Tokyo Ryogoku Sumo Morning Practice + Photo Shoot with Wrestlers
Recommended by 94% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Tokyo, Japan
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Get an inside look into Japan’s ancient, traditional national sport: sumo wrestling. Travelers can find it hard to gain access to the wrestlers’ stables without local help. On this morning training tour you’ll see the athletes practicing, close up. Enjoy this exclusive insight into Japanese culture and history through this fascinating sport.
- See the wrestlers in an unstaged practice setting
- Tour photos are included
- Get insider access with your local guide
- Sports enthusiasts will especially love this tour
What's Included
- Entrance fee of Sumo practice
- Tour photos
- A Certified guide by MagicalTrip
- Photo shoot with sumo Wrestlers at the end
- Magical Trip Sumo Guidebook – A concise, easy-to-read intro to sumo rules and history.
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Re.Ra.Ku Ryōgoku EkimaeJapan, 130-0015 Tokyo, Sumida City, Yokoami, 1-chōme3５ JR両国駅東口高架下
Right outside of JR Ryogoku Station East Exit Please note that there are two Ryogoku stations and the meeting point is the JR Ryogoku station, (NOT Toei-Oedo line Ryogoku station). Your guide will be holding an orange/red board saying "Magical Trip".
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Operating hours.8:00 am
Itinerary
Ryogoku Station (Pass By)
1
Ryogoku
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
2
Ryogoku Kokugikan
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Ryogoku Station (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- Available for those who are only over 12 years old since those who are younger than 12 years old are not allowed inside the sumo morning practice.
- As Sumo stables has the right to adjust their schedule in the last minute based on their tournament schedule and wrestlers’ condition, please note that there is a possibility that we will cancel your booking due to the sudden change or cancellation of the practice by sumo stables. In that case, we will fully refund your booking shortly. You do not need to pay for Sumo morning practice entrance fee.
- The sumo stable has the right to refuse guests who offend the rules of the stable and in this case, we will not be able to refund.
- Sumo stables decide if the audiences are allowed to take the photos of sumo wrestlers or the photos with sumo wrestlers. Please note that there is the possibility that you cannot take those photos in the case the sumo stables rejected for whatever reasons.
- In the case that your group is large, the group may be split into the different groups and each may visit different stables.
- You may not be allowed to go to the toilet during the practice, so please make sure to go to toilet before the tour starts.
- Out of respect for our other guests and to ensure the best tour for everyone, we must start the tour on time. Please note that if you are late for more than 15 minutes than meeting time (10 mins before the tour starting time), you will not be able to join the tour, get refund or rescheduled.
- We might ask you to change the time/date depending on the availability of the Sumo morning practice schedule.
- Please be aware that guests may have to sit on the floor as most of stables do not usually offer chairs.
- The duration of sumo practice may prolong sometimes, which may cause the tour to end later than the estimated time.
- You will not be able to join the tour, get a refund or reschedule if you are late for the tour and miss the group.
- We may request you to change the time/date depending on the availability of the Sumo morning practice schedule.
- The itinerary for this tour includes some locations that are not accessible by a wheelchair or stroller.
- The sumo stable is often visited by various tour companies, so seating will be FIRST COME FIRST SERVE. Late visitors may be seated 2-3 rows from the front. We appreciate your understanding.
- Caution: All areas in the sumo stable are off-limits, except for the tatami (straw flooring) areas.
- This tour is for guests aged 12 and over. Children under 12 cannot join and will be denied entry without refund.
- Summer in Japan is very hot and humid, so we recommend that you bring water and wear a hat to prevent heat stroke.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 7 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.7
based on 277 reviews
Becca_H, Dec 2025
It was very interesting to watch the sumo wrestlers. It was a unique experience for sure. I was disappointed that we didn’t get more background on the practice, its origins, the way of life of the wrestlers, etc. If you are looking for a detailed tour with a lot of background information, this is not for you. But if you just want to watch the sumo wrestlers practice and see all of their warm-ups and moves and matches, then you will definitely enjoy.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you for sharing your feedback.
We’re very sorry that the tour did not provide as much background information about sumo as you had hoped. We’re glad, however, that you still enjoyed watching the wrestlers practice and found it to be a unique experience. Your honest comments are very helpful, and we will use them to improve future tours.
