LONDON — Their impact is hard to miss.

Japan’s elite sumo wrestlers have been making their way through the streets of London in anticipation of the eagerly awaited Grand Sumo Tournament, set to take place this week at the iconic Royal Albert Hall, a renowned Victorian-era concert hall in the heart of the British capital.

Clad in their traditional Japanese attire, these wrestlers, known as rikishi, have been soaking in the sights of the city during breaks from their demanding training sessions for what marks only the second time in 1,500 years that such an event has been staged outside Japan.

This year’s event highlights the prowess of the two top-tier wrestlers, or yokozuna—Mongolian Hoshoryu Tomokatsu and Japan’s own Onosato Daiki. Onosato, at just 25, secured his position as the 75th yokozuna this past May, achieving the rank in a remarkable 13 tournaments.

His competitor, Hoshoryu, holds the distinction of being the 74th to reach this esteemed rank.

“I’m happy that sumo is back after so many years,” Onosato told Sky News, NBC News’ broadcasting partner, on Wednesday. “I hope I can show the U.K. fans how fantastic sumo is.”

“Being a yokozuna has a lot of responsibility,” Hoshoryu said. “My uncle was a yokozuna — and I’m happy to follow in his footsteps. But I came here to London as a yokozuna which he didn’t, so I’m even happier,” he added.

Stopping to pose for pictures with traditional souvenirs, the pair were among a group of sumo wrestlers who visited most of London’s touristic landmarks, including Buckingham Palace and Westminster with its iconic Big Ben.

But that didn’t stop them from their rigorous training routine and their equally rigorous eating regime.

Their carefully structured, high-calorie meals are vital for building the size and strength needed to compete at the highest level.

“We are going through 70 kilos of rice a day,” Donagh Collins, the CEO of Askonas Holt, an arts company which helped to organize the event, told Sky News. “Somebody told me that the wholesaler for the noodles has run out of noodles,” he added.

But in a break from their traditional diet, some of the wrestlers were pictured enjoying London’s street food and feeding each other hot dogs as they explored the city.

While the tournament in London was completely sold out, back home Sumo has faced a series of scandals, including allegations of bullying, assault and sexism at stables where the wrestlers train. Allegations of illegal betting and links to organized crime have also cast a shadow over the image of Japan’s national sport.

But in London, Wednesday saw the first day of the five-day exhibition tournament — the first of its kind since one was hosted at the same venue some 34 years ago.

The wrestlers, who weigh a combined six tons, slapped, gripped and lifted each other, as spectators reveled at the sight of the centuries-old Japanese sport.

Around eleven tons of clay were brought into the hall to build the dohyo, the raised ring where the wrestlers compete, outlined with rice bales shaped and secured using beer bottles, according to Reuters.

The two grand champions, Hoshoryu and Onosato, each secured victory in their bouts, closing the evening with weighty performances — literally.