How to see sumo wrestling in Japan was originally a great mystery for me. Of all the sporting events on my bucket list, sumo wrestling was the first that I checked off of the list. Sumo (相撲 sumō, literally “striking one another”), is a Japanese style of wrestling and the country’s national sport. Its origins go back at least 1500 years, making it one of the oldest organized sports. Only men participate in sumo and there are several rituals and religious elements, such as purification of the ring with salt.
For those of you who are itching to watch sumo wrestling in Japan, there are six major tournaments every year held around the country and each tournament last 15 days. I attended the tournament held in Osaka, Japan, every March. Getting tickets and understanding the rules in Sumo requires some planning. Here are a few tips to seeing this fascinating sport.
Page Contents
When to see Sumo
If your dates are flexible and you definitely want to watch sumo wrestling in Japan, you should plan your trip around the sumo tournament schedule. If not, then you should try to go to the sumo exhibitions that are held in between tournaments and occasional retirement ceremonies. You can view the full schedule of these events here.
Another option is to see a morning sumo practice by visiting a sumo beya (すも部屋, sumo stable) where the wrestlers train. I recommend that you book a tour through viator.com. You should expect to sit on the floor and be silent during the practice.
How to get tickets
Unlike many things, if you want to watch sumo wrestling in Japan, you must make a plan. Getting tickets is probably the hardest challenge. They sell out quickly, sometimes within minutes of going on sale. If you live on the other side of the world, it is even harder because of the time difference. Don’t fret! You can usually buy tickets through a third party. I used Voygian, which is a good site to book tickets and tours in Asia.
You have to pick up tickets in person in Tokyo, so build that into your trip, especially if you plan to see a tournament outside of Tokyo.
Tournament Day
If you want to see sumo wrestling in Japan, you should know that tournaments last all day and are a multi-day event. The wrestlers compete based on their ranking so the best wrestlers compete late in the day. If you show up when the doors open, the crowds will be slim and the matches may not be as exciting. I recommend that you plan to go in the last 2-3 hours of the day’s tournament when the top division starts and the crowds are lively.
- How to get there: 9 Easy Tips for Travel in Japan
Sumo Rules and Traditions
The best way to see sumo wrestling in Japan is to enjoy it as the locals do. The tournaments are completely in Japanese with no English translation, so I went along with what the crowd did. Cheered when they cheered and booed when they booed!! Here a few tips to help you understand what in the world is happening.
• Matches take place in a Japanese ring called a dohyo (土俵). It is made of clay and covered in a layer of sand.
• There are no weight restrictions, so wrestlers try to gain weight to prevent being matched against a much heavier wrestler.
• There are several religious traditions the wrestlers observe during the match. For example, they sip sacred water and throw purifying salt in the ring before the match; the referee dresses like a Shinto priest; and the wrestlers clap their hands when they enter the ring to summon the gods.
• Before the match starts, the wrestlers spend several minutes showing off. They extend their arms, stomp their feet, and squat to size each other up and to intimidate their opponent.
• After minutes of “warming up” the match only lasts a few seconds.
• There are 70 winning techniques in sumo. Some include pushing your opponent out of the ring, throwing them to the ground or getting them to touch the ground with any part of their body besides the soles of their feet. You only get one shot. There is no best 3 out of 5 in this sport!!