We hope to welcome you again for another experience in the future! MagicalTrip
Brianne_M, Dec 2025
I'm not sure if my experience applies to any Viator sumo tour or just the one that i was on -- there was another tour when we arrived who 1) seemed to have gotten there at the start, ie, on time, and 2) had a guide who actually shared relevant info with them and seemed to have outlined a lot of context and detail prior to their arrival as they made multiple references to sheets of information like, "see this thing that we talked about, this is them doing that." i make this distinction because we did not even see a full hour of training, the tour guide was basically like, do you want to know anything? well ok if you have a question let me know and we'll step outside (you can't speak inside the stable). well noone had a question bc we had no idea what to even ask. anyway. half the wrestlers didn't even really participate in the training and later it came out that their coach wasn't there. i figure this is why only 1-2 of them were taking it seriously. it was a giant waste of time and not at all worth what i paid.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re very sorry to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations, and we appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns.
After reviewing the details of your visit, we have fact-checked the situation. We can confirm that speaking during morning practice is not permitted under stable etiquette, as it is considered disrespectful to the wrestlers and their training environment.
All guides and guests are expected to remain quiet during the morning practice, and our guides follow these rules strictly in accordance with the stable’s policies.
We understand that you may have observed another group speaking or receiving commentary inside. While we cannot comment on the practices of other companies, we can confirm that this behavior does not align with the etiquette required by the stable.
We are sorry that the training on the day of your visit was quieter than usual, and that the absence of the coach affected your impression. Training intensity can vary depending on the wrestlers’ schedule and condition, but we understand how this may have impacted your experience.
We truly value your feedback and will continue working to provide the most authentic and respectful sumo experience possible. If you would like to discuss your experience further, please feel free to contact us.
Steve_L, Oct 2025
Mayu our guide was fantastic.
Explained the rich history of Sumo past and present.
Go an experience this for yourself as you won’t be disappointed.
Highly recommend.
Rhonda_B, Sep 2025
Experience was awesome and gave me a great appreciation of this rigorous sport. The guide was visible at the easy to find meeting point and provide valuable insight and explanation for the session. Highly recommend. Be aware you are sitting on the floor for an hour and 20 mins as the Sumos go through their training routines.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear that you had an awesome experience and gained a great appreciation for this rigorous sport. It's great to know that the guide was easy to find and provided valuable insights throughout the session. We appreciate your helpful tip about the seating, and thank you for recommending the tour. We hope to welcome you again for more memorable experiences!
Monica_P, May 2025
It was really great and very interesting! We did not expect that we would stay the whole session, but were mesmerized by the entire process: the physicality, respect, hierarchy, business aspect, hygiene, etc. Also unbeknownst to us when i booked it, the stable we visited was one of the top facilities. I highly recommend to get an understanding of this sport and an important part of Japanese culture. Our guide, Max, was also great -- calm, knowledgeable, easy to understand and funny.
Phyllis_P, Apr 2025
It was very informative....more so than just going to a sumo match. Seeing them work out and practice gave some understanding of their dedication and skills. After, they answered our questions and even posed for photos with us. The guide gave us some very good background. Many thanks to all involved.
Nic_V, Apr 2025
Great experience! As a sumo fan already, it was really fun to see what a typical morning practice looks like. And you may even see some familiar faces.
This was also a really good solo activity as you have to sit quietly during practice anyway. Guide was friendly and knowledgeable!
Monica_C, Apr 2025
The practice itself was incredible, it was amazing to see the wrestlers up close. However, our group arrived last and we were seated in the back, which was a bit disappointing. I wish there had been an option to sit in the front row, maybe through a different tour.
LeaderSHAPE_C, Feb 2025
Great insight into the sport. Really enjoyed the couple of hours. A long time to sit and not speak though.
Response from Host, Feb 2025
Thanks for sharing your experience! We’re glad you enjoyed the insight of Sumo and had a good time overall. We understand that sitting for long periods without speaking can feel a bit tiresome at times, but we appreciate your feedback.
Jeff_F, Dec 2024
Incredible to be so close to the wrestlers. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and pointed out many intricate details.
Anna_W, Dec 2024
The practice was fascinating. However, our party came part way through a practice which I thought strange given the amount of money we paid for the experience. The other group I saw had a sheet with an explanation of what they were seeing which we did not.
