One month out from the final tournament of 2021 and preparations are well under way for the move to Kyushu.

For the first time since 2019, the Japan Sumo Association and its 42 constituent stables will decamp to the city of Fukuoka and a meet that could be among the last to be held under current COVID-19 enforced restrictions.

Navigating the pandemic has been a challenge for the JSA, and some prominent names have fallen to suspension or dismissal over the past 18 months.