Screams of support, cries of anguish and the sweet aroma of bintsuke hair oil filled the air at the Sumida Futsal Arena in Tokyo on Sunday during the inaugural Dream Girls Cup — a sumo tournament for school-age girls that has the backing of the sport’s biggest name.
As with the Hakuho Cup for boys, which took place the following day at the nearby Ryogoku Kokugikan, the Dream Girls Cup was fronted by Miyagino stablemaster (former yokozuna Hakuho).
A total of 201 young athletes, divided into various age and weight categories, took part in the tournament.