The Sumo Tournament Experience with Japan Awaits offers a rare chance to witness Japan’s national sport live at one of six official Grand Sumo Tournaments held yearly in Tokyo (January, May, September), Osaka (March), Nagoya (July), and Fukuoka (November).

Each tour option provides a chance to join a group (15–20 guests) with seat types range from S-class, A-class, to B and C-class, depending on the tour option; and enjoy the matches with expert commentary from an English-speaking guide. Learn about sumo traditions, rituals, and the wrestlers’ lives. A minimum of 15 guests is required to run the tour; if not met, a full refund will be provided.

Off-Season Experience:

Visit a sumo stable to observe morning practice up-close. Use audio headsets to learn about training techniques, then meet the wrestlers, enjoy tea with them, and end the experience with a hearty chanko nabe lunch.

Wheelchair accessible

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Public transportation options are available nearby

Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Chanko nabe, also known as “sumo stew”, is a Japanese stew (hot pot) that contains chicken stock as the soup base with various vegetables. Chanko originated from the Ryokoku area and sumo wrestlers are known to eat a lot of it because a large amount of chanko can be cooked at once and many people can eat at the same time, perfect for sumo wrestlers who are hungry from training.

If dinner option is selected at checkout, the chanko hot pot dinner without drinks will be the default meal (please let us know if you would prefer vegetarian, or if you have any other special dietary requirements on the “Special Requirements” field at checkout. Please note that traditional chanko nabe broth is typically made with pork or chicken, but the restaurant may substitute the broth for those who prefer vegetarian option. Please understand that once we have accepted your dinner request, changes cannot be made one week before the tour date.

There is no age requirement. Children must be accompanied by adult (18 or older). Adult pricing applies to all guests of any age, except infants and toddlers between age 1 and 3, which are free of charge, as long as they do not occupy a seat (infants must sit on parents’ laps).

Before the tour, please notify us if you or someone in your group will be in a wheelchair. Please note that there is a wheelchair storage area on the first floor of the stadium; however, your seats will be on the second floor. Guests must be able to climb up the stairs on their own (or with the help from a family member) as staff from Ryogoku Kokugikan will not be able to assist guests.

No outside food or drinks are allowed in the arena, but food is available for purchase from vendors within the arena.

For Standard Tour (Join-in group option), the seats will be on the second floor B chair seats (from rows 7 to 11) or C chair seats. The tour will have a maximum of 20 people sitting in the same location with the English-speaking tour guide.

Please note that there may be a wait prior to seating, as we must wait for all sumo matches to end before entering. There may also be congestion at the Sumo Museum, in which the tour guide may ask guests to visit on their own since it would be difficult to walk around with a large group in a congested area.

When do the sumo tournaments take place in Japan? The official basho (tournaments) take place six times a year at various locations with each tournament lasting 15 days (start date and end date both land on Sundays). The exact dates vary, but takes place on the same months each year: January Tournament (Tokyo), March Tournament (Osaka), May Tournament (Tokyo), July Tournament (Nagoya), September Tournament (Tokyo), and November Tournament (Fukuoka).

How far in advance should I book? Preparing an event requires some time, especially if reservations for restaurants or other venues are required. We recommend making a reservation as early as possible. Ideally, it should be 3 months before your travel date, or 1 month before the travel date at the very least. We may not be able to arrange your event in time so your booking request may be cancelled and you will receive a full refund.

Please also note that group tickets are released by the Sumo Association about 4 – 7 weeks before the tour date; if we are unable to obtain the tickets, we will notify guests within 4 weeks before the tour and will offer an alternative tour date or full refund.

Using audio headsets, you’ll clearly be able to hear the expert guide explain the history and culture of sumo wrestling, as well as learn about some of the most famous sumo wrestlers throughout history and today in Japan. Enjoy the intense matches with explanations from your expert guide and cheer on your favorite sumo wrestlers along with dedicated local fans.

The meeting point will be included in the tour details sent to your email at least one week before the tour date.

Japan Awaits is a licensed tour operator in Japan, with hundreds of registered and vetted tour guides nationwide. We offer tours in any location in Japan and manage all details, including transportation and tickets. Visit Japan Awaits to learn more about our tours or inquire about a custom experience today.

For Sumo Stable experience (during off-season of Sumo Tournament): Join the Sumo Stable Morning Practice Tour (during off-season of Sumo Tournament) at a sumo stable near Warabi Station (30 min. from Tokyo), in a join-in group (8 - 16 people). Watch sumo wrestlers train at an authentic stable while an expert guide shares insights via audio headsets and enjoy the chanko lunch after the session. Location is at the Sumo Stable near Warabi Station (30 min from Tokyo Station) from 8 AM - 12:00 PM. Please note that with this option, you will only visit a sumo training stable (with guide and headset) but you will not have a seat ticket for a sumo tournament, because this date is off-season and no tournaments are taking place on this date.