Do Sumo Wrestlers Eat Sushi? Unveiling Their True Power Diet

December 28, 2025 •

5 min read

In a 2015 GQ article, world champion sumo wrestler Byambajav Ulambayar debunked the myth that his diet consisted of vast quantities of sushi, revealing that sumo wrestlers eat only two carefully structured meals per day to maintain their size. While the stereotype of sumo wrestlers consuming mountains of tiny rice rolls persists, their actual nutrition plan is far more strategic and centered on a different kind of Japanese cuisine.

Quick Summary

This article explores the truth behind the popular misconception about the sumo wrestler's diet, detailing their primary food source: a hearty, calorie-dense stew called chankonabe. It contrasts the disciplined reality of their eating habits with the myth of unlimited sushi consumption, explaining how their nutritional intake supports rigorous training and weight maintenance.

Key Points

Not a Staple: Despite popular belief, sumo wrestlers do not regularly eat sushi as their primary food source.
Chankonabe is Key: Their diet is built around chankonabe, a high-calorie, protein-rich stew.
Strategic Schedule: Sumo wrestlers follow a strict schedule of fasting, intense training, and consuming two massive meals followed by naps to maximize weight gain.
Efficient Bulking: The large, hot pot-style meal of chankonabe is a more efficient way to consume the thousands of calories required daily than small portions of sushi.
Health and Discipline: The sumo diet is a demanding and disciplined routine, which, despite relying on healthy foods, can contribute to health risks later in life due to the immense volume consumed.
Communal Eating: The preparation and consumption of chankonabe is a central, communal activity within sumo stables, reinforcing hierarchy and discipline.

Debunking the Myth: Why Sushi Isn't a Staple

Many people picture sumo wrestlers in training, sitting at a low table, surrounded by an endless conveyor belt of sushi. This mental image, however, is a product of misunderstanding rather than reality. While sushi is a delicious and iconic part of Japanese cuisine, it is not the ideal food for a professional sumo wrestler (rikishi) whose primary goal is to gain and maintain an immense body mass. The sheer volume of food required to reach 8,000 to 10,000 calories a day makes sushi a highly inefficient choice. Small, delicate pieces of fish and rice, while nutrient-rich, are simply too low in volume to be the central part of a bulking diet for a person aiming for a 400-pound physique.

The Rise of Chankonabe

Instead of sushi, the dietary cornerstone for almost all rikishi is a hot pot stew known as chankonabe. This nourishing dish is cooked in enormous pots at the sumo stables, or heya, and is the focus of the wrestlers' two main meals each day. The ingredients vary based on the season and what is available, but the core formula provides a massive intake of protein, vegetables, and carbohydrates in an easily digestible format.

Protein: Chicken, fish, tofu, beef, and pork are common, with chicken being a popular choice for good luck (because chickens stand on two legs).
Vegetables: Cabbage, onions, daikon radish, carrots, mushrooms, and leafy greens are added in large quantities.
Carbohydrates: The stew is served with immense quantities of rice and sometimes noodles to pack in the calories.

Unlike the measured portion sizes of sushi, chankonabe is consumed in staggering amounts, with wrestlers often eating until they are completely full. The warm, hearty nature of the stew allows them to consume more calories than they might from solid food alone.

A Day in the Life: The Sumo's Strategic Eating

The sumo wrestler's dietary schedule is as important as the food itself. It is a carefully orchestrated process designed to maximize calorie retention and weight gain. Here is a typical routine:

Morning Training: Rikishi wake up early for a grueling, hours-long training session on an empty stomach. Exercising in a fasted state forces their metabolism to slow down, preparing their body to store incoming energy as fat.
First Meal (Lunch): After training, they consume their first and largest meal of the day, featuring enormous servings of chankonabe, rice, and other side dishes.
Afternoon Nap: Immediately following this massive meal, the wrestlers take a long nap. This resting period further slows their metabolism, ensuring that the calories they have consumed are converted into fat and muscle, rather than being burned off.
Second Meal (Dinner): The process is repeated in the evening with a second, equally large meal.

This two-meal system, combined with strategic napping, is far more effective for gaining mass than snacking on delicate food like sushi throughout the day. While some anecdotal accounts mention a former wrestler eating large amounts of sushi, it is the exception and not the rule, and often led to health issues.

Chankonabe vs. Sushi: A Nutritional Comparison

To understand why chankonabe dominates the sumo diet, a nutritional breakdown is helpful.


