Sumo Tour: Explore History and Live Matches

Join our Tokyo Grand Sumo Tournament Tour for a group experience like no other! Get insider knowledge from an expert sumo guide and explore the sumo town of Ryogoku. Indulge in a delicious chanko-nabe lunch and enjoy prime seating to witness the thrilling sumo bouts.

Duration: 6 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Ryogoku - 13:00 - 15:00
    This part (optional) is to deepen knowledge about sumo history and culture to enhance joy of watching sumo later in the arena. Toward that end, you will visit historical sumo landmarks and sumo stables.
    Major must-see landmarks the guide will take you to are:
  1. Hakkaku-beya Sumo Stable (15min)
  2. Nomi no Sukune Shrine…
What's Included
  • Cheer-up towel to root for a particular wrestler
  • All fees and/or taxes
  • Information package of tournament information, sumo ranking, and profiles of prominent wrestlers
  • Headsets for groups of 3 or more to hear the guide’s voice clearly
  • Guiding in English by a sumo expert guide
What's Not Included
  • Hotel pick-up and drop-off
  • Drinks for the chanko-nabe dinner option; to be ordered separately.
Additional Information

What distinguishes this tour led by our expert sumo guides is:

  1. A focus on the origins, history, and culture of sumo
  2. Live commentary in the sumo arena as matches unfold
  3. A small group experience with a maximum of 10 participants
    The tour is divided into two segments: a visit to sumo-related historical sites and watching matches in the sumo arena…
Location
Ryogoku Kokugikan National Sumo Arena
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(83 Ratings)
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Eilisla
Mar 22, 2025
Excellent sumo tour - I attended the tour for the Osaka tournament. It was wonderful! So glad I booked this, it made my first trip to the sumo really special. I liked that it was a small tour group. Our guide Joji-san was so helpful & knowledgeable. He made sure everyone was looked after and even helped me to find the souvenirs I wanted. He also took us around the food markets in Dotonbori & a local shrine. I've been watching sumo for many years, but this tour is great whether you know a lot about sumo, or nothing at all! Would 100% recommend it. 👏
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Faithk3
Mar 19, 2025
Great intro to sumo and Osaka. - I enjoyed both aspects of the tour. In addition to learning about sumo and watching some very excellent matches it was great to get an introduction to Osaka's food and culture. Yuki, our guide, was very knowledgeable about the sport and it helped that she's a genuine fan.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Inspire45550622859
Feb 19, 2025
An Unmissable Experience to Discover Sumo! - I joined the Grand Sumo Tournament Tour with a Commentary in Tokyo organized by the Arumachi team, and it was an absolutely incredible experience! Thanks to our guide Yuki’s detailed and passionate explanations, I was able to understand not only the rules of sumo but also its history, traditions, and rituals that make this sport so fascinating. The tour was perfectly organized, from the introduction to sumo before entering the arena to the guidance throughout the matches. Yuki kept us engaged with interesting anecdotes and insights, making every moment even more exciting. Before this tour, I didn’t know much about sumo, but now I’m truly passionate about it!
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P9346drshirleys
Feb 4, 2025
A wonderful experience with Arumachi - It is an amazing journey! As a foreigner, I didn't know much about SUMO at the beginning. I was blessed to have wonderful tour guides offered by Arumachi. The tour guides provided us details explanation before entering the hall so that I understood the competition rules and procedures. After that, they provided details of the competitors so we understood their background much more. I am blessed that Arumachi offered a wonderful expereince to us and I learnt much more about Japanese culture from this tour!
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Chiarasg8301ri
Jan 31, 2025
A truly unique and authentic experience - It was a truly unique and authentic experience. Even though it was my first time at a sumo match, I had no trouble following along. The guide had given us materials beforehand and kept us engaged with live commentary throughout the event. It was a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed cheering for the wrestlers!
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F573znmonican
Jan 31, 2025
Amazing Tour! - I had lots of fun! We visited many places related to Sumo Life in Ryogoku and thanks to our wonderful guide I got to know everything about Sumo wrestlers and their life. For the Sumo matches, the guide continued to explain about each wrestler and we were even given some towels to cheer some for some them. Recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mahmutyasire
Jan 26, 2025
Unforgettable Sumo Experience with Aki Kotao and Arumachi Tours! - Our sumo tour with Aki Kotao and Arumachi Tours was truly one of the highlights of our trip! From start to finish, everything was incredibly well-organized, and Aki’s deep knowledge and passion for sumo made the experience even more enjoyable. We were guided through the fascinating history, rules, and traditions of sumo, which added so much depth to watching the matches live. Aki’s enthusiasm was contagious, and her ability to explain everything in an engaging and friendly way made us feel like part of the culture. The small details, like the souvenir bag and personalized touch throughout the tour, made it extra special. Watching the matches, especially cheering for Kinbozan, was unforgettable. Even though he didn’t win, we can’t wait to follow his journey in future tournaments! Thank you, Aki, for making this such a memorable experience. We highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Japan—it’s a must for understanding and experiencing the heart of sumo!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Khanap0rnk
Jan 24, 2025
My First Sumo Match - Thanks to this program, I was able to attend a sumo match and have a truly special experience. The staff were very kind and taught me about sumo. They even prepared items like fans and towels featuring the faces and names of the wrestlers, which made it feel like I was supporting my favorites, similar to fan activities (Oshikatsu). It was so much fun! Thank you so much for creating such a wonderful opportunity.
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Paradise03601003783
Jan 24, 2025
Arumachi Sumo Tour - It was my first time watching Sumo Live. The Arumachi staff was so friendly and a detailed sumo briefing was given beforehand! Would like to participate in similar tours again.
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Freedom50292746839
Jan 23, 2025
It was a good experience and I Will going to watch the Sumo match again - It was the amazing experience, and it was my first time seeing Sumo in Japan . The competition was so exciting, and i am sure I will be seeing again.
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From $218
up to 9 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).