Fujishima stable, Sumo training facility in Tokyo, Japan
Fujishima is a training center for professional sumo wrestlers in Tokyo that also serves as living quarters for the athletes. The building contains an open clay training ring, sleeping rooms with tatami mats, and a large communal kitchen.
The training house was newly founded after the dissolution of an older stable to secure the transmission of techniques to younger generations. The facility follows a model that has proven itself in the sumo world for centuries.
The name Fujishima refers to a traditional Japanese place name, while wrestlers here live and work within a hierarchical community. Younger athletes handle household duties and prepare meals before they are allowed to train themselves.
Morning training begins early and can be watched by visitors if they register in advance and remain quiet. Access is usually through a side entrance door, from which you can look directly onto the training area.
The wrestlers wear only a mawashi during training, a thick cotton belt several meters long that is wrapped in a specific way. The weight of the athletes can fluctuate by more than 10 kilograms during an active season.
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