In sumo wrestling, the formal name for the sport’s raised ring is the dohyō.
A dohyō is a raised platform made primarily from packed clay. Its central fighting area is marked by two parallel straw lines, called shikiri-sen, where wrestlers position themselves before the tachiai. The ring is surrounded by a layer of sand that makes footprints and boundary contact easier to observe.
The dohyō is more than a simple sports surface. It has Shinto associations and is traditionally purified with salt before bouts. A roof suspended above it resembles the architectural style of a Shinto shrine, reinforcing the ceremony surrounding professional sumo.
The ring itself is often mistakenly called a dohyo in English without the long vowel mark, and both spellings are commonly seen. The raised platform should also not be confused with the circular fighting area alone: technically, the dohyō includes the platform and its ring structure.