LONDON (Reuters) -Japan’s elite sumo wrestlers slapped, thrust and flipped their way through the first evening of their five-day exhibition tournament in London’s Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday, to the delight of a full house of spectators.

After a ceremony-heavy start and some lively explanations for first-time watchers from Japanese broadcaster NHK’s veteran English-language announcer Hiro Morita, the audience watched the first few bouts in an atmosphere of near-reverence.

By the time the small-but-powerful young wrestler Asakoryu, who like all “rikishi” goes by a single ring name, charged furiously into Sadanoumi in the fifth bout, the crowd had the gist of things. Fans cheered wildly as the elder man locked his opponent in a belt grip before slowly but surely marching him backwards o

See Full Page