How to Watch Sumo Wrestling in Tokyo, Japan + Essential Tips
Are you thinking about watching sumo wrestling in Tokyo or elsewhere in Japan? You’ve come to the right place.
The national sport of Japan, sumo wrestling originated here over 1,500 years ago. There are multiple tournaments held throughout the year, attended by locals and tourists alike. It’s a great cultural experience and something you don’t want to miss on your trip.
But how do you know where to start and how to get tickets? Having been to sumo wrestling tournaments, I’ve got you.
Let’s get right into everything you need to know about buying sumo tickets, tournament dates, and what to expect when watching sumo in Tokyo.
What is Sumo Wrestling?
Sumo Wrestling is a Japanese form of wrestling, in which only men can participate.
Wrestling matches take place in an elevated ring (dohyo) made of straw-rice bales, and the platform is covered with a clay-sand mix.
It originated in Japan centuries ago during the Edo era.
The Rules of Sumo:
Pre-Match
Before each match, a ritual is performed by each wrestler.
To Start A Match
A match begins when both wrestlers’ hands and feet are in contact with the floor.
To Win A Match
The first one out of the ring or to have any body part other than feet touch the ground loses the match
How Long Do Sumo Matches Last?
With the dohyo’s small size of 175 square feet, each match does not last very long.
Sumo matches are only seconds long. Few matches last longer than a minute, but when they do, they are action-packed.
With one round to win, they put all their effort into the match.
It’s possible to see wrestlers thrown out of the ring by their opponents.
Typical Sumo Tournament
Matches start early at 8:30 am and will happen all day until around 6 pm. Entry to the sumo venue is available at 8 am.
Your ticket allows you to enter and exit matches as you wish, as well as to leave the venue and return once, in case you want to go out for food and come back.
Lower division matches occur first and slowly progress up to the higher divisions throughout the tournament day. The best sumo matches are in the afternoon and early evening around 2-6 pm, when the highest-ranking wrestlers have their turn in the ring.
Sumo tournaments last 15 days and each wrestler in the higher divisions has only a single match each day, with lower-ranking wrestlers fighting every other day.
Whichever wrestler has the most wins in his division at the end of the tournament, wins his division. There are a total of 6 divisions.
Expert Tip: If your time in Tokyo is limited, attend only the highest-ranking matches between 2-6 pm. This will allow you to see the most amount of action in the shortest amount of time.
Where Can You Watch Sumo Wrestling in Japan?
You can attend a sumo tournament in the following Japanese cities: Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and Fukuoka. Tokyo hosts sumo tournaments most frequently of these cities.
On my visit, I attended the Tokyo tournament, and it was unforgettable.
When Are Sumo Tournaments in Japan?
There are 6 sumo tournaments held each year across Japan.
The tournaments are in the following cities during these months each year:
Tokyo: January, May, and September
Osaka: March
Nagoya: July
Fukuoka: November
Where Can You Watch Sumo in Tokyo?
To watch sumo in Tokyo, you can attend a tournament or take a sumo stable tour to watch sumo wrestlers practice.
Tournaments in Tokyo are held at Ryōgoku Kokugikan.
Known as Sumo Hall, Ryogoku Kokugikan is a dedicated sumo wrestling arena in Ryōgoku, Tokyo. With a seating capacity of over 11,000, the most sought-after seats are the ringside seats.
Picking Seats for Sumo
There are two types of seats available to purchase:
Box Seats
Box seats are closer to the action and are a higher price. You are seated on a cushion instead of a chair. You pay for the number of tickets required to fill the whole box, which is 3-4 tickets.
Balcony Seats
Balcony seats are divided into tiers A, B, and C. Seats higher up in section C cost less than in the A section.
Expert Tip: The venue in Tokyo is small enough that there are no bad seats, only closer seats with a better view of the wrestling. I sat in section C, and the view was still great.
How To Buy Sumo Tickets
You can buy sumo tickets online, on-site, or as part of a tour. Ticket Oosumo is an authorized ticket seller for sumo wrestling tickets online.
Advanced ticket prices start at $40 for balcony seats and up to $142 for the highest-priced box seats.
Same-day ticket prices start at $35 for balcony seats, and can only be purchased on the day of the tournament day you wish to attend. Line up early to buy on-site tickets, because they sell out.
Sumo tours include your Tokyo sumo wrestling ticket, in addition to providing you with history and commentary during the day to enhance your experience.
