Tokyo Sumo Morning Practice Tour with Ring-Side SeatsWatch real Sumo morning training at a Sumo stable with ring-side seats
★★★★★- 2 hour tour
- Small group tour
- English speaking guide
What makes this tour unique
- Watch Sumo morning practice at a Sumo Stable.
- Immerse yourself with ring-side seats
- Your guide will explain Sumo traditions and the culture throughout the tour.
Tips and recommendations by our official guides
Sumo is a traditional Japanese sport that has been practiced for over 1,400 years. It is deeply related to Shintoism, an ancient Japanese religion, and was once practiced as a Shinto ritual to pray for a good harvest.
During the Edo period (400 years ago), sumo was held as a charity event to raise money for the repair of temples and shrines, mainly here in Tokyo, and it became a popular sport among the Japanese people.
On this tour, you will enter a sumo stable, which is normally inaccessible, and observe morning practice sessions of sumo wrestlers, which are usually not available even to Japanese people.
How are the strong bodies and spirits of sumo wrestlers nurtured?
You will be able to see up close how they train themselves so hard!
In order to help you better understand the amazing wrestlers and the depth of sumo culture, a local guide will take you on a tour while sharing cultural tips on sumo.
Also, this tour is not entertainment for tourists, but observing the actual morning practice of the wrestlers, so please be respectful and do not interrupt the serious practice of the wrestlers.
Let's enjoy traditional and powerful sumo together!
If you are lucky, you can even have your picture taken with the rikishi after the tour!
Official guide
What's included
Meet up at Kiyosumi Shirakawa Station and a local guide will take you to the sumo stable!
Sumo is a traditional sport that has been practiced in Japan for over 1,400 years. Do you know what kind of life wrestlers lead to nurture their strong body and spirit? In this tour, you will enter a sumo stable, which is normally inaccessible, and see morning practice sessions of sumo wrestlers, which is a sight that is usually not available to the public
Watch real sumo training up close and feel the overwhelming strength of the wrestlers!
Before watching the morning practice at the Sumo stable, your guide will share some notes about the tour and cultural tips to help you enjoy the tour even more. Sumo practice is not entertainment. It is serious training, so please watch with respect and do not interrupt the practice. You will feel the depth of Sumo tradition and history through their intense and tough practice sessions! If you are lucky, you can even have your photo taken with a sumo wrestler at the end of the tour!
Enjoy watching the sumo morning practice with ring-side seats!
Unlike usual morning practice tours of sumo stables, this tour allows you to observe the morning practice from ring-side seats set up right in front of the practice hall. Therefore, we recommend that people with weak legs or those who have difficulty sitting on cushions laid on the floor, to book this tour.
Meeting Point
Kiyosumi Shirakawa Station A1 Exit
- Kiyosumi Shirakawa Station A1 Exit
- You can come to the station by Toei Oedo line or Hanzomon line.
- Meeting place is A1 Exit. (Google map link is a public bath next to it.)
- Your guide will be holding a red/orange sign saying "Magical Trip"
Itinerary
- Meet up at Kiyosumi Shirakawa station
- Learn about Sumo from the guide
- Watching Sumo practice at a Sumo stable
- Return to Kiyosumi Shirakawa station
- There's a possibility that the tour might be canceled due to unforeseen changes or practice cancellations by the sumo stables. Should this occur, we will promptly provide a full refund for your booking.
- Kindly note that this experience is restricted to individuals aged 12 years and above; those younger than 12 years cannot enter the sumo stable.
- Most sumo stables typically require guests to sit on the floor as they don't provide chairs. Additionally, sumo stables retain the right to decline entry to guests who violate their rules. In such instances, refunds will not be issued.
- Permission to photograph sumo wrestlers or take pictures with them rests solely with the sumo stables. Be prepared for the possibility that you might not be allowed to capture photos due to decisions made by the stables.
- If the group size is substantial, it may be divided, with each subgroup visiting different stables.
- Participants might not have access to restroom facilities during the practice session, so please ensure you use the restroom before the tour commences.
- The duration of the sumo practice can sometimes extend beyond the estimated time, potentially causing the tour to conclude later than expected.
- The itinerary for this tour includes some locations that are not accessible by a wheelchair or stroller.
- This tour is not recommended for people with mobility issues, if you have walking problems we recommend booking a private tour.
- Summer in Japan is very hot and humid, so we recommend that you bring water and wear a hat to prevent heat stroke.
- Out of respect for other guests and to ensure the best tour for everyone, we must start the tour on time.
- You will not be able to join the tour, get a refund or reschedule if you are late for the tour and miss the group.
- We might sometime ask you to change the time/date depending on the availability of the Sumo morning practice schedule.
- For a full refund, cancel 72 hours in advance of the tour date.
- Free rescheduling up to 72 hours before the tour date (depending on availability).
There are two possible reasons:
1. Because all dates are fully booked. This tour is really popular and likely to be full early in advance.
2. Because the future tour dates have not been decided yet. This tour is taken place irregularly due to schedule of sumo stables.
Yes! we have another Sumo Practice tour. Find out more info here
Yes, the tour ends at the meeting place.
Yes, you may. In that case, Please tell you guide before you leave.
Yes! we offer Sumo Tour with premimum Sumo tournament ticket in Tokyo! Check this out!
Please visit Help Center for general inquiries.
Photos from the Recent Tours
