SUMO EAST AND WEST is a feature documentary about Westerners in the ancient Japanese sport of sumo. The film traces this cultural upheaval from sumo’s introduction to America by Japanese immigrants in the 19th century, through the success of US-born sumotori such as Akebono and Konishiki, to efforts to establish it as a popular sport in the US today.

Shot in Japan, Hawaii, Los Angeles, and Atlantic City, SUMO EAST AND WEST was directed and photographed by Ferne Pearlstein, winner of the 2004 Sundance Documentary Cinematography Prize for “Imelda.”

Former professional sumotori who rose through the ranks alongside Akebono and amateur sumo star, Wayne Vierra, to follow in special Q&A. The Sumo East and West DVD is available at the Museum Store.