Best Tokyo Sumo Wrestling Tours
There are several Tokyo sumo tours that provide an in-depth and immersive experience of the sport:
Sumo Tournament Tour – Attend one of the Grand Sumo Tournaments held in Tokyo throughout the year with the insight of a guide. Learn the rules and traditions, and enjoy commentary about the sumo wrestlers (something I wish I had during my visit).
Sumo Stable Tour – Watch sumo wrestlers train at their morning practice at a sumo stable. Available year-round, this is a great option to watch sumo in Tokyo if you visit outside of tournament dates.
Sumo Wrestling Experience – Dress up in a sumo wrestler’s attire and learn the basic techniques of sumo wrestling. If you are feeling up to the challenge, participate in a mock match with retired wrestlers to get a feel for the sport.
These sumo tours in Tokyo provide a memorable experience for visitors who want to learn more about sumo wrestling and its traditions in a guided way.
When to Buy Sumo Wrestling Tickets
Tickets for sumo tournaments generally are available for sale approximately a month before each tournament. I purchased my tickets for the January tournament in mid-December.
It is best to buy your tickets online in advance, as they will often sell out.
Day-of tickets are available in limited quantities for a slightly reduced price. You will need to be at the venue early. Bring cash, as there are only approximately 100 available per tournament day.
Expert Tip: You only need to buy tickets for a single day of a tournament to get the full experience of sumo wrestling.
Note: For Will Call tickets, you will have to pick them up on the day of the event between 8 am and 3 pm. Bring your credit card that you purchased the tickets with and a photo ID.
Why Should You Attend a Sumo Tournament?
Sumo wrestling is filled with tradition and Japanese rituals.
Created in Japan, it is the only country where sumo is considered a professional sport. This makes Japan the best place to watch Sumo. It’s always exciting to experience something where it was created.
Talk about a unique and authentic Japanese experience!
What It’s Like Watching Sumo Wrestling in Tokyo, Japan
I was excited when planning our trip to Japan that a sumo tournament would be happening while we were there, so of course, we had to get tickets.
I jumped at the opportunity to buy the sumo tickets as a surprise birthday gift for P. When I gave him the sumo tickets on his birthday, he was so happy as it had been his one wish item to experience on our trip.
Tokyo Sumo Tournament Day
We attended day 9 of the January Tokyo tournament and purchased our tickets in mid-December.
The plan was to miss the morning matches and go to the tournament in the afternoon to watch the higher-division matches. My thought was that more than 8 hours of sumo wrestling would be a lot for a first-time viewer, and with our limited time in Japan, we wanted to sightsee as much as possible.
We knew we would not want to miss the afternoon matches as those are highly recommended to attend, so we planned to sightsee in the morning and head to the sumo venue after.
Arriving at the venue, we searched for the ticket pickup booth to get our sumo tickets. Our tickets were Will Call, so we had to pick them up on the day of the event between 8 am and 3 pm.
Tickets in hand, we found our seats and were surprised by how good the view was, even from all the way up in the balcony seats where we were sitting in Section C.
Looking around the stadium and watching the wrestlers prepare for their next match below, it was amazing to be here. We watched the sumo matches in excitement.
Sumo match by sumo match, the wrestlers would perform their pre-match rituals followed by the fight. We were amazed by how quickly the sumo matches flew by, lasting only seconds. It was as if, if you looked away for even a moment, you would miss that entire match.
We kept our eyes glued to the action. There were a couple of matches that lasted about a minute, and one wrestler even threw his opponent out of the ring right into the crowd. Woah! That was crazy!
Every now and then, vendors would walk through the crowd, checking if viewers wanted to purchase beverages or snacks. It was quite the place to be.
With the time now nearly 6 pm, the tournament day was coming to an end. The daily closing show completed the day.
Everyone began to head towards the exit. In the lobby, there were cardboard cutouts of some of the sumo wrestlers that you could take your picture with. People gathered around them and took their photos, P and I included.
We asked someone to take one of us, and they ended up turning it into a photo shoot with plenty more than we anticipated. It was funny to look through them all, but it is better to have too many photos than none at all.
This was my first sports-watching experience, and it was unforgettable!
Final Thoughts: Watching Sumo Wrestling in Tokyo
The best way to experience sumo is at a guided tournament tour where you will get commentary about the wrestlers.
Four or five hours is enough to get an introductory feel of what it’s like and take in the best matches of the day.
And if you visit out of season, book a tour to watch wrestlers practice in sumo stables.
Seeing Sumo in Tokyo was an enjoyable experience and one I hope to share with friends someday. I would definitely watch sumo wrestling again.
Happy travelling!