I didn’t feel we got value for money.
Response from Host, Dec 2024
Thank you for sharing your feedback, and we're glad to hear that you enjoyed the sumo practice itself. We genuinely appreciate you taking the time to express your concerns.
We understand your disappointment regarding the timing of the session and the lack of an explanation sheet. We’d like to clarify that sumo training sessions typically begin very early in the morning, and as such, our tour joins the practice partway through. Our goal is always to offer our guests the most immersive experience possible, and while we did not provide an explanation sheet, we apologize for not meeting your expectations in this regard.
We truly value your feedback and will take it into account as we continue to improve our tours. We hope that, despite this, you were still able to take away something meaningful from the experience. Thank you again for your input, and we hope to have the chance to offer you a more informative and enjoyable experience in the future. Sincerely, MagicalTrip
Jenny_V, Jun 2024
I have a suggestion…I have used Viator on several other occasions and the guide reached out the day before with personal contact info on WhatsApp. Our Sumo wrestling guide did not and there was no answer on the number given on my email confirmation. We were at the wrong meeting place and could not contact our guide directly. Fortunately we were with another couple that was at the correct meeting place and we were able to walk to the group. I think we would have missed it, although we were super close, if our friends hadn’t also been on the tour.
Patricia_K, May 2024
This experience is something that very few Japanese people have witnessed. We had a very informative guide who told us about the rules of sumo wrestling as well as the way of life for the wrestlers. We watched a morning practice that was very intense. It was the real thing!
We were also treated to a little side trip to a very interesting modern/traditional temple (Ekōin) that honors the dead.
Highly recommended—just be aware you will be sitting on tatami mats on the floor for quite some time.
Linda_W, May 2024
The planning of the entire tour was rather bad. First of all, the introduction of the sumo history and the stable that we were going was done outside the station (meet up point) , where there were quite a lot people and cars kept passing by and the noise did not help with that. Secondly, no agenda or rundown was actually given to any of us, not on the website nor shared by the tour guide on the day and I’d suggest the tour guide should add that in the future. I’m suggesting this as when the sumo practice finished, we were standing outside the stable while the tour guide tried to answer any questions we had and after that, he didn’t let us know he was actually taking us to another place thus a few other tourists left half way when we were walking as I believe we were all thinking the tour guide was just bringing us back to the train station for departure.
The tour guide did not do anything to elevate the experience. The whole tour could have been done by any other person. The tour itself was great fun but I wish the tour was led by a more organized, experience and thoughtful person instead.
Response from Host, May 2024
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We apologize for the challenges you faced during the tour.
We'll implement your suggestion of providing a detailed agenda for clarity in future tours. Clear communication is essential, and we regret any confusion about the transition to another location.
Your comments about the tour guide are noted, and we'll ensure our guides are knowledgeable and engaging.
We appreciate your insights and hope to welcome you back for a better experience in the future.
Thank you.
gokhan_a, Oct 2023
It was amazing experience, we did have a lot of fun, i would suggest anyone for this trip, it was a rainy day but still it didnot spoil our tours much, tour guide did her best to give us a lot of informations
David_C, Aug 2023
Fantastic tour of the grounds and front row seats of the wrestlers training. Masao is a great tour guide and made for a memorable trip.
Riya_B, Jun 2023
A great and memorable experience. Masao was very informative and prepped us by informing us about Sumo culture. Practice ran a little longer than usual - two hours as opposed to the typical one hour, so beware that that might happen. Other than that, it was a great experience.
Joe_K, Jun 2023
I wasn’t really sure what to expect when we booked this, I thought may be gimmicky, that was not the case. Masao was a great guide and explained all of the intricacies you would not know such as how many stables, how they are ranked, etc. The practice is real training and practice for upcoming tournaments. It was a pleasure and the hot pot food at the end was really delicious.
C_B, May 2023
We were given instructions by our guide- must wear a mask, had to sit a certain way and no pictures were allowed until after the practice.
We arrived to the stable and were ushered in and there were 3 other people already there- not part of our group. None of them was wearing a mask- they were sprawled comfortably on the floor and were taking pictures and video of the practice. They had just called the stable directly to see if they could come and watch and were told “sure”!
