Sumo: a free exhibition exploring this ancient martial art at the Japanese Cultural Center

This summer, sumo takes center stage in the capital! Paris Bercy will host the Paris Sumo Tournament, the first of its kind in over 30 years. To mark the occasion, the Maison de la culture du Japon à Paris has decided to dedicate a series of events to this classic martial art, a millennia-old ritual in the land of the rising sun.

Among these events, don’t miss "Sumo, Sacred Forces". To be unveiled from June 9 to September 26, 2026 in the entrance hall of the Japanese cultural center, this photographic exhibition aims to immerse visitors in this martial art, deeply rooted in Japanese culture.

For this artistic project, the filmmaker and photographer Bruno Aveillan headed to Tokyo in June 2025 alongside Nicolas Bary. On this trip, Naruto-beya, the stable led by former ozeki Kotoôshû Katsunori, a major figure in contemporary sumo and the first European to reach such a high rank in the sport, opened its doors to them. Bruno Aveillan seized the opportunity to capture this traditional sport of wrestling that fascinates both in Japan and abroad. Through this exhibition, the photographer aims to offer a sensitive and radical exploration of sumo, this ancient martial art too often reduced to its mere attributes of strength and mass.

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Beyond this photographic installation, the Maison de la culture du Japon also plans to offer visitors a conference on the art of sumo, on June 26. Documentaries and fiction will also be shown from June 11 to July 16. Be sure to discover "Sumodo: The Heirs of the Samurai" (2020) on June 11, or "You Will Be a Sumo" (2013) with director Jill Coulon in attendance on June 18.

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