'Must-see event', rare sumo tournament kicks off in Paris
📰 France24 · 📅 Jun 14, 2026, 11:03 AM · 🌐 france24.com
🤖 AI Summary: **What happened?**
A 150-member sumo delegation arrived in Paris via two chartered flights for a weekend sumo showcase, the sport's first official event in France in more than 30 years.
**Why it matters?**
The event reintroduces Japan's national sumo sport to French audiences after a 30+ year absence, enabling formal cultural and sporting exchange between Japan and France.
A 150-strong delegation, two chartered planes... More than 30 years after their last visit to France, the elite of sumo wrestling – Japan's national and sacred sport – is making a highly anticipated return to Paris for a weekend showcase.
