usual standard is only 100kg.'
Toilets have also been reinforced. 'It's the ones that are screwed into the wall which are the most challenging,' Todd said.
Explaining the scale of catering required, he added: 'It's substantial. I know the wholesaler actually ran out of noodles because we'd already ordered so many from them.'
Top wrestlers weigh roughly 25 stone, and with no barriers between the ring and nearby seats, a falling wrestler could cause serious harm to spectators.
The Royal Albert Hall has posted a safety notice on its website warning fans to take care when booking the closest seats.
'The tournament will be presented in the traditional style without barriers between the ring and these seats,' the statement reads.
Social media footage workers raking and sweeping the clay, stamping the surface flat and sealing the raised borders
Dressed in their traditional gowns, the visitors did not go unnoticed on their tourist trip
'It is possible that wrestlers may fall or be thrown from the ring into the ringside area as part of the competition.
'We therefore advise that ringside cushions may not be suitable for those with mobility issues, and customers accept that any use of these seats is entirely at their own risk.'
Sumo wrestling, one of the world's oldest sports, dates back 1,500 years and remains steeped in Shinto tradition. Wrestlers throw salt before bouts to purify the ring, a ritual believed to ward off evil spirits and prevent injury.
The venue also advises that young children avoid sitting on ringside cushions during the event.
