Nominosukune and Taimanokehaya

Early morning sumo practice!

Ready, set, go!

Artwork depicting sumo in history

Inside Kokugikan, before the 2016 May Grand Sumo Tournament

Early Morning Sumo Practice in Tokyo and the Sumo Museum

by Kaoruko

(8) Reviews

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4h $ 212 Price up to 5 people

Highlights

Observe early morning Sumo practice
Visit the Sumo museum in Kokugikan

Overview What to Expect Important Reviews

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When?

People

211.60 USD

Price up to 5 people

FREE cancelation 30 days prior

Overview

In this tour you will be able to:
• observe sumo practice up close in a Tokyo Sumo stable
• visit the Sumo museum in Kokugikan

What to Expect

Overview:

According to Japanese mythology, one of the many theories about the origin of Sumo tells the tale of a fight to the death between two legendary fighters, Nominosukune and Taimanokehaya that took place around 36 BC during the period of the 11th Emperor Suinin.

In ancient times, it was practiced as a part of agricultural and Shinto rituals, so it still includes many traditional ceremonial elements to this day. Sumo was established as Japan's national sport in 1909, and continues to be one of the most popular sports in Japan.

In this tour you will be able to observe sumo practice up close in a Tokyo Sumo stable.

• The practice begins at 8:00 am and finishes at 11:00 am (practice may finish at 10:30 am depending on the stable's schedule).

• We will need to sit on hardwood floor (with thin cushion) for about 2 to 3 hours, and must remain quiet to respect the wrestlers who are practicing.

• Since Japanese people are rather sensitive to noise and manners; we will need to avoid chatting with each other, eating, or drinking during the practice.

• Photos are allowed but no flash.

• Taking videos of training and uploading these videos to the internet is prohibited.

• Only children 12 years and older are allowed.

Information of 2018 〜 2019 Sumo tournament schedules and local tours

Nov. 11 – 25, 2018 in Fukuoka, Kyushu
Jan. 13 – 27, 2019 in Tokyo
Mar. 10 – 24, 2019 in Osaka
May. 13 – 26, 2019 in Tokyo
Jul. 7 – 21, 2019 in Nagoya
Sep. 8 – 22, 2019 in Tokyo
Nov. 10-24, 2019 in Fukuoka, Kyushu

There will be no morning practice in Tokyo stable during (even two to three weeks before) the period of tournaments in Fukuoka, Osaka, Nagoya.

In April, July, September and December after the tournaments, they might not have morning practice every day due to their local touring schedules.

4.7 (8) Reviews

Excellent		88%
Very Good		0%
Good		13%
Poor		0%
Horrible		0%

A highlight of our short time in tokyo

excellent tour

AMAZING Sumo Training

Visited a sumo stable

Visted a sumo stable

Organized by

Kaoruko Licensed Guide

(8) Reviews

Languages spoken

Japanese ( Native )
English ( License )
French ( License )

Send message Response Time: 14 hs

Contact Kaoruko Response Time: 14 hs

Highlights

Observe early morning Sumo practice
Visit the Sumo museum in Kokugikan

Important

Important messages from the guide:

・Before you book this tour, please contact me so I can ask whether there will be practice on the requested dates, and about availability of seats.
・When you go and observe the practice, please prepare a gratuity to the Sumo stable (3,000 yen per person).

What‘s included

The price of the tour includes tour guide's fee, her transportation, and hotel pick-up and drop-off.

What‘s not included

Other costs, such as gratuity to the Sumo stable (3000 yen per person) and guest’s transportation fee (approximately 1,000 JPY, which will vary depending on location of the hotel) are not included.

Meeting Point

At your hotel or JR Ryogoku station west exit

Ending Point

At JR Ryogoku station west exit, your hotel, or place of your choice

Duration

4 hours

Starting time

07:30 AM ( recommended ) Flexible

Number of people

up to 5 people

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make changes after I book?

Yes! If you need to make changes such as removing or adding someone to your booking or changing the date or time of your tour, contact us by phone or email

Starting and ending points of the tour.

After you secure your booking, the starting and ending points of your tour can be customized to your convenience (ex.: your hotel, nearby stations, etc.). Don't worry, we will take care of you! Some tours may have an extra fee for this service, make sure to check the tour page.

What happens after I book a tour?

After booking a tour, the guide will accept (or decline) your booking within 24 hours. Then you will be noticed by email from Triplelights.

Is the price per person or per group?

The price is charged per group. Which means that you make a one-time payment for your entire group and the price will not change if it is less or more people.

