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Few sports can captivate an audience through three-quarters of an hour of ceremony before the first point is even determined.

Yet the complex rituals unfolding in a traditional dohyō - virtually unchanged for centuries - succeeded in doing so.

Welcome to the Grand Sumo Tournament

This multi-day tournament at the iconic London venue features numerous elite rikishi showcasing a sport whose first mention dates back to the first century BC.

London's renowned auditorium has been utterly transformed, complete with a elaborate suspended canopy hanging above the ring.

Time-Honored Rituals Meet Current Innovations

It is here the athletes, known as sumo wrestlers, perform their leg stomps to expel dark forces, and where they applaud to attract the divine beings.

Above all this historical practice, a enormous circular monitor - which wouldn't look out of place at an professional sports event - offers the audience all the statistics and footage they could want.

International Enthusiasts Find Sumo

For an enthusiastic follower, it was a "chance online clip" that first caught her attention a couple of years ago.

This was soon supplemented with the discovery of dedicated YouTube channels for rikishi houses, where competitors stay and exercise, waking up early to work out, followed by a protein-rich meal and then an midday rest - all in the pursuit of gaining weight.

From Edinburgh, Alternative View

Another couple discovered sumo through a conventional method: a visit to the country six years ago.

"We considered it a very touristy activity, but we actually ended up loving the sport," notes the enthusiast.

"After that, we tried to find communities, materials, just to learn more about it," the other fan explains.

Rare Opportunity

Going to Japan is almost the only way to see a major championship.

This week's event marks only the second occasion the tournament has come to London - the initial occasion was in over three decades ago.

Even going to Japan isn't certain of securing tickets, with current times seeing sold-out events.

First-Hand Experience

For many attendees, the current event represents the initial opportunity they have experienced the sport directly - and it doesn't disappoint.

"Observing directly, you get a understanding of quickness and the force which you don't get on TV," notes one fan. "They are so big."

The Matches

To win the match, one wrestler needs to move the other man off the clay or to the floor using brute strength.

The majority use one of two styles to achieve this, often in split seconds - shoving, or grappling.

Either way, the noise of the two athletes colliding in the initial contact of the match reverberates around the hall.

Premium Seating

The seats right next to the ring are of course extremely sought-after - but also, a bit risky.

During one particular match, a 191cm wrestler fell into the audience - perhaps making those in slightly cheaper seats feel relieved.

Organizational Issues

Of course, the size of the wrestlers is one of the primary elements most people imagine when they think of sumo.

The venue's management revealed they "were required to locate and buy new chairs which can take up to 200kg in weight."

But sumo - for all its successful competitions - is not without its difficulties behind the scenes.

Potential Issues

Perhaps the rigorous lifestyle of a professional athlete doesn't look as appealing as it once might have.

Its appeal among youth in Japan is also being challenged by alternative competitions, while Japan's falling birthrate will present additional challenges.

International Network

Not that any of this has worried fans in London.

"Experiencing the tradition and practice that accompanies sumo is quite special," one enthusiast notes. "Today, watching it live, you sense that you are more engaged."

For other enthusiastic fans, the intensity "created amazing experiences" - as did encountering the fellow enthusiasts.

"Getting out of a very niche online community and being able to observe numerous sumo fans in person and being able to converse with other people who are just as into this as we are - it was completely valuable."