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It was amazing watching the sumo wrestlers - gave us insight into their life and training . Opportunity for a photo afterwards which was a great to take home as a special memory . 

A truly unique experience. I booked this tour last minute on a whim for my last day in Tokyo, and it ended up being one of my favourite experiences in Japan. Masao was knowledgeable and friendly, and it was incredible to see the athleticism of the sumo wrestlers up close. I highly recommend this tour. 

The intensity of the rikshi (sumo wrestlers) is awesome to see and hear up close. It was a treat to watch their practice session and see them spar with one another. Masao gave us insights as to how they move in the ring, compete with one another to be chosen to spar, and other rituals and actions that are a part of practice. This is not a show, but a serious practice session. 

Our guide Masao was very good. He was both knowledgeable and funny. The practice itself was something to be seen. I never realized what the wrestlers put themselves through. They are big and solid yet remain very flexible. I can still hear the sound of the wrestlers smashing into each other, such incredible force. We received some good literature, all about sumo, from Masao.  Having a chair was a great help, especially since I have knee issues.

This was absolutely amazing!  These men are so powerful and disciplined. Their respect for each other is humbling. No matter what was happening in the ring they never lost their cool.

This was such an amazing experience! We started off with meeting our guide Masao, who did an excellent job of explaining Sumo. It was great to get an insight and understanding on it before we went into the practice. Then when we were at the practice our guide distributed informational sheets on Sumo which was even more helpful! We were able to sit ring-side and have a up-and-close view of the Sumo practice. Even though we had to be quiet the whole time it was so exciting and fun! At the end we were able to meet with the Sumo wrestlers for a picture. This was definitely a highlight of our Tokyo trip! Thank you to Masao for making it so enjoyable!

The guide, Masao, was really nice and competent. The seating was perfect and the overall experience outstanding. We liked the opportunity to take photos with the wrestlers after the practice.

Masao-san was great and gave us a run-down of the sumo practice viewing etiquette. He was knowledgeable and enthusiastic. The practice itself was entertaining, and the work the wrestlers put it in was impressive! It was a unique experience I am glad I got to see. Photography was allowed, as well as getting a photo with the wrestlers afterwards.

My father and I are sumo fans. Unfortunately, we were visiting Japan during a time with no tournament. So, I thought it would be a good idea to give this a try.In some ways, this was even better. Gritty, raw, in-your-face. And, unless you're shelling over big money for a ringside seat at a tournament, it's unlikely you’ll ever get this close to the action. Masao-san is a great guide and explained the rules to us. Please be respectful. These rikishi are training for their beya (school) and their livelihood, they're not there to entertain you. Please do your best to keep quiet, try not to move around too much, and be mindful of others around you enjoying the tour.  It was quite an experience seeing the rikishi go through their practice. They all work very hard. It does get a bit crowded in the seating area as there are other tour groups attending. The first people in are usually seated on the floor, while everyone else fills in the chairs afterward. Since my dad is older, he actually appreciated sitting in chairs.

Highlight of our trip! The tour guy was great. The stable was serious and professional. The guys really work hard to reach their dreams.

If you like any sport, this is a must.  Views were terrific, 11k full house and great atmosphere.  Short tour before was interesting and helpful for the main event.

Great experience! Masao was an excellent tour guide: knowledgeable, funny, and spoke very good English. Highly recommended!

We met with Mas today with our friends on our visit  and experience with a sumo tour and also a tournament. The tour led us to a large temple where we were advised that this was one of the largest sites for pets and also for the deceased who had passed from sorry or natural accidents etc. Mas was very descriptive and we loved the tour. The sumo tournament was an experience and the excitement being there in the arena was second to none . 10/10 for everything

It was an amazing experience, with a lot of explanations before the sumo championship, about the history and life of sumo masters. The guide was very friendly and interesting. Hihly recommended :)

Masao was a great guide, and truly a major fan of Sumo which made the tour even better! And the sumo matches was also really exciting to watch. Recommended!

