A sumo exhibition tournament in Paris drew more than 10,000 spectators [1] during its opening day on June 13.
The event marks a significant effort to promote the traditional Japanese sport internationally, representing the first overseas tour of its kind in approximately 30 years [1].
The competition features a knock-out tournament format with a final held each day [1]. On the opening day, Kotozakura defeated Kirishima by yorikiri to claim the day's title [1]. The winners from the June 13 and June 14 events are scheduled to meet in a grand final [1].
The roster includes most top-division wrestlers and two yokozuna, Onosato and Hoshoryu [2]. The presence of these elite athletes attracted a diverse crowd in Paris, including local children and fans from Japan, Germany, and France [2].
Participants expressed excitement about the trip. One wrestler from Nagoya said he had been looking forward to the tour because overseas tours did not exist when he first became a sumo fan. He said that he made belt fasteners featuring the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe [1].
Local reception was positive. One French sumo fan said she is a great supporter of Hoshoryu and was very happy he was in France this weekend [1]. Another resident of France said the atmosphere was the best [1].
“The first overseas tour in roughly 30 years brings top-division wrestlers and yokozuna to France.”
The scale of attendance and the inclusion of high-ranking yokozuna suggest a strategic push by sumo authorities to expand the sport's global footprint. By returning to Europe after three decades, the organization is testing the viability of international exhibition tours to cultivate a new generation of fans outside of Japan.
