JSA plans to reduce summer burden on <i>rikishi</i> from 2027

Few things in sumo repeat with such regularity as late August storylines about the physical toll that the summer regional tour takes on wrestlers. Over the past decade, as climate change has increased both the intensity and duration of summer heat, concerns about the health of wrestlers have likewise grown. The tougher conditions have been exacerbated by an increase in the number of event days, with sumo’s surging popularity bringing a growing demand for in-person appearances around the country.