Every year Nagoya hosts the Grand Summer Sumo Tournament (from mid-June to July), called Nagoya Basho, one of the six major Sumo tournaments held in Japan.
Join a knowledgeable local guide in the arena and watch thrilling fights with insightful explanations about Sumo traditions, moves, and wrestlers.
LIMITED TIME EXPERIENCE!! Make your booking now!!
19,900 yen/person
Private Experience
Dolphins Arena (Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium) (Google Maps)
Shiyakusho Station (Google Maps)
Looking forward for 2023 dates, 13:00 – 18:00 (5 hours)
English, Spanish
English: Business★★★☆☆
Spanish: Native ★★★★★
Japanese: Fluent ★★★★☆
The Sumo Tournament Experience is a 5-hour experience at an official Basho (Sumo tournament). On this tour, not only will you learn about many ancient Japanese traditions that have been preserved in Sumo culture, (including ritual elements such as the use of salt purification) but also get to cheer on and greet the most famous Sumo wrestlers in Japan as they enter the stadium for their big match.
Once you are inside the stadium, you will head to your seats and learn about the fascinating history and culture of Sumo wrestling and about some of the most famous Sumo wrestlers throughout history and in Japan today. You’ll also have the chance to walk through the Sumo merchandising shops and get a souvenir to remember what will be a truly great experience. Try the energizing Sumo wrestler staple meal, Chanko Nabe stew.
And most exciting of all enjoy the intense matches as part of the roaring crowd and cheer on your favorite Sumo wrestlers along with the dedicated local fans and expert guide who will provide you with explanations throughout.
Meet your host at exit 7 of the Shiyakusho subway station.
After a brief introduction of the host and the experience, you will head to the Dolphins Arena Stadium.
After passing the security check, you will enter the stadium and head to your seats. Once in your seat, your host will explain the history of Sumo and all the things you need to know to fully enjoy your day of Sumo.
To enhance your Sumo experience, you will take a stroll through the stadium, giving you a close-up view of the ring and a chance to appreciate the details of this ancient sport and its venue. You will visit the Sumo merchandising shops and look for your Sumo souvenir.
After visiting the Sumo merchandising shops you will have the opportunity to try Chanko Nabe, a one-pot dish commonly eaten in vast quantities by Sumo wrestlers as part of their weight-gain diet.
Time to go back to the seats to see a real-life Sumo tournament. Your host will do an introduction to the main rules of Sumo and the most common Sumo techniques and explain a match in detail.
Once the last match is finished it is time to leave the stadium. Your host will walk you back to Shiyakusho Station and/or give you directions to your hotel or any other place you want to visit next.
Web and Graphic designer living in Aichi Prefecture for more than 15 years.
Sharing Japanese culture with other travelers is such a powerful experience that gives me the chance to bring them closer to the exciting world of Sumo. I’m looking forward to explaining to you everything I know about the history and culture of Sumo wrestling.
When my wife booked the Sumo Tournament Experience I was not sure what we were in for. I could not have been happier with the entire experience.
Elisabeth was outstanding! She is a knowledgeable guide and will give you a deep understanding of the full Sumo experience. The tour is a full experience, from discussing the history of Sumo, to how the wrestlers live, to experiencing the food they eat, as well as the tournament itself, you will be fully immersed in the world of Sumo.
I highly recommend it to anyone that is in Nagoya during the tournament that wants to fully understand all aspects of this ancient sport or is craving an authentic experience.
Thank you again Elisabeth for an outstanding Sumo Tournament Experience!
Thank you so much for a fun and educational day! I had a great time and I learned a lot. Thank you for giving me a little more insight into my Japanese heritage. You were welcoming, knowledgeable and hospitable and made the whole sumo experience a breeze for a first timer like myself! I would definitely recommend this experience for others!
We highly recommend this Sumo Tournament Experience. Having an experienced and passionate guide helped us to get the most out of it. Elisabeth is really knowledgeable about Sumo, and explained the history, the scoring, how the ring is built and the ceremonies, and she could answer all our questions. She also brought vegetarian food for my wife, although I recommend trying the chankonabe 🙂
Watching some of the earlier matches, and getting the explanations, helped us get the most out of the high level matches at the end of the day.
Thank you so much!
We were very happy to have randomly found this tour and planned our trip to mainland around it. This is the best way to enjoy such a unique experience. Elli’s passion for this sport is reflected in the knowledge she shares throughout the day. On our return home, we’ve had to watch an old favorite James Bond “You Only Live Twice” just to see the sumo scene again since we now understand so much more, from the same temple over the dohyō to the handing of the white envelope to the winner. Highly recommend this tour!
