A professional sumo tournament in London in October 2025 offered more than sporting spectacle.
It became a lens through which to view Japan’s growing cultural pull in the West, a society where ancient ritual, hierarchy and Shinto belief coexist with hyper-modern life.
Tanjil Rashid is joined by historian Christopher Harding to explore how Japan balances tradition and modernity, and why that balance is proving increasingly compelling to Western audiences.
THANK YOU
Subscribe to the New Statesman today for only £1 a week.
Content from our partners
Related
Join the debate
Subscribe here to comment