Sumo in Tokyo

These pictures are from the biggest sumo tournament of the year at the National Sumo Stadium in Ryougoku, Tokyo. A "tournament" is truly a full day, running from about 8 am until 6 pm, with matches taking place in order of seniority. Sumo-sans are ranked in cohorts, with the main cohort--the ozeki wrestlers--being the equivalent of the World Series, or more aptly, of WWF's (or now WWE?) WrestleMania.
In front of the stadium:





Tossing a hand-full of salt to purify the ring:

All of the ozeki wrestlers line up around the ring prior to their bouts:

Asashoryu, the only current yokozuna, performs the ritual yokozuna dance, complete with thunderclap stomps and Shinto fringe hanging from his belt. Yokozuna is the only rank higher than ozeki, though the criteria for becoming one are relatively ambiguous. The Hawaiian Akebono become the first non-Japanese yokozuna in 1993, with the Samoan-cum-Hawaiian Musashimaru and Mongolian-born Asashoryu (below) following suit.