Sumo

Sumo is one of the oldest sports in the world, stretching back over 2,000 years. Within the Japanese establishment, there exists a great sense of pride that so little about the sport has changed in the past millennium. Wrestlers still live by a strict code, in and outside of the dojo, and to commit to the sport requires complete devotion from an early age. As Japan has surged forwards into modernity, this fascinating corner of culture has remained anchored to the past. Gaining behind-the-scenes access is notoriously difficult as sumo is a sport shrouded in secrecy. A full year was spent by the author knocking on doors and filling out endless paperwork before he was eventually granted permission to chronicle the lives of wrestlers; a world where history, culture, pride, and athleticism combine. Sumo documents the strict codes to which wrestlers adhere. The photographs bring to life the stringent dietary and training regimes which require enormous dedication and the many unique