The raised platform used for professional sumo bouts is called a dohyo. It is a clay-covered ring elevated above the surrounding floor and bounded by straw bales.
The dohyo defines the contest area and provides the visual center of a sumo venue. A wrestler wins by forcing the opponent outside the circular boundary or making any body part other than the soles of the feet touch the surface.
A roof-like structure called a yakata is suspended above the dohyo in traditional arenas. The raised ring itself should not be confused with the building that contains it, such as the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo.
Dohyo are rebuilt and prepared carefully for major tournaments. The ring’s construction, markings, and ceremonial features reflect sumo’s long connection with Japanese ritual and shrine traditions.