Are you grappling with what are the best Tokyo sumo wrestling things to do? Can’t tell your ‘Yori-Kiri’ from your Tsuri-Dashi’?
From chowing down on ‘chanko nabe’ (sumo wrestler stew) to visiting the free official sumo museum, there are lots of sumo wrestling sights and activities in Tokyo.
This post may contain affiliate links to tours and hotels. These help us earn a small commission at no additional charge to you.
Easily the best thing to do is either experience a national sumo wrestling tournament in Tokyo that happens 3 times a year (usually January, May and September), or see a training session at Tokyo sumo wrestling stables which is open all year-round. Many sumo activities are also free to enjoy too.
From sumo wrestling merchandise to the best place to see sumo wrestlers in the ‘wild’, here is our ultimate guide to Tokyo sumo wrestling things to and activities.
This article was originally published on 11 May 2024.
A full list of Tokyo sumo wrestling tours can be found on Viator and Klook
1. Go to a Tokyo sumo wrestling tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan stadium
Sumo Wrestling in Tokyo is a BIG sport in Japan (literally) so try to time your trip to Tokyo with a national sumo wrestling tournament at the Ryogoku Kokugikan National Sumo Arena.
All of the Tokyo sumo wrestling bouts and Grand Tournaments are held here in the Ryogoku district. We went to a national sumo wrestling tournament in Tokyo recently and it has to be one of our top 5 experiences in Japan of all time (up there with the snow monkeys).
The Ryogoku Kokugikan stadium is used for the national sumo tournaments and is right next door to Ryogoku JR train station. You can buy tournament tickets or morning sumo stable training sessions via booking sites such as Viator or GetYourGuide.
There are six national sumo wrestling tournaments every year in Japan, and three are held annually in Tokyo every January, May and September.
The next national sumo wrestling in Tokyo tournaments in 2026 are as follows:
- January 2026 (11 to 25 January 2026) – sumo tickets on sale from 6 December 2025
- May 2026 (10 to 24 May 2026) – sumo tickets on sale from 4 April 2026
- September 2026 (13 to 27 September 2026) – sumo tickets from 8 August 2026
From what to expect at a sumo wrestling Tokyo tournament to Japanese sumo wrestling ticket prices in Japan, here is our ultimate guide to buying sumo wrestling Tokyo tickets >
2. Go to the Tokyo sumo museum (free)
If your visit doesn’t coincide with one of the three annual Tokyo national sumo wrestling championships, another top Tokyo sumo wrestling thing to do is check out the Sumo Museum.
Located inside the wrestling stadium, it is full of famous sumo wrestling memorabilia and trophies.
The National Sumo Museum is open all year round to the public with free entry. Opening times are Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm (last entry at 3.30pm) – sumo museum opening times correct as of October 2025.
Japan checklist
We love using booking.com and agoda.com for researching and booking all our hotels, and Hostelworld for booking hostels. You can also purchase eSIMs from Airalo.
For booking tours, transfers and SIM cards we recommend Get Your Guide, Viator or Klook.
For booking rental cars visit Discover Cars.
Check out our Japan travel resources page >
3. Challenge Sumo Wrestlers
Fancy yourself as a sumo wrestler? Take on the might of real retired sumo wrestlers in this ring with a sumo wrestling and dinner package.
Learn about the heritage, strict training regime and rules / points system of a traditional sumo match and watch as sumo wrestlers grapple it out in the ring.
Enjoy a sumo-sized ‘chanko nabe’ meal (more on this later) and then a lucky few volunteers (or should that be unlucky?) will get to grapple for real. Hopefully as your friends or family cheer you on (unless they prefer the real sumo wrestler)!
Book your Challenge Sumo Wrestlers and Enjoy a Chanko Nabe Meal tour here >
Join our Facebook Japan Travel Tips Group!
Need help with your Japan itinerary or have any questions?
Head on over to our friendly Facebook group with 80,000+ members and ask the experts!
Click here to join our group >
4. Visit Ryogoku, Tokyo’s home of sumo wrestling
You might not have heard of the Ryogoku neighbourhood before as it isn’t as well known overseas as say Akihabara, Shinjuku or Ginza – but Ryogoku has sumo-sized bags of character and is the historic home of Japanese sumo wrestling in Tokyo (as well as the location of Ryogoku Kokugikan stadium).
As well as the stadium, sumo training stables and the Tokyo Sumo Museum, this is also where you’ll get to see sumo wrestlers walking the streets or dining in restaurants before or after training / tournaments.
We saw huge sumo wrestlers in the queue ahead of us at Ryogoku McDonalds – a true story!
You might like our 15+ things to do in Ryogoku guide >
You might like these Tokyo neighbourhood guides:
Akihabara
Asakusa
Ginza
Harajuku
Ikebukuro
Nakano
Odaiba
Ryogoku
Shibuya
Shimokitazawa
Shinjuku
Also check out our
Where to stay in Tokyo guide
7. Asakusa Sumo Club Sumo Show Admission with Chankonabe
Sumo Wrestling is a BIG sport in Tokyo (literally) and no trip to Asakusa is complete without purchasing tickets for the local sumo club and enjoying a hearty chankonabe dinner (sumo stew).
Asakusa is one of our favourite Tokyo neighborhoods to stay in, packed full of shopping, restaurants and local temples.
