Using 70 basic fighting techniques, the wrestlers fight to push the opponent out of the ring or make any part of his body, other than the feet, touch the ground. Matches last from a few seconds to a few minutes. If there is no decision at the end of the overtime, the wrestlers must start all over again after another two bouts. Such marathon matches are rare, occurring only a few times a year. Professional sumo is one of the most interesting and exciting spectator sports in Japan for overseas visitors as well as the Japanese.
Spectators sit in boxes, which consist of four cushions on a tatami mat.
The best mats are nearest the dohyo . Leading wrestlers have one match each day. Many high schools and colleges hold tournaments. Tickets must be booked as far in advance as possible due to extremely high demand. Ranked rikishi are demoted if they perform poorly in tournaments, except for yokozuna , who are forced into retirement.