Bodies steeped in stew: sport, tradition and the bodies of the sumo wrestler

Through an analysis of the role of sumo stew (chanko), this article shows how food and commensality create both the physical and the social bodies of the sumo wrestler. In examining how physical bodies are made, it also explores the meanings of ‘fat’ and obesity in sumo and Japanese culture. As professional sumo relies on a patron system, chanko commensality not only redefines the meanings of the ‘work’ of the wrestler but also provides a route to a post-retirement career.