What is the Japanese hot pot dish traditionally eaten by sumo wrestlers?

The Japanese hot pot dish traditionally eaten by sumo wrestlers is chankonabe. Also called chanko or sumo stew, it is a flexible nabemono made in a large communal pot and eaten in substantial portions by wrestlers seeking to build body mass.

There is no single fixed recipe. The broth may be based on dashi, chicken stock, sake, or mirin, while the pot can include chicken, fish, tofu, beef, daikon, bok choy, mushrooms, and other vegetables. Rice and beer are often served alongside it, increasing the meal’s total calories. Leftover broth may be reused for noodles such as udon or sōmen.

Chankonabe is often confused with shabu-shabu or sukiyaki, but those are distinct hot pot styles with different cooking methods and seasonings. Within a sumo stable, senior wrestlers and guests traditionally eat first, followed by junior wrestlers. The dish later became popular in restaurants, including establishments opened by retired wrestlers; Kawasaki Chanko in Tokyo’s Ryogoku district dates to 1937.