Grand Sumo Tour was one of the most useful official Ambassador tours in mid-January 2023; you should know before you book a Grand Sumo ticket.
Sumo is the National Sport of Japan. So, most people who visit Japan desire to watch Sumo while they are in Japan. However, they don’t have any idea how to buy and where to buy tickets or what things to see inside the Ryogoku Kokugikan National Sumo Arena. However, my Grand Sumo Tour experiences can help every new sumo visitor if they know before going to watch Sumo Tournaments in Japan.
Table of Contents
What is Sumo?
You may know that Sumo is Japan’s National Sport, and that’s why it’s very popular in Japan. But you may not know Sumo is also related to Shintoism, which is practiced by the majority of the Japanese population, and that’s another important reason why Sumo is so popular in Japan.
The Grand Sumo is held in Shinto Shrines to respect Shinto Kami for the abundant harvest. But unfortunately, only 20% of land in Japan is suitable for cultivation. So, people believe that Japan needs plenty of harvest from this limited land to maintain food for its vast population. Therefore, making Shinto Kami happy and wishing for a bountiful harvest at the beginning of the year makes great sense.
Sumo Deep Meaning:
Not knowing the deep meaning of watching Sumo Tournaments may offer you joy, but if you know what Sumo is, it will double your happiness. My official Grand Sumo Tour as a Sumida Community Ambassador taught me a lot.
Stage, ring, salt, Canopy, Silk Tassel, referee, and Sumo wrestler everything has a deep meaning.
● Stage:
The Sumo Stage represents the ground of the Shinto Shrine. It’s one kind of offering of honor to Kami playing Sumo on the ground of the shrine. No matter who loses or wins, wrestlers don’t boast; rather, they are very humble and respect each other.
● Ring:
The ring’s diameter is 4.55 meters, made with clay and rice straw representing the Shinto holy place, and the clay below the ring is called dohyo, which represents the earth.
● Salt:
Salt is a symbol of purification. That’s why Sumo Wrestlers throw salt on the stage during their fight to purify their actions.
● Canopy:
You may notice a canopy over the Sumo Stage called yakata, which looks like a beautiful shrine representing the sky.
● Silk Tassel:
Yakata’s four corners are with four colors of Silk Tassels such as green, red, white, and black. These Silk Tassels represent Japan’s four seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter.
● Referee:
The referee is the judge of any tournament. However, in Sumo in Japan, more than a referee with a traditional outfit is called Gyoji, representing a Shinto priest, reminding wrestlers to perform their religious duties, which purifies the ring according to Shinto religious customs and honors Shinto Kami.
● Sumo Wrestler:
I also learned from my Grand Sumo Tour that Sumo wrestlers represent a fully dedicated Shinto life. They live according to customs in a stable or Sumobeya together with other Sumo wrestlers. Besides, they eat together, sleep together, and practice together, supervised by a Sumo master. In short, they live a well-maintained Shinto customary life.
The Yokozuna title is the top among the Sumo wrestlers. However, being a Yokozuna is a challenging task. In 2,000 years of Sumo history, till January 13, 2023, only 73 wrestlers obtained the Yokozuna title, and a Yokozuna has to perform a ceremony at Meiji Shrine for further blessing.
What to see inside the Sumo Stadium?
There are several things to do inside the Ryogoku Kokugikan National Sumo Arena. However, before entering inside, remember to look at the Sumo Tournament Tower (Yagura) near the entrance.
Before starting Sumo, someone climbs up and announces that Sumo will begin soon. It has hanging flags that represent Kami’s blessing at the tournament.
When you pass the main entrance and arrive at the main entrance of the Sumo Building on the right, you’ll see the first two Sumo Wrestlers and the Sumo Museum. These two spots are significant to notice for historical purposes.
At the same time, if you look straight forward, you’ll see all the Sumo Tournament Main trophies displayed through clear wall glass.
The ground floor is for the conference hall. People sometimes go there and eat the bento box they buy inside. In addition, you’ll find several souvenir stores and Sumo Wrestlers’ food Chanko nabe restaurants inside.
However, the most beautiful spot is on the second-floor colorful Edo Style tea street. You may see Sumo characters with lovely costumes around the tea street if you’re lucky. They are so cute and very popular among Sumo Fans.
I must thankfully mention that the Nihon Sumo Kyokai (Japan Sumo Association) and Sumo Prime Time welcomed us during our visit. We’re honored.
Oh, Yes! Sumo Prime Time is the best way to get Sumo daily updates regularly. In addition, you can watch short Sumo clips and get daily updates on the Prime Time youtube channel.
Note: Watch our visit on Prime Time YouTube
Where to buy Sumo Tickets?
You are probably eager to watch Sumo after reading my post. If so, it’s easy to buy tickets from the official website. You can check my post Where to buy Tokyo Sumo Tickets to know details about tickets.
However, if you’re in Tokyo, direct come to the spot and ask the staff for a ticket. They are good at English and very helpful.
Some tips:
According to history, the first Sumo Tournament was held in Tomioka Hachiman Shrine in Koto City.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, I thank Sumida City for appointing me as one of the Sumida Community Ambassadors to experience Grand Sumo Tour. At the same time, I, too, thank the Japan Sumo Association and Sumo Prime Time for making our tour smooth, taking care of us until the end of the day, making some unknown Sumo-related matters clear, and answering our questions patiently.
Overall, anyone who visits Japan must watch Sumo once in a lifetime not only for fun but also to know about Japanese culture and Shintoism that reflects through Sumo.
To know the season read my post on Sumo in Japan
Access:
Nearest Station: Ryogoku Station
Toei Oedo Line
Via A3 Exit
5 minutes walk
JR Sobu Line local train
Via West Exit
2 minutes walk
Address:
1 Chome-3-28 Yokoami, Sumida City, Tokyo, Japan