Japan Awaits

The Sumo Tournament Experience in Fukuoka City (in Fukuoka Prefecture) with Japan Awaits is an experience at the famous Grand Sumo Tournament that occurs only one time a year in Fukuoka (November). The experience allows guests to learn about sumo traditions and culture with an English-speaking tour guide (expert in sumo wrestling) while watching one of the most exciting sports in Japan.

Sumo originated in Japan and is one of Japan’s most well-known sports. It is considered as a gendai budo (Japanese martial art) with a history spanning many centuries. The sport is known for its highly regimented rules and strict traditions for its wrestlers. Most sumo wrestlers are required to live in communal heya (sumo training stables) with all aspects of their daily lives, including their meals and how they dress, closely monitored.

The Sumo Tournament Experience is a 4-hour experience at the official basho (sumo tournament) with a group of up to 20 people. On this tour, not only will you learn about many ancient Japanese traditions that have been preserved in sumo, including ritual elements such as the use of salt purification, you’ll also get to cheer on and greet the most famous sumo wrestlers in Japan as they are entering the stadium for their big match. Once you are inside of the stadium, you’ll be seated at B-class reserved seats (or C-class in some cases), which has the a great overview of the match with chair seatings in the stadium. Using audio headsets, you’ll clearly be able to hear the expert guide explain the history and culture of sumo wrestling, as well as learn about some of the most famous sumo wrestlers throughout history and today in Japan. Enjoy the intense matches with explanations from your expert guide and cheer on your favorite sumo wrestlers along with dedicated local fans.

Availability: Tour from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM on available dates during the Sumo Tournaments

Location: Fukuoka Kokusai Center in Fukuoka

–     The directions to the meeting point will be provided after booking.

Price:

Standard Tour (Join-in small group): ¥20,000 per person (B-class Seats, or sometimes C-Class Seats)

Private Tour: See price at checkout (A-class Seats, or sometimes B-Class Seats)

Add-on: Additional ¥4,800 per person – Dinner without drinks at chanko hot pot or sukiyaki restaurant (experience and understand what sumo wrestlers normally eat with an English-speaking tour guide)

Included:

• B-class reserved seats or C-class reserved seats for standard join-in group tour or A-class reserved seats or B-class reserved seats for private group
• English-speaking tour guide (local sumo expert)
• Sumo information and/or pamphlet
• If selected, dinner without drinks at a local chanko hot pot restaurant to experience what sumo wrestlers eat (with explanations from tour guide). Sukiyaki or vegetarian option is available upon request (at least one week in advance).

Excluded:

• Hotel pick-up not included
• Meals and drinks are not included (unless dinner option is selected at checkout).

Dinner available (optional)

Chanko nabe, also known as “sumo stew”, is a Japanese stew (hot pot) that contains chicken stock as the soup base with various vegetables. Chanko originated from the Ryokoku area and sumo wrestlers are known to eat a lot of it because a large amount of chanko can be cooked at once and many people can eat at the same time, perfect for sumo wrestlers who are hungry from training.

If dinner option is selected at checkout, the chanko hot pot dinner without drinks will be the default meal (please let us know if you would prefer sukiyaki, vegetarian, or if you have any other special dietary requirements on the “Special Requirements” field at checkout. Please note that traditional chanko nabe broth is typically made with pork or chicken, but the restaurant may substitute the broth for those who prefer vegetarian option.

Please understand that once we have accepted your dinner request, changes cannot be made one week before the tour date.

Age Requirement

There is no age requirement. Children must be accompanied by adult (18 or older). Adult pricing applies to all guests of any age, except infants and toddlers between age 1 and 3, which are free of charge, as long as they do not occupy a seat (infants must sit on parents’ laps). Please note you may be required to show your ID for proof of age at the venue.

Wheelchair Accessibility

Before the tour, please notify us if you or someone in your group will be in a wheelchair. Please note that there is a wheelchair storage area on the first floor of the stadium; however, your seats will be on the second floor. Guests must be able to climb up the stairs on their own (or with the help from a family member) as staff from Fukuoka Kokusai Center will not be able to assist guests.

Food at the arena

No outside food or drinks are allowed in the arena, but food is available for purchase from vendors within the arena.

Seating Arrangement

B-class seats are usually reserved for this event (the seats will be on the second floor B chair seats, from rows 7 to 11). On some occasions, especially on the busiest days of the Sumo Tournament, B-class seats may not be available and the seats will be in the C-class section.

The guest will sit in the same location with the English-speaking tour guide.

Crowds at the Arena

Please note that there may be a wait prior to seating, as we must wait for all sumo matches to end before entering. There may also be congestion at the Sumo Museum, in which the tour guide may ask guests to visit on their own since it would be difficult to walk around with a large group in a congested area.

Cancellation Policy

Payment

All bookings are payable via Stripe (Booking Checkout) or Flywire. Confirmations regarding your booking will be sent at least 10 days before your activity date.

When do the sumo tournaments take place in Japan?

The official basho (tournaments) take place six times a year at various locations with each tournament lasting 15 days (start date and end date both land on Sundays). The exact dates vary, but takes place on the same months each year:

• January Tournament: Tokyo
• March Tournament: Osaka
• May Tournament: Tokyo
• July Tournament: Nagoya
• September Tournament: Tokyo
• November Tournament: Fukuoka

What if I’m late?

We ask that all guests arrive at the location at least 10 minutes before the designated meet-up time. Since this is a group tour, we may not be able to wait for you if you are late. The tour will begin without the late guests and you can meet the rest of the group at the next location. Guests are provided with the tour guides’ phone number before the tour and you can call the tour guide if you need to meet the group in the next location.

Looking for a tour in a different city?

Japan Awaits is a licensed tour operator in Japan, with hundreds of registered and vetted tour guides nationwide. We offer tours in any location in Japan and manage all details, including transportation and tickets. Contact us and inquire about a custom experience today.