Can I add more people to my booking?

Some guides accept extra people (more than the specified number) for an extra charge. Please check for the extras on the tour or booking page, or contact your guide directly to clarify.

Will there be other tourists in my tour?

No. Your tour is private, only for you and your family or friends, there will be no other group of tourists together in your tour.

Can the guide pickup me at the airport?

Yes, but there will be additional charge for that and it is not by car. The guide will go pick you up using public transportations. For further details, please contact your guide directly.

I'm travelling alone. Can I book this tour?

Yes, you can and you may be able to get a discount if you are traveling alone. Price depends on which guide you choose.

View More Frequently Asked Questions read more

Cancellation Policy

If you cancel in the first 14 day(s) before the meeting date ,there is a 100% charge.
If you cancel between 15 and 29 day(s) in advance of the meeting date ,there is a 50% charge.
If you cancel at least 30 day(s) in advance of the meeting date, there is a 100% refund.

Reviews ( 8 )

Rosa ( Family ) Australia

Rosa Australia ( Family )

Excellent

5 months ago

“ A highlight of our short time in tokyo ”

Kaoruko was punctual & a wonderful guide. She speaks fluent English & French. She took us by train to the stables from our apartment in Shibuya. I was surprised how long this took. We did not arrive until around 9am to the stables. There was also NO museum experience as was promoted which was disappointing- However it was an incredible experience being permitted to enter the stable and the training room to see these very big, impressive men dressed only in a loin cloth and smeared with clay from the practice ring, their toes and fingers bandaged, stretching and sparring in turn with each other. We were very disappointed that the sesssion ended only 10 minutes after our arrival. Training had been cut unexpectedly short due to an event. Kaoruku was very apologetic and with her assistance we ... read more

Kaoruko:

Rosa-san Thank you for this nice review. I realy enjyed quiding you. You are very gentle and yourd children are all so beautiful! I realy felt sorry for the short practice but at least you had chance to see real tournament. I hope that you will have good time in Hakuba! Thank you and best regards, Kaoruko

Suzie ( Couple ) Australia

Suzie Australia ( Couple )

Excellent

5 months ago

“ excellent tour ”

Kaoruko was fantastic! she was really helpful when I got of at the wrong stop and even met me at the station I was at. She introduced us to some sumo and even gave us a gift from the sumo. Excellent experience, highly recommend her as a guide.

Kaoruko:

Susie, Thank you for your nice review!! I loved to see you both who are enjoying to be in Tokyo!! Kaoruko

Shane ( Couple ) Australia

Shane Australia ( Couple )

Excellent

8 months ago

“ AMAZING Sumo Training ”

Kaoruko was amazing in guiding us through the streets of Japan to the Sumo stable for training. The training itself was incredible and gives you a huge appreciation for the athletes these men are. Kaoruko was in touch with us to confirm details within no time. She was even kind enough to advise that the training might not be as long as normal on the days suggested and checked if this was still fine. The training was still very long and more than what we hoped for. Even with our satisfaction being more than met, we were provided an extra bonus present from Kaoruko, via the stable, as a gift for the shortened session. Such a gesture which was a cherry on top of an amazing experience. A must do!!!

Kaoruko:

Thank you for this nice review! I am very happy to know that you enjoyed the tour. Did you go to the organic vegan restaurant in Asakusa? I hope you have a nice time and more new experiences in Japan!

Emily United States

Emily United States

Good

8 months ago

“ Visited a sumo stable ”

We visited a sumo stable with Kaoruko. She was very sweet. However, there was a bit of a language barrier and therefore we were unable to get as much understanding and history of the sumo. It is challenging to gain admittance to a sumo stable and for that we really appreciate Kaoruko and the time she spent with us. However, we would have liked to be able to learn a little bit more.

Kaoruko:

Thank you for booking my tour in spite of issues with the booking system. I will take your review into account for my future Sumo guiding.

Hilary ( Family ) United States

Hilary United States ( Family )

Excellent

9 months ago

“ Visted a sumo stable ”

We had a wonderful morning with Kaoruko. She took us to a famous sumo stable and we got to see the wrestlers up close. She’s very knowledgeable and kind. Loved our experience, thank you Kaoruko!

Kaoruko:

Thank you for this nice review! You were the first person who asked me to write westrers' names and stable's name in English and you even told me that you will follow them in the tournament from the States! I was realy impressed and enjyoed the tour with you! Kaoruko

See all reviews ( 8 )