The national sport of Japan is sumo wrestling. Sumo is a traditional form of wrestling that has deep cultural and historical significance in Japan, with origins dating back over a thousand years. It involves highly trained wrestlers, known as rikishi, who compete in a circular ring, or dohyo. The objective is to force an opponent out of the ring or to make any part of their body, other than the soles of their feet, touch the ground. Sumo is not just a sport but also a ceremonial practice embedded with rituals, such as salt purification and the use of a traditional ring.