“What am I going to do for the next two months?” is a lament commonly heard from newer fans at the end of each grand sumo tournament.
Such bemoaning of what is perceived as an extended sumo-free period always comes across as incongruous to veteran watchers, and those actually involved in the sport.
The reality is that, in contrast to virtually all European or North American originated games, there is no period of the sumo calendar that could reasonably be described as an offseason.