Great guide and everything well organized. Overall the visit is on the longer end - 30 min less would have been enough in the stable

Masao was a very knowledgable and personable guide! I appreciated his willingness to answer questions after the tour and his general enthusiasm for sumo wrestling. I absolutely loved this experience and will treasure my time witnessing such a sacred and historically significant sport for the rest of my life! Seeing the strength and dedication of these wrestlers as they practiced was truly incredible. Thank you, Magical Trip!

This hour and a half in this stable of Sumo was great because very varied:- Sumos (12) of different ages and builds - a succession of warm-ups / repetitions of technical gestures and training fights in quantity, sometimes in force, sometimes in explosive We're really very close. -the guide was very friendly and managed in EnglishLittle point to improve: the photo with sumos, to save time is done in small groups with people you don’t know which gives a less nice photo than it could be...Note: there are seats for only half of the people

My spouse and I had a wonderful time attending a practice at a sumo stable.  Masao was our guide and was fantastic - he was energetic and incredibly knowledgeable.  We had an introductory conversation about sumo at our meeting point, and after we arrived at the stable, we each received an informational write-up to help us learn even more about Japan's national sport.  It was all fascinating, and time went by very quickly.  I would highly recommend this event to anyone interested in learning more about sumo.

A terrific little tour with Masao before watching the sumo tournament! Masao provided some really interesting information, the handouts were helpful, and the seats have a very good view! Arigato Masao!

Masao was an amazing guide! We all thank you so much for the tour! 

The guide was a really nice person, but his English was really hard to understand 

We had a great time at the sanctuary with Masao! The training with the sumos was really entertaining and a great exercise before the delicious homecooked meal. I highly recommend the tour alone or with friends! Definitely would come again!

An unforgettable and amazing experience!Masao-san, Ko-san, Nishiki-san and Yu-san were very accommodating and informative.A must try for any sumo enthusiast or even if you're curious!

If I’m being completely honest I woke up the morning of the tour not wanting to go because I was a bit hungover from Golden Gai the night before and had a bit of anxiety about training with absolute monsters of humans. I powered through and made the journey and I’m so happy I did. Masao-san was a wonderful tour guide, very passionate and an all around great guy. We learned so much about the history of sumo in our short time together. When the time came for training all my nervousness I had were completely put at ease with encouragement of Masao and the two sumos we trained with. Nishki-san and Ko-san (forgive my spelling) gave us brilliant demonstrations and rundown of the everyday sumo training. At first they seemed like scary guys, but you learned quickly that they were big silly teddy bears hidden behind monstrous physiques. The training was much more difficult than you’d think. It was a relief when we had to actually go against them because my legs were getting tired lol.After the training and bouts they made us a delicious hot pot meal and we got to talk more and get to know them. I loved these guys. Maso-san, Nishki-san and Ko-san are the absolute best.

It was a great experience. Thank you for let us have a taste of the true sumo. Thank you also for take care of us.

ありがとうございました。

This is absolutely awesome, recommend it to anyone, I even done the training and wrestling with the guys, they do take it easy on you. That’s guys thoroughly enjoyed it.

Lot’s of fun and great history of the japanese Sumo 🇯🇵

I had an absolute blast doing this! I highly recommend Masao and the experience as a whole. A really special experience for both me and my father. Plus, the lunch was delicious! 

This experience was so interesting, educational and fun! We had no idea to expect but were very impressed. The sumo trainees and our guides were the best. Very good sumos but great actors as well. 

Thanks to Masao and the two sumo wrestlers! The tour provides an exceptional insight into the world of sumo wrestling, giving participants a unique opportunity to try it firsthand. The chance to have lunch with real sumo wrestlers adds a personal touch, making the experience truly unforgettable. Overall, this is a wonderfully organized tour—highly recommended!

