Sumo is a Japanese tradition going back centuries. And like many Japanese traditions, preparing for the actual event involves a ton of unforgiving hard work.

For those who are unaware, Sumo isn’t traditionally performed in any old area. Instead, a special stage must be constructed for a proper match. Here’s how such an area is built, and let me tell you, the actual process doesn’t look fun — but it’s all worth it to see a bunch of big dudes slam into each other.

Video: a lot of work goes into preparing a sumo wrestling ring (dohyō). The old ring must be removed and replaced with new clay and rice bales for each major tournament. pic.twitter.com/H5Ls2RbpzI

— Jeffrey J. Hall (@mrjeffu) September 3, 2024