Sumo Tournament Experience in Tokyo

Wheelchair accessible. Stroller accessible. Near public transportation. Infants must sit on laps. Most travelers can participate. 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 will be the default meal (please let us know if you would prefer sukiyaki, vegetarian, or if you have any other special dietary requirements on the “Special Requirements” field at checkout. 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.. 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 17 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. November Tournament: Fukuoka. Sumo originated in Japan and is one of Japan’s most well-known sports. It is considered as a gendai budo (Japanese martial art) with a history spanning many centuries. The sport is known for its highly regimented rules and strict traditions for its wrestlers. Most sumo wrestlers are required to live in communal heya (sumo training stables) with all aspects of their daily lives, including their meals and how they dress, closely monitored.. 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.. Why am I charged a service fee if I make a cancellation after you started planning the trip?. Organizing and planning a trip or event requires a lot of time and if we have made reservations on your behalf, it may be very challenging to cancel some booking requests. Once we receive your booking and will start arranging your tour guide, buying tickets, making reservations at venues for your tour, etc.. This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund. Confirmation will be received at time of booking