Hello, fellow travel lovers!
This time, I went to the January Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan.。
It was three days before the final day. The sky was clear, but the cold wave brought an icy wind.
Outside was freezing cold, inside was filled with heat and excitement.
First Things First: Food! The Lounge Is Amazing
For box-seat guests, a 45-minute all-you-can-eat and all-you-can-drink lounge is included.
After being shown to our seats, we headed to a small counter.
“Would you like a little of everything?” Without hesitation: “Yes, please!”
👉 Here’s the “a bit of everything” set. The chanko stew was delicious!
Sake, beer, wine, soft drinks, and even really good water—everything is all-you-can-drink within the time limit.
Since I was driving home, I stuck with non-alcoholic beer and water. Good job, TabiJun!
The Matches Begin! The Dohyo Is So Close
With our stomachs full, it was time for the matches. The audience was still a bit sparse, but…
The dohyo is so close!
Early Matches Move Fast
Slim and muscular wrestlers: West (left) was Yamafuji, East (right) was Takashi.
At this rank, wrestlers don’t throw salt or use towels.
The matches move quickly, one after another.
And by the way…
the referee is barefoot.
Later on, referees wear tabi socks and sandals.
That was one of today’s little discoveries!
A Healing Break
Before the Juryo ring-entering ceremony, there was a short break.
I stepped outside for some fresh air and…
I ran into Ankoyama and the idol Sumomo-chan!
👉 Commemorative photo with Ankoyama and Sumomo-chan
The photo was taken by Akawashi—despite his sharp-eyed image, he was incredibly friendly.
このギャップ、最高です。
Juryo Entrance Brings the Heat Up
Once the Juryo wrestlers entered, big bodies filled the ring.
More spectators arrived, and the atmosphere instantly changed.
👉 Powerful, larger-than-life wrestlers all lined up
※ In box seats, loud cheering, eating, and photography are prohibited.
That said, photography didn’t feel overly strict.
Mid-Session & Yokozuna Ring-Entering Ceremony
The mid-session ring-entering ceremony— the wrestlers are huge and impressive.
👉 This sense of scale is overwhelming!
Aonishiki’s ring entrance—still so cool!
And just before publishing this post—congratulations to Aonishiki on his championship win!
The yokozuna ring-entering ceremony featured Onosato. That rope is said to weigh around 15 kilograms.
Don’t Miss the Ending
After all the matches are over, there’s the bow-twirling ceremony.
The referee’s low posture is also worth watching.
Time for Souvenirs
We stopped by the teahouse to receive our souvenirs.
It was so crowded that we could barely move forward…
A cow’s pace.
Because it’s the Year of the Ox… (laugh)
👉 A paper bag full of souvenirs—this is what I look forward to
Famous Kokugikan Specialties
Makunouchi bento and yakitori.
👉 The golden combo: makunouchi bento and yakitori
The makunouchi bento focuses on simmered and grilled dishes.
A healthy style, with a modest portion.
Were they calculating how much room we’d need for yakitori?
👉 Famous yakitori that won’t dirty your hands or clothes
Five chicken meatballs and five skewers of yakitori.
These are made in Kokugikan’s own kitchen.
The meat is already well-seasoned, so it’s delicious even without sauce.
👉 Sumo anmitsu
Here’s what’s inside!
👉 Add ice cream and happiness doubles
Asakusa nori seaweed.
👉 A seaweed tin printed with a list of past yokozuna
January Tournament program.
👉 Aonishiki in the program looks strong too
Wrapped in Futamiyama’s handprint paper was…
👉 What’s inside?
A small plate with a referee’s fan design—very practical.
Sumo rice crackers.
👉 Sumo rice crackers.
👉 Sumo gaufrettes
Summary
Watching sumo from a box seat delivers sound and impact on a whole different level.
The power, the harshness, and the warmth and charm of mascots and people.
Sumo is best experienced live.
That said,
watching on TV with commentary is also super easy to understand and highly recommended.
The journey continues... Wishing you all a wonderful trip! – TabiJun
＊＊TabiJun＊＊
