Japan's national sport—hundreds of years old and steeped in tradition—has long been a source of fascination outside the country, but those in the industry say interest has spiked in recent years, with some making the most of the new attention
A fresh rush of foreign tourists are flocking to Japan for a look inside the insular world of sumo.
Image: Yuichi Yamazaki / AFP
Their interest piqued during Covid lockdowns and by a new Netflix drama, a fresh rush of foreign tourists are flocking to Japan for a look inside the insular world of sumo.
Japan's national sport—hundreds of years old and steeped in tradition—has long been a source of fascination outside the country, but those in the industry say interest has spiked in recent years, with some making the most of the new attention.
At a recent lunchtime "performance", two imposing sumo practitioners strutted their stuff in a Tokyo restaurant full of cheering tourists.