Sumo on TV

We will be in Japan from 26 March, and we are Sumo fans ... But due to some well-known problems we gave up trying to organize sumo tickets from home ...

Q1: Last time in Japan, we realized that sumo baso is on TV. Was that an exception or are all sumo bashos on TV?

Q2: Could you recommend budget business hotels in Tokyo that have decent TV screens in the rooms?

Tokaido 2007,

All sumo tournaments are televised daily by NHK. NHK-G shows the main bouts from about 4 pm to 6 pm, while the earlier bouts are shown on one of the NHK satellite channels. I may be wrong, but these may even be bilingual with an English commentary.

Business hotels generally have only small TVs. If you're really keen, you could always try a love hotel, watching a huge flat-screen TV in bed - or in the bathtub. ;-)

Tokaido 2007,

If by "well-known problems" you mean the difficulty of getting tickets without a Japanese address, then you should check out:

http://www.buysumotickets.com

Its a relatively new service out there specifically meant to help out people in your situation.

NHK (I believe the satellite channel only) has English commentary for sumo starting at 4pm for the first 14 days, and around 3.30 for the last day.

Also, not entirely on topic, but the sumo bashos are available to stream live here:

http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/hon_basho/torikumi/eizo_haishin/eizo4.html

I had "the honor" of being taken to the championship bouts. My company's president had a box up front. A box consists of pillows on the floor. After several hours of sitting, I couldn't get up because of my legs being asleep (LOL). I'd rather watch them on TV.

Thanks a lot to all of you.
Each of your answers are very useful. :-))

I am not entirely sure what well known problems you are referring too, but note that that the tournament days never sell out on weekdays, but only on weekends and national holidays. Therefore, it is easily possible for anybody to buy tickets on the day itself at the entrance. Only the better box seats near the ring also sell out on weekdays.

You said you will be in Japan, but you didn't mention if you'd be coming to Osaka. If you want to watch sumo live (the only way to watch it, I believe!!), then you'll have to be in Osaka. It won't be held in Tokyo again now until May.