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Few sports can keep viewers enthralled through three-quarters of an hour of ceremony before the first point is even determined.

Yet the complex rituals unfolding in a compact earthen circle - largely unaltered for hundreds of years - managed to do just that.

Discover the Prestigious Rikishi Event

This multi-day tournament at the Royal Albert Hall features 40 of the very best sumo athletes showcasing a sport whose initial documentation dates back to ancient times.

London's renowned auditorium has been totally redesigned, complete with a elaborate suspended canopy hanging above the competition area.

Time-Honored Rituals Meet Modern Technology

It is here the athletes, known as sumo professionals, perform their shiko exercises to expel evil spirits, and where they strike their hands to summon the gods.

Above all this historical practice, a enormous circular monitor - which wouldn't look out of place at an professional sports event - offers the crowd all the stats and replays they could want.

International Enthusiasts Find Sumo

For an enthusiastic follower, it was a "random video" that first drew her interest a couple of years ago.

This was quickly followed by the discovery of dedicated YouTube channels for training facilities, where wrestlers live and train, rising before dawn to practice, followed by a high protein stew and then an afternoon nap - all in the pursuit of increasing mass.

From Edinburgh, Alternative View

Another couple discovered sumo through a established path: a trip to Japan six years ago.

"We saw it as a common sightseeing event, but we actually ended up loving the sport," says Julia.

"Subsequently, we tried to discover networks, information, just to learn more about it," the other fan explains.

Rare Opportunity

Visiting the homeland is almost the only way to see a major championship.

This London competition marks only the second time the tournament has appeared in the capital - the initial occasion was in 1991.

Even traveling to Asia doesn't ensure of securing tickets, with the past period seeing completely booked tournaments.

In-Person Viewing

For numerous spectators, the current event represents the premier chance they have experienced the sport directly - and it exceeds expectations.

"Seeing it up close, you get a feeling of velocity and the power which you won't feel on TV," notes one fan. "Their size is impressive."

The Competition

To achieve victory, one competitor needs to move the other man from the dohyō or to the surface using raw power.

The primary group use one of dual approaches to accomplish this, often in moments - shoving, or wrestling.

Either way, the sound of the two rikishi colliding in the first moment of the match echoes around the auditorium.

Front Row Positions

The positions right next to the competition area are of course highly prized - but also, a bit risky.

During one specific contest, a 191cm wrestler tumbled into the audience - perhaps making those in slightly cheaper seats breathe a sigh of relief.

Internal Challenges

Of course, the stature of the athletes is one of the primary elements most people imagine when they consider the sport.

The venue's management revealed they "needed to find and acquire reinforced furniture which can withstand 200kg in weight."

But sumo - for all its popular tournaments - is not without its troubles behind the scenes.

Potential Issues

Perhaps the strict life of a rikishi doesn't look as desirable as it once might have.

Its following among youth in Japan is also being threatened by other sports, while Japan's falling birthrate will present additional challenges.

International Network

Not that any of this has troubled spectators in London.

"Witnessing these ritual and ceremony that accompanies sumo is particularly meaningful," an attendee explains. "Today, watching it in person, you feel like you are more engaged."

For other committed supporters, the excitement "produced unforgettable moments" - as did meeting the other fans.

"Emerging from a highly specialized online community and being able to witness multiple sumo fans directly and being able to converse with other people who are just as into this as we are - it was absolutely worthwhile."