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Tokyo Sumo Morning Practice Tour at Stable
4.9
120 Ratings
Sumida City
Experience an intimate and traditional Sumo encounter in Tokyo with our Sumo Morning Practice Tour. Get up close to the wrestlers, feel the intense atmosphere, and learn about the history and traditions of Sumo.
Duration:
2 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Ryogoku Station Gallery - Meet your guide at 7:45am at the nearby train station before making your way to the sumo stable. Get ready to get some amazing insight into this unique Japanese sport that originated from the religion of Shintoism. Learn from your guide about how the origin of sumo dates back at least 1500 years, and about how it preserves rituals and traditional aspects of Shinto while also being a major spectator sport in Japan. Before you take your seat on the ground in the sumo stable, learn about the six annual Grand Tournaments that all go on for 15-days. Three of them are in Tokyo, and one in Osaka, Nagoya, and Fukuoka respectively.
- Ryogoku - Watch quietly and respectfully as the sumo wrestlers go through their daily routine. You are sure to be in awe as you see them going through their rigorous training, and you will gain a newfound insight into this ancient art.
At the end of the practice, your guide will walk you back to the train station where you will part ways.
- Sumo Museum - If we have time, we may stop by.
- Ryogoku Edo Noren - We may stop by and see all of the shops if we have time.
- Ryogoku Kokugikan - If you want, we can walk past Kokugikan, where the Grand Sumo Tournament is held in Tokyo.
What's Included
- Photos with wrestlers (depends on the day)
- Local, professional guide
- Sumo stable entrance and watch the real practice closely
Additional Information
If you want to watch the REAL Sumo wrestlers up close, this is one of the closest you can get!
Let’s watch the wrestler’s morning practice right next to the ring and feel the intense and serious atmosphere. The sound of wrestlers colliding to each other, their breath and the scent of the fragrance they wear are something that you can never feel by watching any videos.
You will meet with your knowledgeable tour guide at the station and walk to the stable(10mins walk). Your guide will explain you about Sumo, its history, rules and regulations before entering the stable and then watch it together. You will see the unique traditional sports which is at the same time religious rituals, originally started to entertain the Shinto deities.
If you are lucky, you will get to take photos with the wrestlers after the practice outside of the stable!
- Minimum age is 12 years old (Kids 11 and under cannot enter the stable)
- Please be aware that depending on the schedule, the ending location may differ from the meeting place.
- Please use the restroom before arriving at the meeting point.
- The practice/tour may be a bit shorter or longer than expected depending on the content of the practice
- Cellphones must be on silent
- Photos are OK but only without the flash or shutter sounds
- Unauthorized use of the photographs taken is strictly prohibited. Please be aware of image and privacy rights violations.
- Videos are not allowed
- Eating and drinking is not allowed（Please be aware that it is hot in Tokyo in summer, and there will be no air conditioning on the tour. Since it is so hot, guests are allowed to drink water and sports drinks inside the stable during the month of Summer. We also recommend that you bring something like an ice pack or cold towel to help keep you cool.）
- Sunglasses and hats are not allowed in the stable
- Once you leave the sumo stable, you cannot re-enter.
- Please watch the practice silently and respectfully
- Please do not step down onto the ring or the sandy ground area. The ring is a sacred place for the wrestlers.
- Please do not stretch your legs toward the ring. It is considered impolite to show the soles of feet to the wrestlers.
- You cannot ask wrestlers to take a photograph with you while the practice is still going on.
- Please do your best to NOT leave the sumo stable in the middle of the practice, and try to stay and watch the practice until the very end.
- Please be very careful not to interfere with the sumo wrestlers concentration.
- For those interested in seeing sumo, but can’t fit this tour into your schedule, have a look at our other sumo tours! Please search “Sumo Morning Practice Tour in Tokyo, Sumida city” or “Tokyo Sumo Morning Practice Tour with Audio Guide” to find them.
- If you are not feeling well, please refrain from joining the tour.
- After meeting up, we may take a train to the stable
Location
1-chōme-8-21 Oshiage
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(120 Ratings)
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William_m
Jun 25, 2024
Would strongly recommend! - I would strongly recommend this, the guides are very kind and informative. They went out of their way to make sure we had a great experience :)
Review provided by Viator
Carol_r
Jun 16, 2024
A once in a lifetime experience - Learning about Sumo wrestlers and how hard they train. Meeting them after the practice session and realizing how easy they are to speak to. Amazing experience and not to be missed when in Tokyo.
Review provided by Viator
Yumin0s
Jun 16, 2024
Great experience - It was such a great experience. Kiki was a great guide. Watching the rikishi’s serious morning practice was a very unique and interesting experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Melissa_g
Jun 10, 2024
Great experience. We were... - Great experience. We were able to snap a few photos with these amazing athletes after watching their workout.
Review provided by Viator
Chim_w
Jun 5, 2024
Great experience tho sitting still on small pillow and on tatami floor for 2 hrs was challenging. - Real workout practice. Would have been better if tourguide gave us an info sheet about sumo wrestlers and their lifestyle and training since there was no talking or discussing. I googled about sumo wrestler life while I was sitting for 2 hrs.
Review provided by Viator
Michellert2220jc
May 2, 2024
Highly recommend - An amazing experience- one to remember- would recommend. Would strongly advise the tour operator to provide better instructions and a map to locate the meeting point for travellers unfamiliar with the area.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gisela_g
May 2, 2024
Really enjoyed it. - True athletes. Great experience. Genuine - not a tourist trap. Appreciate that they allowed photos (no videos allowed).
Review provided by Viator
Janisse_m
Apr 30, 2024
Love to see it! - Great experience! Nice to learn about sumo fights and all the process. Everyone should have that experience.
Review provided by Viator
Journey385188
May 10, 2024
A unique and fascinating experience. - Great guide and fascinating experience. The only downside was that seating was on the floor with limited room for stretching. Those with flexibility problems should be aware of this issue.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Spaggia
Apr 25, 2024
Worthwhile but could be organised better. - Instructions of meeting place were not the best. You need to wait outside the main entrance of the station. Gathering the twenty people together on this tour was chaotic. We wee asked to be there 15 minutes before start time. So we got there at 8:45am. By the time everyone actually arrived it was 9:20. Then we all took a train to the next station and walked for ten minutes. None of this was in the info once booked. Once there you sit on flat cushions crossed legged for an hour and a half. It was well worth it. Very little information given by tour guide just a couple of photocopies handed out. That being said it’s definitely worth it. You have to make your own way back to the starting point once training at the stables ends. This isn’t clear in the info given when you book either. No individual photographs taken just one group photo which we didn’t get a copy of.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
