no alt text

Bucket list experience:

Last updated: 19 November, 2022
Expert travel writer: Rob Goss

Nothing quite says Japanese sport like large, semi-naked men trying to wrestle each other to the ground.

Sumo has been around for at least 1,000 years, initially performed to appease the Shinto gods before eventually becoming the major sport it is today. From the brief, yet hard-hitting bouts to the Shinto-influenced pomp that surrounds them, it’s a brilliant spectacle – and Tokyo’s Ryogoku neighbourhood is the centre of it all.

There are three 15-day sumo tournaments a year at the Kokugikan arena in Ryogoku, but if you miss those you could take a morning tour to one of the sumo training stables to watch the rikishi (wrestlers) go through gruelling practice routines.

Any time of year, Ryogoku is also worth a night-time visit for a chanko nabe dinner. This protein-heavy hotpot of fish, meat, vegetables, and tofu, is what rikishi eat to stay supersized.

Recommended itineraries by our writers that include this experience

Price from: £15
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 8+
Frequency: annually
When: March, May and Sept
Duration: 2-3 hours

Getting there & doing it

Morning tours of the sumo training stables to watch the practice routines are only accessible as part of on organised tour.

To see the Grand Tournament at Kokugikan, book well in advance via the official website.

When to do it

The Grand Tournaments are held over 15 days every March, May and September at the Kokugikan.

Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first

Hotel K5

Tokyo, Kanto, Japan[2.1 miles]

Uber-hip Scandi-inspired boutique hotel with great access to Tokyo Station, Ginza, and key business districts. A chilled-out base for hipsters.

Official star rating:

Mandarin Oriental Tokyo

Tokyo, Kanto, Japan[2.1 miles]

Uber lux, five star hotel with a prime location in central Tokyo for all travellers who can afford it. One of Tokyo’s swankiest addresses.

Official star rating:

BnA Studio Tokyo

Tokyo, Kanto, Japan[2.3 miles]

A recently-opened boutique hotel with just 6 rooms, each a unique art installation, in a convenient location in Akihabara.

Official star rating:

Hoshinoya Tokyo

Tokyo, Kanto, Japan[2.7 miles]

A high-rise, high-end contemporary take on the traditional ryokan with a great central location.

Official star rating:

Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Tokyo

Kanto, Japan

A dizzying mixture of old ways and modern style, crowds and calm, and arguably the best food scene on the planet.

Website >
Overview >

Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first

Sensoji Temple

Tokyo, Kanto, Japan[2 miles]

With towering gateways and a five-storied pagoda, this busy temple in Asakusa is a standout. If you have time for just one temple in Tokyo – make it this one.

Best for ages: 13+ | Free | 2-3 hours

Website >
Overview >

Museums of Ueno Park

Tokyo, Kanto, Japan[2.7 miles]

A collection of six excellent in one park, including the Tokyo National Museum. Also one of the city’s most popular sites for hanami in Cherry Blosssom season.

Best for ages: 6+ | Varies | 2-3 hours

Website >
Overview >

Tokyo National Museum

Tokyo, Kanto, Japan[2.9 miles]

Japan’s oldest and largest art and cultural museum, is a must-see for anyone interested in Japan’s fascinating history. Collections include samurai armour and swords, ancient Buddhist sculptures even tea ceremony utensils.

Best for ages: 8+ | £6 | 2-3 hours

Meiji Jingu Shinto Shrine

Tokyo, Kanto, Japan[8.8 miles]

Surrounded by 170 acres of lush forest, this calming, functioning shrine in otherwise heaving Harajuku is one of central Tokyo’s most tranquil spots.

Best for ages: 13+ | Free | 2-3 hours

Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..

Exterior of the Japanese Sword Museum in Ryogoku
Experience

Japanese Sword Museum

Tokyo, Kanto, Japan[0.2 miles]

This museum in Ryogoku exhibits a collection of around 190 supremely crafted historic katana (samurai swords) – some designated national treasures – and documents how they are made.

Best for ages: 8+ | £7 | 2-3 hours

Website >
Overview >

Kiyosumi Gardens

Tokyo, Kanto, Japan[1.8 miles]

One of the city’s finest traditional ‘stroll gardens’, set out in the sukiya style, tucked away in an under-visited pocket of greenery in eastern Tokyo.

Best for ages: 13+ | £1 | 2-3 hours

Website >
Overview >
Tokyo Sky Tree and cherry blossom during spring. Tokyo Sky Tree is one of the famous landmark in Tokyo. It is the tallest structure in world when built.
Experience

Tokyo Skytree

Tokyo, Kanto, Japan[2.1 miles]

Across the river from Asakusa, the observation decks on this 634-metre tower deliver incredible views over Tokyo’s seemingly unending sprawl. The high-speed elevator gets you to the observation deck in 50 seconds.

Best for ages: 6+ | £10 | 2-3 hours

Website >
Overview >

Old Tokyo at Yanaka

Tokyo, Kanto, Japan[3.7 miles]

Having avoided damage from the great quake of 1923, the bombs of World War Two and the attention of developers, this mellow, retro and rickety neighbourhood is reminiscent of ‘old Tokyo’.

Best for ages: 13+ | Free | 2-3 hours

Website >
Overview >