"The ancient Japanese sport is hardly a trend, but it does have increasing international interest. When the Grand Sumo Tournament arrived in London this October, the city reacted as if a global pop star had touched down. For five days, the Royal Albert Hall transformed into a dohyō (sumo ring), alive with roaring crowds. It was a collision of worlds: ancient Japanese ritual unfolding in a Victorian concert hall usually reserved for symphony orchestras."
"Sumo's first visit to London in 34 years sparked an electric response. Tickets disappeared almost immediately; social media feeds flooded with viral clips of rikishi wrestlers cycling on Lime bikes and selfies snapped outside Buckingham Palace; and suddenly Britain had discovered a new sporting obsession. But beyond the spectacle, something more interesting happened: fans began planning trips to Japan explicitly to experience sumo in its homeland. What started as a novelty became a catalyst for travel."
"Expedia's latest annual trend report has named " Fan Voyage " as a defining travel trend-a move away from generic spectator sports and toward deeply local, culturally expressive athletic traditions. For Gen Z and Millennial travelers especially, the draw isn't the scoreboard but the ceremony, the atmosphere, and the chance to feel part of a community. Think Muay Thai in Bangkok, curling in Canada-and now, increasingly, sumo wrestling in Japan."
Grand Sumo staged a five-day tournament in London that transformed the Royal Albert Hall into a dohyō, drawing roaring crowds and viral social-media attention. Tickets sold out quickly as rikishi were photographed cycling and tourists posed outside Buckingham Palace. The London event prompted fans to plan trips to Japan expressly to see sumo, turning novelty into travel motivation. Sports tourism trends show a shift toward culturally specific events, with Expedia naming " Fan Voyage " and Gen Z and Millennial travelers prioritizing ceremony and community over scores. Examples include Muay Thai, curling, and increasingly, sumo wrestling in Japan.
Read at Conde Nast Traveler
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