The Japan Sumo Association said Monday it will host up to around 5,000 fans at the November Grand Sumo Tournament, about half of the full capacity at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan. The JSA decided to raise the 2,500-spectator limit that had been in effect at the ...
A quiet day at the basho: Sumo wrestles on, without the crowd's loud roar
Even sumo’s notoriously loyal fan base seems rattled by the risk of infection in a closed arena, despite the Kokugikan's anti-coronavirus measures, which includes reducing the number of tickets being sold.
State of sumo content online leaves much to be desired
The JSA would be wise to start taking advantage of its "back catalog" and making footage of bouts and tournaments of the past available online.
Legendary Ryogoku Kokugikan has adapted to modern needs
One of sport's most overused cliches is the labeling of a ballpark or stadium as the mecca of football, baseball or basketball. True, there are adherents everywhere that regard their team's home ground as sacred, and treat each weekend like a pilgrimage, but it's a ...
The six yearly grand sumo tournaments are held at four locations. The January, March and September meets are in Tokyo, while the March, July and November tournaments take place in Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka, respectively. The venues for all six have remained the same for decades ...
Japan slow to offer support to women's sumo
"It's not only boys who can practice and enjoy sumo. There are girls that like sumo too. I hope someday women can become pros." Those were the words of elementary school student Rie Ishibashi, on the day she made history by becoming the first-ever fifth ...
Three of the six yearly Grand Sumo tournaments are held in Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan. The large structure, located next to the Edo-Tokyo Museum in Sumida Ward, opened in 1985. It also houses a sumo museum as well as the offices of the Japan Sumo Association. The ...
Retirement ceremonies often full of emotion
It's no secret that difficulty in procuring tickets is one of the main hurdles preventing overseas visitors from being able to watch sumo in person. In recent years, third-party agents, some catering almost exclusively to foreign tourists, have provided fans with an alternative means of ...
The American-made trophy presented by U.S. President Donald Trump at a sumo tournament will join the sport's historical materials at a museum in Tokyo, the sport's governing body said Monday. The President's Cup, which was presented by Trump to the winner of the Summer Grand ...
Sumo wrestlers make beefy salute to first day of Japan's new era
Sumo's biggest stars joined some 70 fellow heavyweights of the sport in using their bodies to spell out the two kanji characters representing Japan's new imperial era name, as the country celebrated the enthronement of its new emperor Wednesday. The wrestlers from the top two ...
Sumo tickets go on sale roughly about six weeks before the start of every tournament. There are various categories and prices, as well as certain kinds of seats that are unique to particular venues, but generally speaking tickets fall into two main groups — masu ...
Sumo 101: Championship portraits
One of the most striking features of Ryogoku Kokugikan is the ring of giant portraits hanging from the rafters. The 32 images (each 3.17 x 2.22 meters including frame) show the winners for the past 32 tournaments. Prior to each of the three annual Tokyo meets, ...
