Chair Seat Guaranteed SUMO Practice +Photo +Culture Option
Tokyo, Japan
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Secure your seat at an authentic sumo practice in Tokyo. Watch wrestlers warm up and run through their training routines while a local guide helps you understand the sport’s history, techniques, and customs. Booking this tour also includes an exclusive Q&A with a sumo wrestler and a group photo to share once you’re back home. Don’t miss this memorable experience that’s perfect for first-time Tokyo visitors.
- See sumo wrestlers up close by booking your spot at this practice
- Skip sitting on the floor—this ticket guarantees you a comfy seat
- Listen to a local guide who will help you understand sumo wrestling
- Enjoy a must-see experience for every visitor in Tokyo
What's Included
- Entrance fees to stable
- Group Photo of session
- Presentation of sumo by local guide
- QA session with sumo wrestler
- Gratuities
- Optional tours
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Japan, 135-0021 Tokyo, Koto City, Shirakawa, 1-chōme6１３ 地下駅半蔵門線清澄白河駅
We will meet you at EXIT B1 Near convenience store family mart.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Start time.8:00 am
Itinerary
1
Kiyosumi-shirakawa Sta.
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
2
Koto
1 hour 40 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Koto
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Koto
25 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Kiyosumi-shirakawa Sta. (Pass By)
5
Koto
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- The hours specified in the tour are the hours taken on the journey and these are approximate.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.6
based on 18 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Educational tour about Sumo lifestyle- training, meals, dedication. Our group enjoyed the experience. The only caution was limited chair seating for some seniors.
Good intro and information on history and Max was an excellent guide
Small intimate experience that we enjoyed
On our 2nd full day in Japan, we joined a morning tour to watch a sumo wrestling practice - and it ended up being one of the most memorable experiences of our trip, all thanks to our amazing guide, Max. Max, who was educated in the U.S., spoke perfect English and immediately understood our needs and expectations. He was already at the meeting point when we arrived, greeted us warmly, and gave us a fascinating overview of sumo wrestling, including its deep ties to Shinto tradition. Thanks to his explanations, we were fascinated by the wrestlers - not just their size and strength, but how incredibly flexible they are, how intensely they train for 2-3 hours every morning, and how they work to balance their bodies, and adapt to their opponents' movements, all under the careful guidance of their master. It was an eye-opening experience that gave us a much deeper appreciation for sumo as both a sport and a tradition.
After the tour, we mentioned wanting to explore on our own - grabbling sushi near the Tsukiji Fish Market and visiting Senso-ji Temple. Max went and above. He flagged down a taxi, told the driver exactly where to take us, and gave us clear, helpful directions to Senso-ji. He also told us to look for three dragons at the temple and shared something that really surprised - and moved us: Senso -ji is known as the Golden Dragon Temple. This was incredibly meaningful because our son was born in the year of Dragon, and I often call him my "Golden Dragon." That little detail made the experience feel personal and unforgettable.
The sushi restaurant Max recommended was out of this world. Despite a long line when we arrived, we only waited about 20 minutes. As big sushi fans from the U.S., we all agreed it was the best sushi we've ever had - reasonably priced and absolutely delicious. Each piece melted in our mouths.
Max also recommended a Michelin-starred Wagyu teppanyaki restaurant near our hotel - and once again, he was spot on. The food was phenomenal and surprisingly affordable for such a refined, high-end experience.
On top of all this, we mentioned that we wanted to see Mt. Fuji the next day, since the weather was supposed to be sunny. Max suggested a specific tour, and it turned out to be an excellent recommendation.
Max wasn't just a tour guide - he was like a trusted friend, cultural ambassador, and personal travel concierge all in one. He went above and beyond to make our time in Tokyo unforgettable.
Max, you were awesome! We truly couldn't have done the sumo tour, Mt. Fuji, Senso-ji Temple, or enjoyed the amazing sushi and teppanyaki meals without your help. Thank you for everything!
Masao and Max are both entertaining and amazing. I had a blast exploring Tokyo and experiencing the Sumo. I can't recommend this enough.
This is tour gives you the chance to sit in a chair and observe an actual training and practice session at an actual Sumo wrestling stable. We really enjoyed seeing first hand how the wrestlers trained and how they were coached. Mostly you learn through watching but we felt it was an authentic experience that gave new insights into the tradition and practices of Sumo Wrestling.
To be able to experience the behind the doors life of the sumo wrestlers world was truly amazing. We didn’t know what to expect and were left in awe of their skill and commitment to their sport. Our guide was a lovely gentlemen who was clearly passionate about the sport and the culture behind it. Thank you!
