The second of two Grand Sumo Tournaments switched to Tokyo as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic gets underway this Sunday at Ryogoku Kokugikan.
The cap on attendance has been raised from 2,500 to 5,000 people per day for the November meet. That’s less than 50% of what the Kokugikan can hold but would be two-thirds capacity had the event taken place, as originally scheduled, in the Fukuoka Kokusai Center.
The wisdom of doubling the number of fans allowed in the door in a metropolis with 3,000 active coronavirus cases (as opposed to 80 in Fukuoka) is debatable, but the move is hardly surprising, given the strong push from many corners to ensure next year’s Olympics go ahead (the Kokugikan is slated to be the venue for boxing during the games.)