In the evening, pay a visit to Asakusa Sumo Club, a fun night that allows you to get up close and enjoy epic matches in the dohyo (sumo ring) with former professional sumo wrestlers – or be brave and have a go yourself.
The night also includes all you can eat food (so you can bulk up like a real sumo wrestler!) and take away a souvenir goodie bag including a photo with sumo wrestlers.
Book your Asakusa Sumo Club Sumo show admission with Chankonabe dinner tickets with Klook >
6. Visit the Tokyo sumo wrestling stables on a tour
If your visit to Tokyo doesn’t coincide with one of the six national sumo wrestling tournaments in Japan, you can always get-up close to real sumo wrestlers at a morning sumo wrestler training session.
Most of the training session tours start fairly early around 7.30am at JR Ryogoku Station and then it is just a short walk to the Tokyo sumo wrestling training stables in Ryogoku.
The tour guide will have insider knowledge and teach you more about the sumo wrestling rules and history – souvenir photos are also usually available.
Tokyo sumo wrestling stables tours you can book online:
Tokyo Sumo Early-Morning Practice Tour in Ryogoku >
Tokyo Sumo Morning Practice Tour at Stable >
Sumo Morning Practice Tour in Tokyo, Sumida City >
Tokyo: Visit Sumo Morning Practice with English Guide >
See a Sumo Practice in Tokyo with Klook >
7. Eat chanko nabe (sumo wrestler stew) in Tokyo
Eat like a sumo wrestler – as you’d expect from the home of Japanese sumo wrestling, there are numerous ‘Chanko nabe’ restaurants in Tokyo (especially in Ryogoku), often run by retired professional sumo wrestlers.
Chanko-nabe is a heavy / rich stew of fish, meat, tofu, vegetables and rice – based on our experiences at the national sumo wrestling tournament, it is also VERY smelly so just follow your nose to find it.
There are several Chanko Nabe restaurants in and around Ryogoku Station and Ryogoku Edo Noren including Tomoegata Chanko, Sumo Chaya Terao and Ami Ryōgoku.
Try this Tokyo Sumo Show Experience with Chicken Hot Pot >
8. Ryogoku Edo Noren
Want to see a life sized sumo ring or enjoy a variety of Tokyo cuisines? Located inside Ryogoku JR station, Ryogoku Edo Noren is a cultural and culinary complex looking to combine the best eating and drinking in an Edo period style parlour and layout.
This might be your only opportunity to see a full sized sumo-wrestling tournament ring if you don’t get a chance to visit the nearby sumo stadium – plus this one is free to see!
As well as several restaurants (including sumo style chanko nabe), there is a useful Tokyo Tourist Information centre here, as well as an edo-museum and recreation of an edo townhouse plus a fire watchtower.
9. Take home some Tokyo sumo wrestling souvenirs
During the tournaments or in the gift shops near the Sumo Museum, be sure to browse all the sumo wrestling merchandise – it is AMAZING!
You can find sumo gifts galore – everything from sumo wrestling gachapon toy capsule machines to sumo wrestling magnets or sumo stickers (and even sumo wrestling fans in the shape of wrestlers faces).
You might like – Guide to the coolest gachapon toys in Japan >
10. Tokyo sumo statues
Along the stretch of pavement between Ryogoku Kokugikan National Sumo Stadium and Ekoin Temple (outside JR Ryogoku Station), you’ll find a series of sumo wrestler statues and concrete handprints along the road – perhaps this is the only spot in Tokyo for sumo selfie?
There are several sumo wrestling statues of all shapes and sizes (just like the real thing then) in various poses and wrestling techniques – who needs the ‘avenue of stars’ when you can have this Tokyo Avenue of Sumo!
If you are interested in learning more about sumo and the culture of Japan, then check out book The Way of Salt: Sumo and the Culture of Japan on Amazon >
You might like – Plan My Japan’s convenience store guides including 7-Eleven, FamilyMart and the cult of Lawson fried chicken or egg sandwiches
11. Visit Ekoin Temple, the Spiritual Home of Tokyo Sumo Wrestling
A very quiet and calm Buddhist temple in Ryogoku, Ekoin Temple was once the home of sumo wrestling in Tokyo in the Edo and Meiji eras.
The temple was known as a sumo wrestling venue during the Edo and Meiji periods.
The first sumo match was held here in the 1760s and later went on to host all the sumo tournaments for over 75 years between 1833 and 1909 in a large two tiered sumo building (which is no longer here).
The sumo bouts subsequently moved down the road to Ryogoku Kokugikan stadium
Ekoin dates back to the late 1760s and was originally built to commemorate the citizens who died in the Great Fire of Meireki in the 1650s.
You might like – Tokyo’s oldest beer hall or Tokyo’s ‘underground’ Ninja sake bar >
12. Sumo wrestler meet and greets / walking tours
There are multiple Tokyo sumo wrestling tours where you get to learn more about the rich heritage and traditions of sumo wrestling before walking around Ryogoku and potentially meeting a sumo Grand Master.
Tokyo sumo wrestling walking tours include:
Check our the full list of Tokyo sumo wrestling tours on Viator >
Found this article helpful?
Did you enjoy our blog post? Let us know in the comments or by sharing it on social media.
You can follow us on:
Instagram
Tik Tok
Facebook
Pinterest
YouTube