It was a fantastic experience with our kids, we had to brief them before about the rules (forbidden to talk, move, drink or eat, no videos) and everything was ok even for our 7 years old son. Everybody loved it, we were honored and impressed by the strength, the discipline and the art of the wrestlers. The tour operator is the best one, part of the association managing the stable, so that they manage to be queueing first to get the front seats (we chose cushions at the first row, but there were also chairs from the third row). We met at 8 AM, the location was really easy to find, and then walked to the stable in around 10 or 15 minutes. We queued there as it opens for tourists at 8:30. We saw the sumos practicing exercises and then some fights. At the end, we had the opportunity to take a picture with them and even ask questions translated by our guide. It ended at around 10:30, but it may depend on the day. Many thanks to VAS tours and to the wrestlers ! So great !
We booked and paid a month in advance for April 11. I sent questions about the pickup location because the voucher and Viator description did not match. The reply was rude and told me that I should use "logic". As I explained, I had booked this for clients and can not rely on logic, as we need to ensure there is no confusion. I don't think it's a big deal to match your voucher with the Viator listing, and, if you were a reputable company, you would WANT to fix this, not make it seem like it was unreasonable to check for clarification. The tour was then cancelled 24 hours before it was supposed to run, leaving us with disappointed clients and not enough time to give them a similar experience. No email, no apology, just a standard cancellation message from Viator. Unacceptable!
Response from Host, Apr 2025
First, if you are a company looking to sell our tours in your name, you must provide your company name and names of the guests. You do not try and use our reputation and our connections for personal gain and profit. This is unacceptable.
Second, this individual is unhappy because she hide the above fact that there were selling our products without our permission and had been corrected when this individual erroneously stated the meeting point is not correct. Almost all our guests had been arriving at the right location and we see no reason why the people they had resold to could not arrive at the meeting point.
If this commercial operator had been respectful enough to explain their position, their situation, that they did not have sumo morning practice tours under their belt and wanted to piggyback, we may had been considerate, collaborated and supported but when they are extremely rude, that is a red flag. we cannot risk having their rudeness spreading to our other lovely guests. We never know if this person writing their reviews be amiss the group and be a cause of sabotage the tour. The Japanese travel laws allow us to remove instances of threat to the safety and consonance of the group hence executed this right.
Ultimately, we are not afraid to receive bad reviews from disrespectful piggy banking operators and ask, are you really a certified travel agency? We will protect the interests of individuals that come to tours.
Meeting address and meeting our guide was a nightmare.
The sumo practice was fantastic however seating was uncomfortable.
Response from Host, Apr 2025
15 people were already waiting at the meeting point and do not see why a person coming late would stress there were nightmares. The meet up place is the Kiyosumi Shirakawa station exit; there are only three exits, A, B, C and we meet up at B, made evident as the correct exit by identifying the convenience store family mart nearby.
Seating may not be fantastic for people who are extremely tall. It should be noted that most sumo stable have you sit on the floor and our sumo stable have both cushions and seats which you can choose based on your preference upon arrival. There will not be any extra large comfy seats, only standard foldable seats; as a morning practice is not an entertainment show; is it simply an opportunity to visit a stable and observe practice session.
the seats must be put away immediately after the session to make room to take group pictures and make space for the sumo wrestlers to have their morning brunch.
We hope the basic understanding is that this is not a sumo entertainment show and if you are looking for such, it might be better off to go to those tourist spots in Asakusa and get your comfy seats. This tour caters to those who was to sit in an authentic sumo stable with real wrestlers and get a glimpse of life and training of real sumo wrestlers.
We hope we have been able to clarify expectations. Sincerely
Being able to see sumo wrestlers training was a great experience. Our local guide was passionate about the sport and gave informative and interesting background into sumo wrestling. Being able to watch the training session from a front row seat was fantastic, especially as I am unable to sit on the floor. You could see the strength and power of these amazing athletes. I felt honoured to be able to watch these athletes prepare for the coming tournament.
Good that there were seat. Apparently, a lot of stables only have cushions so if you have a weak knee or other leg alignments, this is a life saver. The practice was a front row experience so you can feel the wrestlers slapping into each other with all their might. We are talking about 300 pounds of weight and muscle slamming against each other!! Incredible experience. The guide, Masao-san also gave us an easy to understand lecture on sumo which was supplementary and will leave a much stronger memorial impression once we are back at home. Haru
This tour was recommended by my tour agent and I took it and am very pleased that I did it.
The tour was a bit early start that other sumo practice tours but understood why when we got there. We were able to get front row seats.
The practice itself was a quiet session because we cannot talk there but while the other groups dispersed we were give a presentation on the history and way of life of a sumo wrestler so that gave the tour much more context versus just having a seat to the practice.
The agent was right. I would recommend this tour in a heartbeat.
Great for an early bird. We jet up at 730AM at Kiyosumishirakawa station which was about 15 minutes from Shinjuku station and made our way to the Shiko Sumo stable. The men in their lioncloths were slamming into each other like tanks!! After the practice we got to take picture with a wrestler and the presentation after the practice helped make sense to what we were watching. That bit help quite a bit.
A great way to learn sumo and see the sport. Strongly recommended!!
Member Pricing
From
$96.06
per personWas $101.12(-5%)
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Chair Seat Guaranteed SUMO Practice +Photo +Culture Option
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