Naruto stable, Sumo training stable in Sumida, Japan
Naruto stable is a professional training and living center for sumo wrestlers in the Sumida ward of Tokyo, led by a former champion. The facility currently houses 17 athletes who live together, train daily, and compete in tournaments across the country.
The facility opened in April 2017 when former champion Kotoōshū Katsunori separated from a larger training center and founded his own school. His Japanese citizenship allowed him to become the first European-born sumo wrestler to run his own training center.
The stable master from Bulgaria established a naming custom in which many fighters carry the character 欧 in their ring names, pointing to their European roots. This connection between European backgrounds and Japanese combat arts shows itself in the daily rhythm of the training center, where discipline and respect shape everyday life.
The center sits in the Sumida ward of Tokyo, where morning training is often open to visitors who want to watch the wrestlers practice. The best time to visit is early in the morning when the athletes perform their daily exercises.
The Bulgarian founder was the first European to run such a center in Japan, marking a turning point in the sport's history. His background brought new perspectives into a centuries-old tradition without changing its fundamental principles.
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