What an amazing experience! Masao, our guide, was funny and so knowledgeable. He met us at the station and had taxis ready for us. He did a great job explaining everything and answering all questions. Seeing the wrestlers spar and take us through their practice was amazing. Such a cool experience to take part in and witness. I even left my phone in the taxi Masao provided for us to take to the gym; he helped track down the taxi and even brought my phone back to our hotel in Tokyo safely! Could not be more thankful! 10/10 ⭐️

My husband and I were in Japan for our honeymoon and booked this activity. It became the highlight of our entire Japan trip! We highly recommend this Sumo Experience. Our guide Masao was very knowledgeable and educated us on the culture and history of sumo. The sumo wrestlers were very interactive with our group. We got to practice with the sumo wrestlers, had lunch, and our guide took lots of photos for us. We also got to keep a memorable piece of art. This was an absolute amazing experience!

Fantastic! Would highly recommend, Interactive and informative, Best Sumo experience ever!

English friendly, exactly what you were hoping for as a tourist getting a chance to fight with a sumo wrestler

Authentic tasting food, they specially prepare a vegetarian meal forme

Very authentic experience, strongly recommended, great host!

It was an amazing experience ! Thanks for this.

This experience was the perfect mix of educational and fun. I appreciated learning about the history of sumo and getting to really try the practice exercises. Masao was informative and fun! I highly recommend this activity.

Great ! It was at the same time very interesting and quite funny : a good insight of sumo life and they had a lot of humor. You can train a little bit with them to feel their overwhelming power.

Amazing experience. Everyone did a great job. I’ve recommended it to everyone I know 

We had a fantastic time learning about sumo, laughing, eating a delicious lunch and generally having fun. Loved our T-shirts, love our handprint. Our hosts were engaging and friendly. Highly recommend. 

Absolutely awesome experience. Everything went smoothly and the guides were very helpful. The sumo wrestlers were very fun and playful. The wrestling match was quite thrilling and one of the guides helped me record a video on my phone.

It was increíble for 2 hours, but the only bad thing is that we were so many people and that's why it didn't see very good. Then I to get up from the chair and was well

Amazing one time experience where you get to go through training and have a match. Legit one of my highlights of japan. Left with a smile after as well as amazing photos. Tour was with masao

A must do experience to learn about the authenticity and the great culture of Japan and their Sumo’s! Worth every penny. Thank you masao!

Great organising, super funFor family, couples and friends. Great introduction and the staff is charismatic and made things memorable for us. Thank you masao-san

BEST experience I learnt so much!!  Thank you to Masao. Highly recommend for groups and families. We learnt so much!!!! There was a chance to participate too!!!

Such a great experience. We loved learning about the sumo and how the tournament works from Masao and he also gave us other tips for enjoying other parts of tokyo

Mr Masao Hiramatsu was amazing, he is knowledgeable and well experienced. It was great to see the sumo wrestlers practice and prepare. Two hours goes quickly but you come away with respect for Sumo wrestling.  Meeting point was very convenient to where we were going, so not a lot of walking.  We were able to ask questions to one of the wrestlers and now look forward to following him on his journey. We walked back to a train station with our guide Mr Hiramatsu who was happy to answer any questions on Japan that we had. It is good to see someone that just loves his work and wants people to know everything about his country. Great tour that was very unique to see.

It was an amazing experience. The logistics were smooth. The guide, masao was very welcoming and amazing. The wrestlers nishiki and sakurai were so much fun. We got to train and wrestle with them. We also got to learn sumo history. Finally we cooked hot pot and ate with them. It was a nice home stay experience where we got to spend time so close to Japanese culture. We also got a token of memory with hand prints as well. I definitely recommend this experience.

Incredible tour ! Super exciting and great experience 

I was not expecting to enjoy the experience that much. It was so great to first train and fight with the athletes, get informed about the Sumo circle background and then exchange in a relaxed atmosphere having a simple but very tasty meal. I‘m sure this will become our #1 event on our family Japan travel. 

