Sumo Wrestling Beginner’s Guide: Where and When to Watch in 2023

Sumo is regarded as the national sport of Japan and its origin can be traced back over 1,500 years. Deeply rooted in Japanese culture, Sumo wrestling has long been loved both domestically and internationally, and some popular wrestlers have even become TV personalities and celebrities after their retirement. Among the many local sumo events going on throughout the year, there are 6 official grand Sumo tournaments called “Basho (場所)” that take place in January, March, May, July, September and November. These last 15 days, and each one attracts many spectators from first time watchers to regulars and it’s sometimes hard to get a ticket. In this article, we will introduce the basic rules of Sumo wrestling, when and where you can watch the matches, and how to get a ticket in 2023. 

Sumo Rules

Sumo wrestling is a martial art performed one on one in a raised clay ring (Dohyo 土俵) by wrestlers (Rikishi 力士) wearing a special sumo belt (Mawashi まわし). The wrestlers try to force each other out of the Dohyo, or down to the surface, with their bare hands. The match between the two is called a “Torikumi (取組)”. Here are some Torikumi rules and how the winner is decided. 

Basic “Torikumi (取組)” Rules 

• “Torikumi” begins with a “Tachiai”, after the two “Rikishi” face each other in the ring, with a referee standing by called a “Gyoji (行司)”. 

• Only the palms of the hands may be used. Striking with the fists or elbows is strictly prohibited. 
• Legs may be used for hooking or sweeping, but not for kicking the opponent in the chest or stomach. 
• Head butting, striking the eyes, throat, or other vital points, or intentionally grabbing the hair are considered fouls. 

How the Winner Is Determined 

• 1) A Rikishi’s body lands outside the ring. 

• Example: A Rikishi forces his opponent out of the ring with his hands. 

• 2) A Rikishi’s body (except for the soles of his feet) touches the floor inside the ring. 

• Example: A Rikishi makes one of the opponents fall in the ring. 

• 3) When either Rikishi commits a foul. Example: A Rikishi intentionally grabs the opponent’s hair (Mage 髷) or strikes  his opponent with his fist. 

What Makes Sumo More Exciting Than Other Martial Arts 

Unlike other martial arts, such as judo and boxing, where wrestlers are classified according to their weight, sumo has no weight restrictions or groups. One of the most exciting moments in sumo is when you sometimes see surprise in the face of a small wrestler, weighing about 100 kilograms, defeating a 200 kilogram opponent.  

The technique used by a Rikishi to determine the winner is called “Kimarite (決まり手)”. Currently, there are a surprising 82 possible moves in total, including “Yorikiri (寄り切り)” and “Tsukidashi (突き出し)”. Watching to find what kind of move a Rikishi tries to make is another fun part of watching a match. 

• Kimarite 82 Moves (Nihon Sumo Kyokai Official Website) 

How to Watch Sumo Wrestling in 2023

As introduced earlier, the biggest Sumo events in Japan are the 6 grand tournaments called “Basho (場所)” held bi-monthly by the ‘Nihon Sumo Kyokai’ (Japanese Sumo Association). Here is the schedule for 2023 with venues and ticket information. 

Sumo Tournament Schedule 2023 

Each tournament starts and ends on a Sunday, and lasts 15 days. Half of the tournaments take place in Tokyo, but the other half are held in the cities of Osaka, Nagoya, and Fukuoka every year. 

Book a Seat 

In each venue for the grand tournaments, you can choose the type of seat you prefer depending on how close to the ring you want to sit, how many people you want to bring with you, and of course, your budget. Tickets normally start to sell a month before each tournament, and they usually sell out quickly. The price ranges from 2,500 yen (1 chair seat) to over 50,000 yen. ( 

• Detailed Schedule Info: Nihon Sumo Kyokai Official Website (Schedule Page) 

• Online Purchase Info: Nihon Sumo Kyokai Official Website (Ticket Purchase Page) 

Seat Types 

• Ringside Seats (Tamari Seki 溜席) 

The closest zabuton (cushion) seats to the ring and the most expensive of all types of seats. Located directly beside the ring, the number of seats is very limited and quite popular, and getting the tickets is very challenging. The price is usually around 15,000 – 20,000 yen for all dates. 

• Box Seats (Masu Sekiマス席) 

First floor zabuton seats that come after the Tamari seats, which naturally makes them popular following the Tamari seats. A square space with zabutons for 4 people is counted as “1 square” and is the most popular one, but there are also square spaces for 1 to 6 people. The seat prices depend on the venue, distance from the ring, and the day of the week, but are normally around 10,000 – 15,000 yen. 

• Balcony seats (Isu Seki 椅子席) 

On the second floor and above the other seats are Balcony seats, relatively far from the ring. They can be a good place to watch a match for the first time, as you can see the entire event from a fairly high vantage point. The prices also vary from front to back, but are fairly reasonable ranging from around 4,000 – 9,000 yen, and the tickets are often available even at the last minute. 

There are also the same-day tickets sold at the front of the venue, but you will have to go early in the morning and line up to get these. They are the cheapest of all and around 2,500 yen. 

On a Match Day 

All sumo wrestlers are classified in a ranked hierarchy (“Banzuke 番付”) before each tournament period starts, and the tournament begins with the lower divisions’ (“Jonokuchi 序ノ口” – “Makushita 幕下”) matches each day at around 8:35am (except for days 13-15) and these last for about 6 hours with breaks. The second division (“Juryo 十両”) wrestlers enter the ring  to compete at around 2:15pm and have their matches for over an hour. Finally, the top division (“Makuuchi 幕内” and “Yokozuna 横綱”) wrestlers enter the ring to have their matches at around 4:00pm. The spectators don’t necessarily stay for the whole day, but the entrance ceremonies of each division with wrestlers wearing colorful belts, called “Dohyoiri 土俵入り”, is solemn and powerful, and those are definitely worth watching. On the final day of each tournament, a victory ceremony will be held at the end of all the matches with awards handed out.  

“Chankonabe ちゃんこ鍋” – Sumo Wrestler’s Soul Food 

To maximize your Sumo experience, we recommend you try a Sumo wrestler’s soul food called “Chankonabe ちゃんこ鍋”. It’s a hot pot dish that contains vegetables, seafood, meat and so on. The wrestlers all belong to one stable or another called a “Heya (部屋)”, to where they live and train together, and they in turn make Chankonabe in a huge pot and eat together every day. This stew is mostly soy sauce-based or miso-based, and it is quite simple and easy to cook yourself. However, if you are visiting the Ryogoku Kokugikan to watch a day of matches, you will find various Chankonabe restaurants in the area, many of which are run by retired Sumo wrestlers. Try it! 

See also: 【August 2023】Best Things to Do and Places to Visit in Japan

Summary 

We have introduced the essential things you first need to know about Sumo including its basic rules, the 2023 schedule, and a little bit of culture surrounding this exciting Japanese sport. We hope you get a chance to watch some matches and experience a some deep Japanese culture! 

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