Our Sumo Tournament Experience in Nagoya offers a rare chance to witness Japan’s most iconic sport up close, with expert guidance and cultural context. Whether you’re new to sumo or already a fan, this tour offers the perfect balance of beginner-friendly guidance and deep cultural insight.
Every year, around mid-July, Nagoya hosts the Grand Summer Sumo Tournament, called Nagoya Basho, one of the six major Sumo tournaments held in Japan.
The matches take place at the new IG Arena, a modern venue where you’ll sit among locals, hear the crowd cheer, and feel the tension rise with each bout. It’s a dramatic and unforgettable experience, especially once you understand what’s really happening on the dohyo (ring).
Guests on our Sumo Tournament Experience in Nagoya walk away with more than memories; they leave with a deeper understanding of sumo and Japanese traditions.
The dates for 2026’s Nagoya Grand Tournament are from July 12 to July 26, 2026. We offer two packages with either standard chair seats or box seats (closer to the ring) for an additional charge.
Join a knowledgeable local guide in the arena and watch thrilling fights with insightful explanations about Sumo traditions, moves, and wrestlers.
🔥 Feel the energy, hear the crowd, and cheer like a local.
WE ARE ACCEPTING PREBOOKINGS FOR 2026!
27,995 yen + taxes/person, chair seats
42,500 + taxes/person, box seats (currently unavailable)
*Minimum 2 people per booking
Private Small Group Experience (maximum 8 people)
Meijokoen Station (Google Maps)
14:00 – 18:00 (4 hours)
English, Spanish
[Children]
*Regular tickets will be required for children 4 years and older as they need their own seats.
*Children 3 years and under are free only if they sit on a lap. They cannot occupy a seat.
Our team of guides has expanded from our founder, Elly, to include passionate Japanese and international guides living in and around Nagoya. Each of our guides loves sharing the unique aspects of Nagoya and its surroundings with travelers from all over the world.
They can’t wait to meet you!
We thoroughly enjoyed the Sumo tournament, which was one of the highlights of our holiday. Thanks to Elly for explaining Sumo to us and for getting a photo of our son with some of the wrestlers!
We had fun and learnt a lot about Sumo! Sumo tickets are hard to come by and the details are difficult to understand for someone new to watching the sport. It was amazing to have someone explain to us and share her passion for the sport. The view from the top of the stadium was good and useful so we did not disrupt the rest and was close to the air-conditioning. We are excited and well-equipped to watch Sumi ourselves next time!
We had a most wonderful time visiting a sumo match with Elly! Their knowledge of the sport was immensely helpful towards understanding the details of what was going on. This extended beyond the ‘what’ and ‘why’s taking place, to extensive knowledge of the wrestlers and why Elly (and therefore we) is cheering for them! We’d strongly recommend this tour to others.
Go Wakatakakage!
My husband and I have been watching sumo online for months and we were thrilled to find out our trip was going to coincide with a tournament. We arranged our schedule to spend the afternoon in Nagoya on the way to Kyoto from Tokyo. Nagoya is Not Boring was excellent from the moment of inquiry and throughout the event. We knew getting tickets would be tough but they secured 7 tickets for us. Because of our numbers we got two guides which ended up being very helpful as we were spread down a row and behind. We were shocked how into it our kids were as they had never seen a match before. Even my very sports disinterested daughter was all about it. The guides helped us a lot with my daughter who is unsteady on her feet due to cerebral palsy. They also guided us with the traditional meal and souvenir shopping. We learned so much and it was the highlight of our trip to Japan!
My two children, ages 13 and 11, and I attended the Sumo event at the Dolphins Arena. 4 hours flew by between explanations, food, shops and the fights. Without a doubt one of the highlights of the trip to Japan. Elly, our guide, is passionate about her work. 100% recommended experience. (Translated by Google from Spanish)
