US Sumo Federation’s 2008 Grand Prix, Apr. 19

Cultural News, April 2008

The United States Sumo Federation’s 2008 Grand Prix will be held on April 19 at Little Tokyo. (Photo courtesy of the US Sumo Federation)

  The United States Sumo Federation will be hosting the 2008 Sumo Grand Prix, an international amateur sumo tournament, at the Nishi Hongwanji Buddhist Temple in Little Tokyo on Saturday, April 19 at 1 p.m. Tickets are $50 for VIP seats, $25 for General Floor seats, $10 for bleacher seats. 

   This tournament will serve the dual purpose of promoting the Grand Sumo Tournament at the Los Angeles Sports Arena on June 6-7, and raising funds to help send the USA Sumo Team to this year’s World Championships in Estonia.

   The organizer of the event is expecting competitors from Japan, the Republic of Georgia, Mongolia and Bulgaria.  In addition, former yokozuna Musashimaru and former sekiwake Akinoshima (now Sendagawa Oyakata) will be present as special guests. 

  Musashimaru won 706 top-division bouts and took twelve championships in his career, putting him in seventh place on the all-time list.  Akinoshima is best known as the king of the “kinboshi”, defeating yokozuna sixteen times during his career while ranked as a maegashira.  He earned seven Shukun-Sho (Outstanding Performance Prize), four Gino-Sho (Technique Prize) and eight Kanto-Sho (Fighting Spirit Prize) during a career in which he won 647 top-division bouts.

  The Nishi Hongwanji Buddhist Temple is located at 815 E. First Street in Little Tokyo of Los Angeles Downtown, at the corner of First and Vignes Streets.

   For more information, contact U.S. Sumo Federation president Troy Collins at (323) 251-1167 or visit www.sumoGP.com.