Sumo wrestlers eat chanko nabe — a large hot pot stew with protein (usually chicken, fish, or tofu), vegetables, and a dashi broth — as their staple meal. They eat it twice a day: a large lunch after morning training, and dinner in the evening. Rice, side dishes, and sometimes alcohol accompany the meals. Breakfast is skipped entirely.

Skipping breakfast and training in the morning on an empty stomach is a deliberate part of the sumo system. It builds hunger-driven intensity in training, and allows the post-training meal to be consumed in a larger quantity. The full caloric load is concentrated into two meals, and the afternoon nap after lunch promotes fat storage and weight gain.

Estimates for top-division wrestlers range from around 5,000 to 8,000 calories per day, though this varies significantly by wrestler, division level, and individual metabolism. The figure includes chanko nabe, multiple bowls of rice, side dishes, and often beer at dinner. These are rough estimates — precise data is not systematically published.

Chanko nabe is a Japanese hot pot stew that serves as the primary food of sumo wrestlers. It has a dashi broth base (soy sauce, miso, or salt), protein (most commonly chicken, but also fish, tofu, shrimp, or beef), and vegetables like napa cabbage, mushrooms, and daikon. Every stable has its own house recipe. The name comes from "chan" (informal word for the stable master) and "ko" (wrestlers).

The chanko nabe itself is actually quite nutritious — high protein, plenty of vegetables, and relatively balanced. The issue is sheer volume: the extreme caloric intake needed to build and maintain sumo size leads to health risks associated with obesity, including hypertension and joint stress. Sumo wrestlers' life expectancy has historically been lower than the general Japanese population, though modern stables increasingly focus on health management alongside traditional diet.

Yes — Futagoyama Stable's YouTube channel (二子山部屋 sumo food, @futagoyama-sumofood) documents real stable meals with English subtitles. With over 490,000 subscribers and 200 million views, it's the most-watched sumo stable channel in Japan and offers an authentic look at the daily eating life of professional wrestlers.