This was amazing. Great tour operator. Easy to follow instructions.Would recommend to anyone of all ages.You won’t go wrong with this amazing tour

We took the morning Sumo tour with Masao today. He was knowledgeable and professional. He gave us ample time at the farm to view the sumo wrestlers and then additional time to ask questions one of the individual wrestlers.

Masao was a great guide: friendly and explained alot about sumo. We had a unique experience in the sumo stable, many thanks to him and the sumo wrestlers that were present and showed us sumo and interacted with us. They made it an experience we will not forget and was wonderful! A must do for everyone that has in interest in sumo and Japanese traditions.

Wonderful review of the history and demonstration of sumo. Maxsan and Masaosan were very knowledge and answered all it questions. The Sumo wrestlers were professional and funny. They demonstrated Sumo techniques and had an actual bout. Next we were allowed to challenge the Sumo wrestlers. It was a lot of fun! They prepared Chanko for us and we enjoyed a delicious meal together. It was the best! Recommend to anyone interested in Sumo or even if you aren't, you will have an enjoyable time!

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. 

What an incredible day this was, perfectly balanced between learning aspects of the sport and art of sumo wrestling, while also being able to experience (if you choose!) aspects of the training and matches. Lunch was delicious and our hosts knowledgeable, kind and hilarious. This was entertainment at its best! Book this tour - you will not regret it!

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 

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

This was one of the best experiences I have had in Japan, if not the best experience. Not only did they have amazing hospitality but also were just genuine and easy to talk to. They were knowledgeable about sumo wrestling and had lots of fun facts to go along with it. The best parts were interacting with the sumo wrestlers of course, going against them and practicing with them was so much fun. They had personalities that were bubbly and friendly making it comfortable for almost all the people in my group to try and “wrestle” them. (The only ones who didn’t were either too young and afraid or just older or injured.) these sumo wrestlers were clearly professional and acted so but also made things fun like posing for the camera when needed. If you are looking for an authentic sumo experience to learn about sumo wrestling look no farther because this is what you want. It involves learning about sumo wrestling, meeting the sumo wrestlers, watching their training, training with them, battling them and them battling each other. Also to mention you get an amazing home cooked meal that was one of the best meals we had in our time in Japan from a sumo wrestler! I couldn’t say enough great things about this experience, it was well worth it and with it many fond memories to cherish forever! Thank you to Fuji and Masao for being great guides. Thank you to both of the sumos wrestlers and the stable for being great! 10/10 would absolutely do this again if I could!!

Very informative and interactive, great experience. We came in June and had a great time with a well worth lunch. Location was off Tokyo but really easy to get to

Very fantastic activity, it was just breathtaking. Masao was lovely and explained everything in details and answered our questions, he also took some great photos. The sumo practice was just legendary, thanks also to the Sumo wrestlers, we had the opportunity to take pictures of them and with them. Must do.

We started by meeting Masao where he walked us around various parts of the town. He explained the history of sumo and how matches are conducted. Afterwards, he gave us our tickets and we were off to the arena. My family and I had a lot of fun watching the tournament! Was a once in a lifetime experience.

Masao was an amazing and informative guide. Because of him we were able to fully enjoy our incredible day at Ryogoku Kokugikan!

Masao was absolutely wonderful! Very informative and lively tour. Sumo tournament is definitely a very interesting experience and worth it!

Tremendous fun, culturally enriching, very friendly and helpful host in Mr. Masao. Food was lovely and cooked for you by the Sumos!

The Tour guide, Masao, was very friendly and engaging with us. The experience was really fun and you wouldn't be able to tell that they only just recently started doing the Sumo experience tour. Not to mention Ko and Kiichi, the sumo, were very fun and friendly. The lunch that we all ate together, Chankonabe, was very delicious and filling.

Better than I expected. Lots of fun and laughs, the lunch was delicious and our guide, Masao was friendly. Would highly recommend for a first trip to Japan or just an afternoon excursion.

