Ryogoku Sumo Guide: Kokugikan & Chanko Nabe

Passed by the Red Course, Ryogoku is the spiritual home of Sumo. The massive green-roofed building you see is the Ryogoku Kokugikan, the national sumo arena.

Sumo Tournaments

Grand tournaments (Basho) are held here in January, May, and September.

• Tickets sell out fast.
• If you are in town during a tournament, the atmosphere is electric. Colorful banners with wrestler names line the streets.

No Tournament? No Problem.

Even in the off-season, Ryogoku is worth a stop.

• Sumo Museum: A small (free) museum inside the stadium complex displaying woodblock prints and aprons.
• Edo-Tokyo Museum: (Note: Check closure status, currently under major renovation). A massive museum detailing the history of the city.

Chanko Nabe: The Sumo Stew

You can't come to Ryogoku without eating Chanko Nabe.

• This is the protein-rich hot pot stew that wrestlers eat to build bulk.
• Don't worry, eating it once won't make you a sumo wrestler! It’s healthy, full of vegetables and meat/fish.
• Many restaurants in the area are owned by retired wrestlers (look for sumo paraphernalia inside).

Walking the Streets

Keep your eyes peeled. It is very common to see junior wrestlers in their yukata walking or biking around the neighborhood doing errands for their stable.