Feature	Chankonabe (Sumo Staple)	Sushi (Misconception)
Calorie Density	Very High (Large, customizable portions)	Low to Moderate (Small, fixed portions)
Efficiency for Bulking	Extremely High (Easy to consume in bulk)	Extremely Low (Difficult to eat enough)
Nutrient Variety	High (Packed with meats, veggies, tofu)	Moderate (Dependent on type; can be limited)
Primary Role	Foundational meal for weight gain	Occasional snack or side dish
Typical Quantity	Multiple huge bowls per meal	A few rolls or pieces
Metabolic Effect	Optimizes calorie storage via napping	Not designed for weight-gain strategy

Conclusion: The Truth Behind the Myth

The perception that sumo wrestlers eat sushi is a common cultural misunderstanding. Their diet is far more disciplined and scientifically tailored to their athletic needs. The reliance on chankonabe, a protein- and calorie-dense stew, and a strategic eating and sleeping schedule are the real secrets behind their formidable size. While they are not restricted from eating sushi, it is a rare indulgence rather than a dietary foundation, and their focus remains on maximizing energy intake for their demanding sport.

USA SUMO - Learn: Sumo Diet

The Health Implications of the Sumo Diet

Despite the massive calorie intake, the chankonabe at the core of a sumo's diet is surprisingly healthy, packed with fresh vegetables, lean proteins, and nutrient-rich broth. However, the sheer volume of food, coupled with the weight-gaining tactics, can lead to serious health problems later in life for many wrestlers. A former sumo wrestler, Orora, who once held the record for heaviest rikishi, publicly warned others about the dangers of unchecked eating habits. This highlights the distinction between the highly controlled, and for them, necessary, diet of an active rikishi and the potentially detrimental health outcomes that can arise after retirement if these eating patterns continue without the rigorous training. The purpose of the sumo diet is not just about eating large amounts, but eating large amounts with a specific athletic goal in mind.

A Glimpse Inside a Sumo Stable

Life inside a heya is regimented, and the preparation of food is an integral part of the hierarchy and training. The younger wrestlers often serve as the cooks, preparing the daily chankonabe and serving the senior members before they can eat themselves. This communal aspect of eating is a core part of the sumo lifestyle, fostering discipline and respect. The sheer scale of the food preparation further underscores why a communal, easily scalable meal like chankonabe is essential for feeding dozens of massive athletes, rather than individually prepared meals like sushi.

The Broader Context of Japanese Cuisine

It is also worth noting that the standard Japanese diet, known for its health benefits and longevity, bears little resemblance to the extreme caloric intake of a sumo wrestler. The rikishi's diet is a specialized adaptation of traditional ingredients, tailored for a specific athletic purpose. Their intake of healthy foods like fish, vegetables, and rice is magnified to an extreme degree, and paired with a lifestyle designed for maximum weight gain. This is a stark contrast to the moderate portions and diverse, balanced meals enjoyed by the general Japanese population.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sumo wrestlers do not eat sushi as a staple because it is not an efficient source of calories for their rigorous weight gain regimen. The small, delicate portions do not provide the massive caloric intake needed to fuel their training and build mass.

Chankonabe is a rich, high-calorie hot pot stew that serves as the primary meal for sumo wrestlers. It is packed with protein from meats, fish, or tofu, and a variety of vegetables.

Professional sumo wrestlers typically eat only two massive meals per day, one after their morning training and another in the evening. They skip breakfast and take a nap after each meal to maximize weight gain.

While the core diet of chankonabe is nutritious, the sheer volume of food and weight-gain tactics can lead to health problems later in life. The diet is specialized for athletic needs and is not recommended for the general population.

Yes, their diet is supplemented with large amounts of rice, beer, and various side dishes. Some anecdotal accounts mention other foods, but chankonabe is the foundational dish.

Sumo wrestlers nap immediately after their large meals to slow down their metabolism. This strategy helps their body store calories as fat and muscle instead of burning them off, which is crucial for gaining and maintaining their large size.

The idea is a cultural misconception. As sushi is a well-known Japanese food, people incorrectly associate it with sumo wrestlers, who are also symbols of Japanese culture. In reality, their diet is more strategic for their specific athletic needs.

No, the recipe for chankonabe varies. It is based on the ingredients available and often depends on the specific sumo stable where it is prepared, with different stables having their own unique version.