Overview

• More than 600 female wrestlers in Japan are preparing to compete at the men’s and women’s Sumo World Championships in Bangkok this weekend.
• Keio University’s club now trains women alongside men, led by 2024 middleweight world champion Rio Hasegawa, the first female member since the club’s founding in 1919.
• Tottori Jōhoku High School’s girls’ camps, running since 2016, have seen participation more than double in recent years, according to coach Nana Kakuda.
• Women compete wearing a mawashi over spandex shirts and bodysuits, reflecting modesty expectations and body-image concerns distinct from the men’s dress code.
• Athletes describe teasing and bullying but continue to push for recognition, with standout Airi Hisano calling for Olympic inclusion and coaches praising the sport’s intensity.