What is sumo wrestling?

Sumo wrestling is a type of full-contact sport that originated in Japan. It started in ancient times as an entertainment performance dedicated to the Shinto gods. Nowadays, it still holds its religious essence while being practiced as a professional sport.

When are professional sumo tournaments held?

Japan holds professional sumo tournaments once per odd-numbered month, meaning there are a total of six in a year.

In Tokyo, the events are scheduled in January, May and September. In Osaka and Nagoya, the competitions are held in March and July respectively, and in Fukuoka, they are in November.

Every tournament is 15 days long, and begins and concludes on a Sunday. Visit the official website of the Japan Sumo Association for date listings of upcoming tournaments.

How do you buy tickets?

Purchasing sumo tournament tickets in advance is highly encouraged as tickets almost always sell out weeks before the actual event. If you are outside Japan, you can buy tickets online through the official website and other authorised online sellers. Or, if you are already in Japan, you can buy at convenience stores all over the country or at the sumo tournament venue itself.

Which seat offers the best view of the sumo matches?

Typically, stadiums have three different types of seats, according to their distance from the dohyo or ring:

• Ringside – Spectators occupy cushions on the floor and are at risk of getting hurt as they have the closest vantage to the dohyo. These seats are the most expensive.
• Box – Also located on the first floor, box seat ticket holders also sit on cushions and have to pay for all four seats in the box regardless of how many people are actually present.
• Balcony – This section has Western-style seating and offers the cheapest tickets that can be bought at the venue on the day of the tournament.

What should you expect during the day of the match?

Matches of lower division wrestlers usually start at 8:30 in the morning, except on the final three days of the tournament, when they begin at 10. They are followed by second division matches at around 3 in the afternoon and top division matches at 4. The day typically ends at around 6 pm with a bow-twirling ceremony.