Not sure why we paid $300 to do the same thing with restrictive rules that no one else seemed to need to follow.
Next time - I’d forget the tour and just call the venue directly myself.
Response from Host, May 2023
Thank you for your feedback.
We are aware of that incident and are very sorry that this has happened to you.
We are instructed by the stable to not take any pictures but sit quietly during the practice simply because this is their daily training and it's not meant for entertainment.
We respect that and follow the rules.
We heard that the practice had to end earlier than usual because there was an injured wrestler. We don't know why and if ever they welcomed the said other guests for free and allowed them to behave like that.
We've spoken with the stable and will make sure incidents like this won't happen again.
We are very sorry that this happened to you.
MagicalTrip Support Team
caroline_b, Apr 2023
I feel that taking the tour gave you a much better understanding of the history, culture and the process of becoming a Sumo.
Martin_T, Apr 2023
Great close up insight into Sumo - It was really interesting to see how intensely the guys train and live.
Mariana_L, Apr 2023
Terrible experience and absolutely insuffersble staff. It was also imposdible to reach them by phone on the morning of the tour, that resulted in us losing money and the experience. When I was finally able to reach them, Yuki from customer support wss not helpful at all. If you want to get tricked out of money than book this tour, otherwise run like hell.
Response from Host, Apr 2023
I'm sorry to hear about your negative experience with our tour. We understand that you were unable to join the tour because you arrived late, and we regret that we were not able to accommodate you.
Our policy clearly states that we cannot allow latecomers to join the tour because it would disturb the sumo practice, and we have already made costs to pay for the sumo stable and our tour guide. As such, we do not offer refunds or allow for rescheduling last minute, as these costs are already incurred.
Regarding your concerns about reaching us, we apologize if you had difficulty contacting us by phone. However, please note that our customer support team is always available to assist via chat and email. It's important to reach out to us as soon as possible if you have any concerns, as we cannot accommodate late arrivals due to the nature of the tour. We understand that you overslept and even if you had contacted us by phone, you still would have been late for the tour.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. We understand that you were looking forward to the tour and it's disappointing when things don't go as planned.
Regards,
Magical Trip Support Team
Stephen_H, Dec 2022
Such an intimate experience being only a few feet away from current sumo wrestlers genuinely taking part in morning practice.
The guide was very engaging and the wrestlers were very talkative and friendly when they posed for photos with us after practice ended.
S_L, Dec 2022
Tommy san and Kate were so amazing. They introduced us to the world of sumo that we knew nothing about. Overall, they were kind, patient and very informative! So glad we went. It was the perfect ending to our first Japan trip.
Vicki_T, Mar 2020
This Sumo practice was a highlight of our trip to Tokyo. Our guide Ayaka was lovely, gave us lots of information about the visit before we walked to the stable. We recommend this tour to anyone visiting Tokyo.
angelabowens1, Jan 2020
A great experience ! We learned so much. Our guide was so friendly and enthusiastic. We have recommended this trip to our friends as we know they will love seeing these athletes up close !
Subhash_Roy, Jan 2020
I booked this tour to learn a bit about sumo wrestling. Yumiko was a fantastic guide, she met us early at the location by the JR train station and then took the time to explain what we were going to see when we went to the Sumo stable. She then took us with a few to the Sumo stable. Additionally, during the practice she wrote additional notes to help us understand what we were seeing. It was an overall fascinating experience.
diana_b, Dec 2019
The tour was very interesting. We saw the wrestlers practice for over an hour. There was a brief introduction beforehand. All in all, I recommend. There is no lunch or other activities with the tour.
Lawrence_D, Oct 2019
We enjoyed watching the training. It was a rare opportunity to see the life of Sumo wrestlers. We were allowed to photograph the training and the wrestlers, and had a posed photo opportunity with them at the end of the session.
chrismead2019, Oct 2019
If you can't get to one of the 6 official Sumo Tournaments then the morning training tour is a well worthwhile alternative - it was an amazing experience. We were able to watch the wrestlers warm up and do general exercises but also take part in actual fights to practice their techniques. We had hoped that we may see some wrestling but was surprised how much we did get to see. It wasn't a display for tourists but full on fighting with their peers. Just amazing and highly recommended!
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