How to enjoy Sumo Wrestling in Japan

Sumo wrestling is national and unique sports in Japan.

Actually not many people play sumo wrestling, but many people, especially elder people love watching sumo.

We introduce how to enojoy sumo wrestling in Japan.

1．Watch grand sumo tournaments

Six Grand Sumo tournaments “本場所(Honbasho)” have been held each year.
-January, May, and September at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo
-March in Osaka
-July in Nagoya
-November in Fukuoka one each in Osaka

Each tournament begins on a Sunday and have 15 days.
All sumo wrestlers do practice everyday for these tournaments.

We strongly recommend grand sumo tournaments if you visit Japan during these tournament.

Tournaments starts at 8:00am.
First there are matches between lower-ranked wrestlers.
So if you have only 3 hours to watch sumo wrestling, go after 3:00pm.
Around 3:30pm there is entering ceremony of stronger wrestlers.

We recommend 3 hours to see.
But if you have only 1 hour, we recommend go to at 5:00 pm so that the matches of stronger wrestlers is more exciting.

Tickets will be started to sell about 1 month before the tournament.
There are 2 types of tickets, box seats (ground floor) and chair seats (second floor.)

The size of box seats is 1.3m×1.3m for 4 people. It’s small.
So if you are not used to be sit down, chair seats are better.

>Schedule of 2017 and 2018

Tournament	Place	Advance Tickets are sold from	First Day	Final Day
Jan. 2017	Kokugikan, Tokyo	December 3, 2016	January 8, 2017	January 22, 2017
Mar. 2017	EDION Arena, Osaka	February 5, 2017	March 12, 2017	March 26, 2017
May. 2017	Kokugikan, Toyo	April 8, 2017	May 14, 2017	May 28, 2017
July. 2017	Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium, Nagoya	May 25, 2017	July 9, 2017	July 23, 2017
Sep. 2017	Kokugikan, Tokyo	August 5, 2017	September 10, 2017	September 24, 2017
Nov. 2017	Fukuoka Kokusai Center	October 7, 2017	November 12, 2017	November 26, 2017
Jan. 2018	Kokugikan, Toyo	December 2, 2017	January 14, 2018	January 28, 2018
Mar. 2018	EDION Arena, Osaka	February 4, 2018	March 11, 2018	March 25, 2018
May. 2018	Kokugikan, Toyo	April 7, 2018	May 13, 2018	May 27, 2018
Jul. 2018	Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium, Nagoya	May 24, 2018	July 8, 2018	July 22, 2018
Sep. 2018	Kokugikan, Toyo	August 4, 2018	September 9, 2018	September 23, 2018
Nov. 2018.	Fukuoka Kokusai Center	October 6, 2018	November 11, 2018	November 25, 2018

>How to get tickets

To be soon…

2．Watch morning sumo practice

You can see sumo wrestler when there is no grand sumo tournaments.
Because they do practice almost everyday!

Sumo wrestler usually do practice in the morning, so go to sumo stable then you can see sumo wrestlers.

However not all sumo stable show their practice to tourist because they are really seriously.
BUT some sumo stable open to visitors.

When you go to sumo stable, please follow their rule.

See from outside

Usually sumo stable is in the ground floor of building.
So easiest way is to see sumo practice from out side of the building.

At arashio sumo stable located 1 mins away from Hamacho station,
you can see sumo practice from window.

But they don’t know when they do practice a day before,
so we need to check the availability a day before by calling.

If you stay at a hotel, please ask concierge. Maybe they can help you.

See at inside

Another way to see sumo morning practice is entering inside to see.
There is capacity so usually we need to book before.

You can feel more exciting!

For foreign tourists, it’s easy to join the tour.
Many sumo stable don’t use English.

During grand sumo tournament, there is morning practice but it’s earlier than usual.
And when grand sumo tournament in Osaka, Fukuoka or Nagoya,
be careful that there is no morning practice in Tokyo.

3．Other way to enjoy Sumo

Tournament

There is sumo tournament in even-numbered month around Japan.
The purpose of this tournament is for regional activation, spread of sumo and cultivation young generation.
If you are lucky, you can see sumo tournament at other cities in Japan.

Sumo museum

There is sumo museum at Ryogoku sumo stadium in Tokyo.
The major function of the museum is to gather and preserve a wide range of materials related to the history of sumo, from woodblock prints and official listings of rank to the ceremonial aprons worn by the great rikishi of the past.

Sumo by students

If you couldn’t see professional sumo wrestling, don’t give up.
Some university have sumo club and they do practice hard.

It’s unique experience to see sumo by future professional sumo wrestler.

other

Sometimes there are original event.
Please check event schedule.

 

 

To enjoy Sumo is really unique experience in Japan.

If you have any questions, please feel free to leave comment here.