One of the most common takeaways from the Japan Sumo Association’s recent trip to London was the depth of sumo knowledge and love for the sport that was to be found in the British capital.

Wrestlers, officials and media members who made the trip west were almost unanimous in their praise for the European fanbase’s understanding of Japan’s national sport.

For those of us who have long been intimately involved in the international side of sumo, such reactions came as no surprise.