Sumo Wrestling tickets

We are travelling to Tokyo for a week in May. My husband is desperate to see a sumo match but I cannot find any info about tickets on the internet. Do I ask the hotel to arrange this for me by email or does anyone know otherwise.

Dear Irena
You can see the Sumo Wrestling from 8 to 22 in May. Is that suitable for your traveling?
The Website is http://www.sumo.or.jp/

Thanks Chevy. The dates are perfect but there is no facility to book tickets in advance on this website. You must either phone-I can't speak Japanese or buy them on the day and we would like to know we had tickets beforehand.

Beginning Feb. 6, they seem to have started ONLINE ticket sales for the *March* tournament (to start on March 13). So I'd say there is a chance that you can order them online starting sometime in April. Or, since for phone orders they say "In Japanese only," you could write in English to ask how you can buy the tickets from outside Japan in advance:

ticket@sumo-jp.com

Right now they say they only dispatch tickets to addresses in Japan, and that they accept only cash-on-delivery (they do not take credit or debit card for payment). Maybe you could place the order, then on the day when you go watch, pay at the box office in person, or POSSIBLY you could arrange that the tickets be sent c/o your hotel in Tokyo, the hotel making the payment on your behalf, and the hotel charging it to your room booking?? I mean, Sumo Association is keen to increase the number of spectators, they should accomodate something for fans like yourselves :)

Irena,

As long as you avoid weekends, you can easily get seats on the day at the ticket office in front of the Kokugikan. If you are sitting near the rear, don't forget to take some opera glasses or binoculars. Also, make sure you get a copy of the Japan Times that morning so that you have a list of the day's bouts in English.

Thank you all so much. You have been very helpful. My husband is the one who really wanted to go but now I'm quite keen too. I'm looking forward to it.

Hi,
I can't believe it, but my trip in Japan ends the day before the Sumo tournament starts on May 8. I will be in Japan from the 24th if April until the 7th of May. Are there other Sumo tournaments or venues that will be occuring during that period?

My case is exactly the same as Irena's. Even same week. So thank you very much because I'll try to get tickets on monday, May 16th. Does any of you know what is the usual timetable?

Thanks

I have eventually taken the easy way out and asked my hotel to book tickets for me which they are happy to do. Apparently ticket booking starts on April 2nd.

Hai! I went to the Grand Toiurnament in Osaka last week. We walked up at 3:30 p.m. and got tickets and watched the last two and a half hours of the day (the more exciting matches). This was just a few days before the end of the tournament, so it was a prime day. Absolutely no problem getting tickets, adn there were empty seats around us (we were in the chair section, not on the mats on the floor which sell out faster ahead of time). I know of someone who has gone to the tournaments in Tokyo (again, sitting in the chairs, not on the mats) and also gets tickets by walking up.
Where will you be seated? In the upper level in the comfy chairs or on the floor w/the mats? I have seen pictures of the chairs in the Tokyo venue and they look very comfortable, more so than the chairs were in the Osaka Gymnasium.
I suggest getting the Asashi Sumbun (the English language version of the Japnese edition of the Internatl. Herald) newspaper the day after you see the tournament. It will feature big color photos of the last match of the day you went, a a good description of what you saw.
Also there are some really good websites that have great descriptions of what you wil be seeing. There is alot of pagentry and ritual in sumo and it helps enormously to know the significance of what you are watching.
Also, I understand that the Tokyo matches have an English radio headset that you can rent so you can listen to commentary on the matches in English, if you choose to do so. That was not available in Osaka.
It was fascinating and very colorful.

Eileen
Your reply is very interesting. I thought it would be quite formal and full of ritual but I didn't know there would be an English translation available. i must make enquiries. We are sitting in the more expensive chair seats. Apparently there are three price bands of chair seats and we thought that if we were going to be sitting for a couple of hours we should at least be comfortable and anyway it's an experience.

Irena or anyone else,

I am in a very similar situation as you. I just recently booked a trip to Tokyo and am very interested in seeing a sumo match. I looked at the website that was provided in this thread and just have a few questions.

First, I'm a poor college student, haha. I know Tokyo is expensive, and I'll have enough money to spend while I'm there, but I don't want to waste any money. That being said, is there a huge difference between the cheap seats and the expensive ones? Also, on the website, the cheapest advanced order seats are "arena c" seats at 3,600 yen. However, below that it says if you go to the Kokugikan box office the day of the tournament, adult tickets are 2,100 yen. Is there a difference?

Also, I'll be in Tokyo from May 6th to May 12th. Is there a day that you recommend I go to the tournament, or is every day the same?

Finally, I was looking at "a typical tournament day". Is it necessary to show up at 9am? Or do the more exciting matches happen in the afternoon.

Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Brian
I can only go by what I have been told by someone in Japan. Apparently the chair seats are the best and give more comfort.Otherwise you will be sitting on the floor. But there is a cost tot his of course-more comfort more cost! I was also told to come at about 2-3pm and stay until the end at 6pm as that would be most exciting. I don't which days are the best but certainly the busiest are at weekends and the first day which is the 8th and also a Sunday. Hope this helps.

I've been to the Tokyo tournament twice. Go to the ticket office around 10 or 11 am (Fridays are busy). You can buy non-reserved tickets for 2100 yen. The arena is quiet in the afternoon, and you can sit in the first couple of rows and take photos. It gets busy around 3pm, and you'll have to move up to the cheap seats. Matches start at 11am with the young guys. The pros start around 3:30, and it's over by 6pm. Go out the side exit between 2:30 and 3pm (you can get back in), and you will be face to face with all the big names in sumo as they arrive at the arena dressed in kimonos. Enjoy. It's great.

I Can`t believe it´s all over by may 22nd- we`ll arrive on the 24th! There´s no mistake? it´s really over by then?

We will be in Tokyo 5/23-5/25/05-Any place to see Sumo Wrestlers???

Is there a possibility to see sumo wrestler in Japan during August 14th and September 8th?
If anybody knows it would be pleasant for me to go there...

Patty,
I will be in Tokyo a few days before you and will have missed the major Sumo tournaments. I was reading that you can actually go to the stables and watch them practice in the early mornings. I'm not sure of the times I'm still trying to figure that out myself. If you have any useful info to share about seeing them that would be great!

Go to the TAC (Tokyo American Club). They have tickets avalible at the front desk for purchase with multilingual receptionists. Good luck!

Hi there,

I am interested in watching a sumo wrestling match. I am in Kobe until Oct 28. Any information, you might have would be much appreciated.

Thanks!!