IHI Sumo Club Gives Back to Society through Activities for Local Children
The IHI Sumo Club, which operates out of the IHI Yokohama Headquarters Representative’s Office, engages with the community through initiatives such as making its practice room available for use by local elementary school and junior high school students and holding sumo tournaments.
The IHI Group actively carries out various active clubs to promote the physical and mental health of employees, to foster greater interaction between the members of the Group, and to contribute to society. The IHI Sumo Club was created in May 1972 by a employee who had previously been a makushita-ranked sumo wrestler. Initially, there were three wrestlers and two assistants. The club now has eight wrestlers (employees) who practice hard in the IHI sumo practice room. Members have represented Kanagawa Prefecture several times in the Japan Games and have also brought home medals in both the team and individual categories at the All-Japan Corporate Sumo Tournament. At last year’s East Japan Corporate Tournament, the club achieved third place in the weight-class division for the first time in 12 years, demonstrating the results of their daily training.
In the practice conducted every Wednesday, the ring is also open for use by elementary school and junior high school students in the Yokohama City Konan Sumo Club. Four or five students practice there before tournaments, one of whom is a junior high school student who has been practicing using the IHI Yokohama Headquarters Representative’s Office sumo ring since he was in second grade in elementary school.
Also, every Saturday, an IHI employee in the Sumo Club provides instruction to students in the Kanagawa Technical Senior High School Sumo Club as their sumo coach.
On May 11, 2025, the Yokohama City spring sumo tournament was held at the IHI sumo ring. This tournament, which is open to people living or working in Yokohama, has been held with the collaboration of the Yokohama Sumo Association at the sumo ring of the IHI Yokohama Headquarters Representative’s Office since 1992. Roughly 40 people, both children and adults, took part in the 2025 tournament, and as with previous years, employee volunteers served chanko stew to participants. The tournament was a rousing success, due in part to the active participation of children.
The IHI Sumo Club will continue with its local efforts, helping popularize sumo and deepening its ties to the community.
