Tokyo: Grand Sumo September Tournament
Description
What sets this tour apart is its focus on the origins, history, and culture of sumo, combined with real-time commentary during the matches. This small-group tour (maximum 10 participants) is led by a sumo expert guide and has two parts: 1. Ryogoku Walking Tour Explore Ryogoku, the heart of sumo culture, and visit historical sumo landmarks. You will also see sumo stables from outside, where wrestlers live and train. The guide provides insights into sumo traditions, history, and customs, helping you gain a deeper understanding before entering the arena. 2. Grand Sumo Tournament Viewing Watch live tournament matches with real-time commentary from your guide, enhancing your appreciation of the action and rituals taking place in the ring. For those interested only in the tournament experience, a viewing-only option is also available. You may also choose to add a chanko dinner, a nutritious hot-pot dish traditionally eaten by sumo wrestlers to build strength and maintain their physique.
Tour Options
Itinerary
13:00 - 15:00 This part (optional) is to deepen knowledge about sumo history and culture to enhance joy of watching sumo later in the arena. Toward that end, you will visit historical sumo landmarks and sumo stables. Major must-see landmarks the guide will take you to are: 1) Hakkaku-beya Sumo Stable (15min) 2) Nomi no Sukune Shrine (15min) 3) Ryogoku Kokugikan (30min) 4) Ryōgoku Edo NOREN (30min) 5) Ekō-in (15min) 6) Kasugano-beya Sumo Stable (15min)
15:00 - 18:00 Viewing bouts at the arena 1.The guide will walk you through inside the arena to see 1) Murals (10m) 2) Championship prizes (10m) 3) Sumo museum (15min) 4) Paintings / photos of successive Yokozunas (15min) 2.You will receive (see the photo section): - A special pamphlet showing photos and profiles of wrestlers with English translation. The guide will walk you through it as you watch fights so that you can watch them with background information. - A cheer-up towel for a particular wrestler. The guide will teach you how to use it when the wrestler is going to fight. Join the enthusiam of the arena by cheering-up the wrestler.
18:00 - Chanko-nabe dinner (Optional) The guide will take you to one of the best chanko-nabe restaurants near the arena. Enjoy the nutrient hot-pot dish eaten by sumo wrestlers to build their bodies and muscles. ; drinks are not included.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- This tour comes in several options depending on the combination of the following: 1) Landmark/history tour 13:00 - 15:00 Sumo-related historical landmark guided tour. This is a walking tour around Ryogoku, a sumo town, to increase the joy of watching the tournament by learning a lot about sumo from your knowledgeable guide as you visit many sumo-related must-see spots before you actually view the bouts in the arena. 2) Viewing bouts in the arena 15:00 - 18:00 Enjoy the bouts as you listen to the real-time commentaries from your expert guide, and get excited as you join the excited spectators! 3) Chanko dinner option This nutrient dish is the centerpiece of sumo wrestlers’ diets to gain weight and muscles to build their bodies. 4) Seating You will be seated either in chair B on the balcony in the arena; the seating map in the photo section shows their detailed locations.
- While infants (0 - 3 year old) are free of charge, please let us know how many of them will come if you take any to the tour.
Reviews(120)
If you are planning a trip to Tokyo and have some time available, do not miss a day dedicated to Sumo! The agency was extremely attentive both in the communication prior to the event and in the organization of the day itself. Our guide, Akimi, was friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable, always ready to answer my questions as a Sumo enthusiast. The staff overall was kind and very attentive. I truly enjoyed both the walk around the outside of the Kokugikan and the event itself inside the arena. The only observation I would make, as a Sumo fan, is that it would be even better to enter the stadium a bit earlier, in order to have more time to explore the building inside or watch more matches. Overall, for me: top experience!
We really enjoyed our sumo tour. Our guide, Yuki, was friendly, knowledgeable, and overall amazing. I learned so much about the history of sumo and very interesting facts about each individual wrestler. Dinner afterwards was delicious. Highly recommend this tour!
Our guide Taka was lovely! Very welcoming and easy to talk to. We had so many questions about Sumo and he was always obliging. Having the tour adds a lot of depth to the sport, so would definitely recommend it for first timers like us. The Sumo experience itself is also fantastic. Seats were great, and the fights are amazing to watch with an amazing displays of skill from the wrestlers
I highly recommend going to a sumo tournament especially if you are going first time and solo. The tour guide Taka was very wonderful showing us the rich culture of Sumo. I had a wonderful time and can’t wait to come back again.
It was very exciting to experience an authentic sumo tournament. Our guide Taka was extremely accommodating and could provide answers to all questions. He provided us with all the necessary information (start of the matches, ceremony, which sumo wrestlers come from which country and where they stand in the ranking, etc.). The package included a list and a brochure of the participating wrestlers and a souvenir. Thanks to the radios, it was easy to follow Taka's explanations.
Naomi was friendly and knowledgable. Her English is extremely good. It was a wonderful experience.
The sumo tour was incredibly exciting and captivating. I have often watched sumo on television, but seeing it live was a completely different dimension. Our guide Akimi provided us with a lot of background information about the sport and the current wrestlers.
Fantastic. Jeff was amazing and provided great guidance throughout the tour.
Amazing guide! Lots of information! Very nice! Such a great experience! I would do it again!
Yosh was a very knowledgeable and patient guide. He noticed when the group wanted to spend more time at a location and was very accommodating with the group had questions or needs. He shared his love for sumo and specific insight into many of the competitors. It was a great experience. I would book Yosh again for his other tours.
