Sumo tournament guide: tickets, schedule and what to expect
A grand sumo tournament is one of the best live experiences in Japan. There are six honbasho per year and tickets sell out fast. Here is the short version of how to actually go.
Honbasho schedule
Tournaments run for 15 days in January, March, May, July, September and November. Tokyo hosts in January, May and September. Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka host the others.
Ticket types
Box seats on the floor are closest and most expensive. Arena seats are good value and comfortable. Same-day tickets at the door go on sale in the early morning for the cheapest seats.
What to expect
Lower divisions wrestle from morning. Top division bouts start in the late afternoon and are the highlight. Fans wait outside afterwards to see wrestlers leave.
Frequently asked questions
How do I buy sumo tickets?
Tickets go on sale around a month before each tournament on the official Japan Sumo Association website and selected resellers. Same-day cheap seats are also available at the venue.
Is sumo worth seeing live?
Absolutely. The atmosphere, ritual and pace of the top division are unlike anything on TV.
