Sumo Show or the Real Tournament?
A show any day, or the tournament at the Ryogoku Kokugikan: 10-24 January, 9-23 May, 12-26 September 2027. Ticket sale dates, seat prices and how to choose.
Go to the tournament if your dates allow it: in Tokyo the grand tournaments are held at the Ryogoku Kokugikan from 10 to 24 January, 9 to 23 May and 12 to 26 September 2027 (Japan Sumo Association), and a chair seat started at about ¥3,500 on the 2026 Tokyo price card. On any other day, book a show. A show gives you sumo close up and explained in English; a tournament gives you the real thing, ranked bouts and a full arena, at a distance and in Japanese.
The 2027 Tokyo tournaments
| Tournament | Venue | Advance tickets from | First and final day |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Ryogoku Kokugikan | 5 December 2026 | 10 to 24 January 2027 |
| May | Ryogoku Kokugikan | 10 April 2027 | 9 to 23 May 2027 |
| September | Ryogoku Kokugikan | 7 August 2027 | 12 to 26 September 2027 |
Source: Japan Sumo Association, Grand Tournament Schedule (sumo.or.jp), read 28 October 2026.
The other three of the six tournaments a year are outside Tokyo: Osaka in March (14 to 28 March 2027), Nagoya in July (11 to 25 July 2027) and Fukuoka in November. The November 2026 tournament in Fukuoka runs from 8 to 22 November 2026; by late October 2026 the Japan Sumo Association listed every day as sold out.
What a tournament ticket costs
The Japan Sumo Association’s 2026 Tokyo price card lists these approximate prices for one seat, tax included (the 2027 card is published before each advance sale, from 5 December 2026 for January; the English ticket service adds ¥2,000 per ticket):
| Seat | Weekday | Weekend or holiday |
|---|---|---|
| Chair seat C | ¥3,500 | ¥4,000 |
| Chair seat B | ¥5,000 | ¥5,500 |
| Masu box C, for four people | ¥34,000 | ¥38,000 |
| Masu box B, for four people | ¥40,000 | ¥42,000 |
Source: Japan Sumo Association, How to Buy (sumo.or.jp), read 28 October 2026. Prices may vary by venue.
Masu boxes are Japanese-style boxes where you sit on the floor; chair seats are ordinary stadium seats.
Can foreigners buy sumo tickets?
Yes. The Japan Sumo Association sells tickets in English through its official ticket service, Ticket Oosumo, from the advance-sale dates above. Popular days go quickly. The alternative is a guided tournament tour with the ticket included: the January tournament tour, from US$234 a person (checked October 2026), rated 4.8 from 123, takes a small group of up to 10 into the Kokugikan with chair B or C seats, a headset and real-time commentary from a sumo expert guide. Its options add a walk round Ryogoku’s sumo landmarks from 1pm and a chanko dinner; the bouts are watched from 3pm to 6pm.
See the January tournament tour's dates →
Getting to the Kokugikan
The Ryogoku Kokugikan is at 1-3-28 Yokoami, Sumida, two minutes’ walk from the west exit of JR Ryogoku station on the Sobu line (local trains) and five minutes from exit A3 of Toei Ryogoku station on the Oedo line. There is no parking for visitors.
Show or tournament: how to choose
| Sumo show | Grand tournament | |
|---|---|---|
| When | Most days, several times a day | 45 days a year in Tokyo |
| Bouts | Demonstrations | Ranked bouts, the full ceremony |
| How close | A few metres | From the stands |
| Language | English-speaking MC | Japanese |
| Length | 75 minutes to 2 hours | Bouts through the day; the guided tour watches from 3pm to 6pm |
| Into the ring yourself | Lottery at most shows | No |
If you are in Tokyo in the second half of January, the second half of May or the second half of September, try for the tournament. Otherwise, a show is how you will see sumo on this trip: the best sumo show in Tokyo.
Pick by your dates:
January Tournament Tour
The ticket, a headset and English commentary in the arena, with the walk and chanko options.
Check dates →Shinjuku Sumo Show
Bouts and rituals close up with an English-speaking MC, the challenge lottery and photos.
See the Shinjuku show →Morning Practice with a Journalist
Watch a stable's training by special permission, with a sumo journalist and an interpreter.
See the practice visit →Prices and ratings from GetYourGuide, checked October 2026; operators change prices, so treat them as a guide, not a quote.
How these facts were checked
Written 28 October 2026. Tournament dates, ticket sale dates and seat prices are from the Japan Sumo Association (sumo.or.jp), the Kokugikan’s address and access from the Kokugikan’s official site, both read on 28 October 2026. Tour details, prices and ratings are from the GetYourGuide listings, read in US dollars the same day.
The January 2027 Tournament, with a Guide
A small group of up to 10 at the Ryogoku Kokugikan with the ticket, a headset, real-time English commentary by a sumo expert guide, a cheering towel and an English pamphlet; options add a walk around Ryogoku and a chanko dinner. As listed in October 2026.
Check Tournament Dates