Attending a Grand Sumo tournament is one of Japan's most unique and memorable cultural experiences — but securing tickets, especially from outside Japan, requires advance planning. All 90 tournament days sold out in 2024 for the first time in 30 years, and demand shows no sign of easing. Here is everything you need to know.
The Six Annual Tournaments and Their Dates
Professional sumo holds six honbasho (grand tournaments) per year, each lasting exactly 15 days:
- Hatsu Basho — January, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo
- Haru Basho — March, Edion Arena Osaka, Osaka
- Natsu Basho — May, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo
- Nagoya Basho — July, Dolphins Arena (IG Arena), Nagoya
- Aki Basho — September, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo
- Kyushu Basho — November, Fukuoka Kokusai Center, Fukuoka
Tickets typically go on sale approximately one month before the tournament start. For example, the January 2026 tournament (starting January 11) had tickets released on December 6, 2025.
Types of Seats and Prices
Ringside Seats (Sunamoderi): The floor cushions right next to the dohyo. The ultimate experience — but also the most expensive (¥50,000–¥80,000+) and extremely hard to obtain. These are primarily allocated to sponsors and corporate clients. There is also a real risk of injury from wrestlers flying off the dohyo.
Box Seats (Masu-seki): The classic sumo experience. Floor-level tatami mat sections divided into boxes for four people, sold as a complete box. You sit on provided cushions — not chairs. Boxes range from ¥34,000 to ¥60,000 total on weekdays, ¥38,000 to ¥60,000 on weekends/holidays. Divided by four, that is ¥8,500–¥15,000 per person — good value for a memorable cultural experience.
Arena Chair Seats (Isu-seki): Standard stadium-style seats on the upper level, priced by tier:
- SS Seats: ¥11,000 (all days)
- A Seats: ¥8,500 (weekday) / ¥9,000 (weekend)
- B Seats: ¥6,000 (weekday) / ¥6,500 (weekend)
- C Seats: ¥3,500 (weekday only — these sell out fastest)
How to Buy — Official Channels
Option 1: Ticket Oosumo (Official JSA Website)
The Japan Sumo Association's official ticketing portal at sumo.pia.jp/en/ has an English interface. Tickets are available here at face value. The challenge: the site can be difficult to navigate, requires a Japanese contact number for some purchases, and tickets vanish within minutes of release for popular days.
Option 2: Ticket Lottery (Chusen)
For the most competitive tournaments (Tokyo especially), the JSA runs a pre-sale lottery where you apply for the right to purchase tickets before general sales. Winning is not guaranteed, but it dramatically improves your chances. The lottery for January 2026 ran in October 2025 — check the JSA website well in advance.
Option 3: International Booking Services
Several services specialize in helping overseas visitors secure tickets:
- Klook and Viator — the easiest options for international visitors, with English-language booking and direct delivery. Prices include a service fee but eliminate the complexity.
- BuySumoTickets.com — Japan-based service that purchases on your behalf, with responsive email support.
- JasumoTickets.com — concierge service for premium seats and groups.
Key Tips to Actually Get Tickets
- Plan early. Mark the ticket sale date in your calendar the moment it is announced. Set an alarm for the exact release time (10:00 AM Japan time).
- Avoid weekends and final days. Days 13, 14, and 15 (senshuraku) are the most dramatic — and the first to sell out, sometimes within 60 seconds. Weekday tickets in the first week offer the best availability.
- Consider Tuesday through Thursday in the first week for the best availability and a relaxed atmosphere.
- Day tickets (Toujitsu-ken): A limited number of same-day tickets (C seat level) go on sale at the venue from 8:00 AM on the day of the event. Bring cash and arrive early — queues can start well before opening.
- No refunds. The official policy is that purchased tickets cannot be exchanged or refunded for any reason. Consider ticket protection if using third-party services.
- Pickup in Japan: Official JSA tickets must be picked up at 7-Eleven convenience stores in Japan using the code sent after purchase. International booking services typically handle delivery differently.
What Happens on Tournament Day
The arena opens at approximately 8:00 AM, though Makuuchi (top division) bouts don't begin until around 3:00 PM, with the final bouts finishing around 6:00 PM. Arriving early lets you watch the lower divisions warm up and explore the arena at leisure. Food stalls, merchandise shops, and exhibition displays open with the arena. An English-language guide map is available at the entrance.