Sumo Sundays

05/17/2025

Throwback to this sumo workshop with in 2018. 🥹

“Just going to drop this and say sumo was fun today, but what was even cooler was hearing advocate and encourage folks of all abilities (and genders) to participate!” posted on Facebook.

Seven years later and this still rings true with Sumo Sundays today. Our founding team, which includes Lydia, has carried this goal of inclusion since day one.

And since day one, we have also continued to work closely with Powell Street Festival and are so grateful they have championed this vision in our work in and outside of the festival.

On Monday, Powell Street Festival staff will be joining us at our 2025 basho, donating their time to provide support at our event. Outside of this, program staff have helped coordinate our volunteers and first aid attendants.

Thank you, Powell Street Festival!

03/20/2025

SAVE THE DATE! 📣 Sumo Sundays is thrilled to bring back our basho for a second year on Monday, May 19, 2025 (Victoria Day).

With support from Powell Street Festival, and sponsored by Fujiya Japanese Foods and DMCL Chartered Professional Accountants, we’re hosting a full day of sumo entertainment, including six brackets of live matches and comic sumo demonstrations.

New this year, we’re introducing space for participants with limited experience in sumo (beginners welcome), as well as those looking for a more competitive experience. We also have open gender brackets and brackets specifically for women, non-binary and gender-diverse folks.

NOW OPEN:

✸ Register to compete ($20/bracket, max. 2 brackets per person)
✸ Sign up to volunteer
✸ Purchase an early bird ticket to watch ($15+ and $5 for children 12 and under)

Hosted at the historic Vancouver Japanese Language School and Japanese Hall, this is one event you won’t want to miss. 🔥 To sign up to compete, volunteer or grab a ticket, visit sumosundays.ca/basho

01/29/2025

Up your sumo training with one of our upcoming intermediate and competitive skills classes! ☄️

• Intermediate: Sunday, Feb. 2 and March 9 (1-3:30 pm)
• Competitive skills: Every Friday (7:15-8:45 pm) and most Sundays (3:45-5:15 pm)

Both sessions are designed for learners looking to experience an advanced class (no sumo experience required). Glossing over basics, these sessions often build on technique using the experiences of those who attend.

All sessions are hosted at the Vancouver Japanese Language School and Japanese Hall and offered on a sliding scale. For more info and to register, visit sumosundays.ca/register

—
Photo taken at our last intermediate drop-in of 2024!

01/06/2025

We are excited to share a new roster of drop-ins for 2025! 🎉

In addition to the fundamentals and intermediate sessions we added last fall, we are introducing a new 1-hour drop-in twice a week.

Starting Friday, Jan. 17, folks will have the opportunity to practice takedown and grappling skills with Vancouver Sumo Tigers. Meanwhile, our fundamentals and intermediate sessions will continue at the same 2.5-hour format we’ve hosted over the last two years.

For full details and registration, visit sumosundays.ca/register.

01/04/2025

Join us next Sunday, Jan. 12 for our first fundamentals class of the year! ✨

Led by Kayla and Mielle, these drop-ins aim to build confidence and safety for beginners and casual learners alike.

• 1-3:30 pm at the Vancouver Japanese Language School and Japanese Hall
• $15-22 sliding scale (+ fees)
• All sizes, genders and experiences welcome
• Max. 14 people per session

Our drop-in sessions aim to build confidence and safety around this popular Japanese sport.

11/19/2024

Our first fundamentals session takes place on Sunday, Dec. 1! ✨

This session is good for:

• People trying sumo for the first time
• People with minimal experience in martial arts and/or other physical activities
• Casual and regular attendees of Sumo Sundays looking for a chilled experience focusing on basics and refreshers on safety rolls, techniques, use of equipment etc.

Due to a conflict at VJLS, this session will run from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. It will also be led by Mielle Michaux and Kayla Isomura.

Registration and details: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/sumo-sundays-fundamentals-drop-in-registration-1088254030099.=

11/09/2024

Sumo Sundays is growing! 🌱

We are excited to announce some changes for our fall/winter season. Moving forward, we will be exploring two formats for Sumo Sundays: foundational and intermediate sessions.