We went on this Sumo Training tour with our guide Masao Hiramatsu, which we can only recommend. The tour gives an unique opportunity for gaining insight into the world of sumo by participating in the practice ourselves as well as by trying the typical lunch served for sumo wrestlers. Masao, our guide, as well as the two sumo wrestlers provided excellent company and were open for any questions about sumo or Japan in general. They were very kind and funny! This experience has given us a lot of memorable pictures taken during practice and during fun posings with the sumo wrestlers.

When booking we didn’t know what to expect but with an easy journey out of Tokyo we were greeted at the station by our very friendly guide. Short drive to the sumo training space where we learnt about the traditions of sumo wrestling before watching and participating in sumo training session. Then sat down to make chicken dumplings, delicious. It was great fun and enjoyable experience with lovely hosts. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

We enjoyed learning from Masao and we were so lucky to have him sit with us during the matches and explain which matches and wrestlers were crowd favourites or what moves they were famous for etc. Such a great japanese cultural experience. Would 100% book a trip with Masao again we learnt language, history and had a good laugh and joke with him also, great japanese man. The seats had a great front seat view.  The lunch was plentiful and really delicious.

We had the best sumo tour experience with our incredible guide, Masuo. He was so knowledgeable and funny he kept us entertained throughout. Highly recommend the sumo tour and if you’re able to get Masuo as your guide, you’ll be in great hands!

AMAZING TOUR, BOOK NOW. Masao was an amazing tour guide! He Even escorted us to our bus stop after the tour to ensure we got to our next destination! 

The experience was something we did not expect. Masao was so helpful, very easy to interact with and was happy to answer any questions about Sumo or Japan in general. Highly  recommend! You will not be disappointed. Ps lunch was great and something I would not have found without this tour. 

Amazing way of discovering sumo fights, can see it from very close point of view. Very interesting explanations of Masao, thank you Masao !

Because our family was participating this afternoon as only guests our guide Masou could adjust the schedule to our interests. Our boys love anime and specifically the figures. He brought us to many shops and departments we probably didn’t know off/find in this short time. The visit to the maid cafe we enjoyed less. Over the top and very noisy. We stayed only shortly.

Hello, myself and my wife have recently visited Japan and we went on the Sumo wrestling tour. The tour was fantastic and we thoroughly enjoyed it.Masao Hiramatsu was our guide for the day and he did an excellent job. He had a lovely, friendly manner and had brilliant knowledge of the Sumo wrestling history and culture. Every question Masao was asked, he answered perfectly. After meeting Masao, he gave us some interesting history about the Sumo culture and then proceeded to walk us to the Dojo to watch the training session. We sat on cushions on a staged area and watched the training session. It was absolutely fantastic to see. A slightly quirky experience granted, but definitely one of the best things I have ever seen. We were captivated from start to finish. The atmosphere inside the Dojo was intense. The sounds of the wrestlers were the only noises heard as the rest of the room was in complete silence. It was truly exciting and a very unique experience. Thank you to Masao for making our trip a very pleasant and memorable experience.Paul and Kristina Morrow

Excellent service by Rina and Masao. My children and I had a great time. It started with the walk around the Asakusa street market around sensoji temple, then we had full tea ceremony experience. We also went to a lunch restaurant with the savoury pancake making. Awesome!!

Thank you Masao-san, very enjoyable morning spent watching the training session - what a fantastic event.  Sumo is more than a sport.  Look closely and you will experience the religion, a philosophy, the sociology and the psychology. Blood, sweat, and, on the rare occasion, tears - which are the result of total commitment. Great tour - thoroughly recommended

Masao is so kind, interesting.Thé sumo's training is speechless : a must have !I learn so much about sumotoring story, rules, great fighters. Thank You.

The sumo wrestling was quite amazing to watch.  My 14 year old son and I both enjoyed it a lot. The men had an explosive power that was very impressive, and were remarkably flexible too!  Masao our guide was very friendly and informative, with lots of information about the sport of sumo and the way the men train.  Masao was also very helpful with suggestions for nearby neighbourhoods to visit and travel tips generally!  

Masao

Reviews (88)

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