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Jim was great he gave us a wonderful tour of the shrines and temples.  He took us to climb the Daibotsu Buddha.  He shared stories about the dieties and the local history.  We saw shrines that we would have otherwise missed.  He is a very energetic walker and we had to remind him that we were not as fit as he is. 

Amazing tour, great explanation and we even got a chance to practice. The meal was also really good. Be aware of bringing cash to be able to buy great souvenirs !  

Very fun family experience with Jim and his team! His assistant Fuji went to pick us up at the Shin Kawasaki station, where a driver took us all to the Sumo stable. Jim explained (with pictures and videos), the history and rules of sumo, the different levels in the sumo pyramid, and the typical training schedule that wrestlers undergo. Two recently retired wrestlers showed us their practice drills, which we tried ourselves, and we even had to opportunity to challenge them for a one-round bout (they were very gentle however as they clearly could’ve crushed us in 5 seconds). We then tasted a typical sumo wrestler lunch (including one of the best-tasting soups I have had in Japan so far; sumo wrestlers are famoud for their cooking skills), during which we had the opportunity to ask wrestlers plenty of questions. We received gifts (T-shirt + ink handprint of one of the wrestlers), pictures, etc. I highly recommend the experience to understand better the sumo wrestling culture. Jim, Fuji, the wrestlers and the rest of the team were all very friendly.

It was an amazing experience ! Thanks to all the team 

This tour was one of the highlights of our visit to Japan.  An awesome experience with very friendly and helpful hosts.
Delicious lunch!

This was a fantastic experience for our family. It was fun and informative and interactive. The meal was delicious as well. We had a great time there and would recommend it to families and groups of friends. 

Fantastic trip. Jim and Kenji were great tour guides. This was definitely a highlight of our trip to Japan and shouldn’t be missed.

The Authentic Sumo Experience in Tokyo was the best tour I’ve taken in Japan.

Jim the tour guide couldn’t have been more helpful, he was full of knowledge and answered all of our questions and was an all round great guy.

The tour itself was very educational and it was an honour to get to train, wrestle, eat and chat with the Sumo wrestlers themselves who were all really friendly and welcoming. 

I would recommend this trip to anyone who wants a true Japanese experience you really won’t regret it. 

A big thank you to Jim and all the guys 

Our best experience during a trip to Japan!

We were looking for options to make our 2-week trip to Japan even more attractive and to experience different aspects of the country's culture. "Authentic Sumo Experience in Tokyo : Enter the Sanctuary" was our best hit! Serioulsy.

The hosts did great to keep our focus and attention. I had a very positive feeling they were continuously asking themselves, "What else can we do to help our guest?" during the whole event.

A lot has happened. We got some basic information about Sumo history and rules, we could watch or even try some Sumo exercises. We were involved in meal preparation and could share it all together. We wore kimonos, took a lot of pictures, and received some meaningful souvenirs. And what was very important we could talk to real Japanese. The atmosphere of the event was very special!

We were not bored for even a minute during almost 4-hour event, including our kids (15 and 11). If you have kids, you know it is not an easy thing.

Jim and KAZ: We really appreciate your engagement, hospitality, and the time we spent with you.

Thank you!


Incredible experience. Everyone was so lovely and it was very family friendly and engaging. Highly recommend. 

This is the second time we are doing this experience because my 10-year old son loved it so much (and so did I!!!)! It is such an incredible experience and the sumos are so welcoming and friendly and so forthcoming with talking and sharing their experiences.  I cannot recommend this more! 

This tour was both informative and so, so fun! Jim was amazing and kind, and the two retired sumo wrestlers offered a uniquely humorous view into the world of sumo. Would definitely recommend!

Best experience by far in Tokyo! We learned about the history of sumo and had so much fun getting to try it ourselves! The food was absolutely delicious and gave us a glimpse of daily life of sumo wrestling. The guides/staff were all so friendly and welcoming and my son had such a good time he wants to do it again. 

What a fun, informative and memorable experience.

The day commenced meeting the Tour Guides at Shin Kawasaki Station whereby we took a cab (included) to the Sumo Stable (or in my words, the Sumo house where the Sumos would practice and live together). The Stable, as I recall, was in operation until 2022.

There was an opportunity to stop off at a convenience store on the way to the Stable.

Upon arrival at the Sumo Stable, we sat opposite the Sumo Dohyo (or ring) whereby Jim provided a wealth of information regarding the history of Sumo. We also entered the kitchen area to learn more about Sumo way of life, different Sumo classifications and typical earning salaries.

Following the background information, we went back to the Dohyo whereby there was a clashing of "welcome sticks" (apologies as they would not be called this) as the two Sumos made their grand entrance.

We then had the opportunity to watch and learn how the Sumo's practice and their training regime. It was then time for tour group participation.

For those attendees that wished to participate, we were offered a change of clothes (shorts and long sleeve t-shirt), followed by wearing of the Mawashi (Sumo belt) and then under instruction from the Sumos we each took turns in the Dohyo to practice our Sumo manoeuvres - with lots of laughs from all (it wasn't as easy as it seemed).

After practice, we watched the Sumo's fight. It was then our turn to pick an opponent Sumo. 

The Sumo's were very funny to fight - I was picked up like a rag doll. The Sumo's had a great sense of humour. 

After the Sumo "fighting" it was then time to clean up and sit down for a traditional chicken meal (Chankonabe). Over lunch, you could ask questions of the Sumos and guide.

Following lunch, the Sumos inked their hand on a cardboard sheet and the same with us - amazing the difference between hand sizes. The Sumos then posed for photos before we were transported back to the train station to head home.

Overall, this was a very informative and fun half day tour.

If you are in Tokyo and have the opportunity, do yourself a favour and book this. Lots of lifetime memories from this day out. My family and friends have enjoyed seeing the video of my match against the Sumo - very funny :) 

A big thanks to the Sumos and everyone else that assisted in putting this fantastic tour together. Highly recommended.



Jim

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My Upcoming Tours

Tours I Guide

Hakone Day Trip Tour from Tokyo with a Private Car & Guide

Authentic Sumo Experience in Tokyo: Enter the Sanctuary

1-Day Tokyo Highlights Tour with a Private Car and Guide

Kamakura Historical Walking Tour with the Great Buddha