Our first intermediate drop-ins are Nov. 17 and Dec. 15 at the Vancouver Japanese Language School and Japanese Hall (1-3:30 pm).

These sessions are good for:

• Casual or regular Sumo Sundays attendees who want to build on existing knowledge/skills/techniques

• First-time attendees who have basic knowledge of sumo and/or other martial arts and who feel comfortable jumping into a higher-intensity session

Register online at: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/sumo-sundays-intermediate-drop-in-tickets-1077939168069

—
Looking for a beginner/introductory/chill refresher session? Stay tuned for announcements on those coming soon.

10/22/2024

Jumping back into sumo this fall has us reminiscing about the 2024 Powell Street Festival (PSF). 💭

This year, we celebrated our second year hosting the annual sumo exhibition under Sumo Sundays. It was such a feat to have so much extra support + come into this year’s event with the knowledge we’ve built over years of previous coordination and other Sumo Sunday events (including our 2024 basho!)

Congratulations to those who took a chance on sumo this year and a huge thank you to our volunteers, sponsors and partners for making this event a success.

We saw some incredible action from first-timers, PSF returnees and Sumo Sundays regulars. And while the competition was tough, we love the fun and excitement had by participants and spectators alike.

Special shoutout to Fujiya Japanese Foods for sponsoring the coveted rice prizes 🍚 and to Powell Street Festival for the ongoing support + trust.

If you’re interested in learning skills for next year’s festival, drop by one of our sessions in Vancouver’s historic Powell Street neighbourhood. We train in the spirit of community, inclusion and fun.

More info at sumosundays.ca.

—
Photos by Kayla Isomura — kaylaisomura.com

10/20/2024

After a bit of a hiatus, Sumo Sundays returns next Sunday, Oct. 27! 🙌🏽 Join us for our first drop-in of the season at the Vancouver Japanese Language School and Japanese Hall from 1-3:30 pm.

Our drop-ins are for anyone, regardless of size, gender or experience. We welcome all folks so long as they are comfortable participating in a close-contact, movement-based, mixed-gender activity.

For questions, drop us a line at sumosundays [at] gmail [dot] com.

Join us for an afternoon of sumo training! Our all-bodies drop-ins aim to build confidence and safety around this popular Japanese sport.

08/02/2024

Join us this weekend as we celebrate Japanese Canadian arts and culture through sumo at the 48th annual Powell Street Festival!

In addition to the annual sumo exhibition, we’ll be hosting a beginner workshop and tabling all weekend long (find us in the Community Booths area of Oppenheimer Park!)

Details for this weekend:

▫️ Saturday, Aug. 3 (12:30 pm): Older teens and adults are welcome to join us for a free workshop at the Vancouver Japanese Language School & Hall (.jh) to learn basic sumo techniques.

▫️ Sunday, Aug. 4 (2:15 pm): Drop by the Diamond Stage in Oppenheimer Park and watch all bodies compete in the annual sumo exhibition and tournament*. This event always draws a large crowd so be sure to come early to grab a seat.

*If you’re interested in competing, visit the sumo booth between 11:30 am to 1 pm on Sunday to sign up (first come, first served). All bodies, experiences (including beginners) and genders are welcome to participate. We especially encourage women and gender diverse folks to come thru. ✨

For more info, visit powellstreetfestival.com or leave us a comment.

07/12/2024

Tomorrow morning, we are hosting workshops for children and teens with Powell Street Festival at the Vancouver Japanese Language School and Japanese Hall.

Ages 2-12: 10 to 10:45 am
Ages 13-18: 11 to 11:45 am

Participation is free. Registration is required: https://powellstreetfestival.com/childrens-sumo-workshop-%e3%81%a1%e3%81%b3%e3%81%a3%e3%81%93%e7%9b%b8%e6%92%b2%e3%83%af%e3%83%bc%e3%82%af%e3%82%b7%e3%83%a7%e3%83%83%e3%83%97-2024/