If you’re a fan of Sumo you have to visit Ryōgoku because it is a famous sumo neighborhood. There are only three Tokyo tournaments held every year so if you want to visit one you have to visit Tokyo in January, May or September (Although, you can try and visit a tournament in Osaka in March, Nagoya in July or Fukuoka in November.)

There are only a limited number of same-day tickets available so if you want to make sure that you don’t miss it book a ticket online in advance at the Kokugikan sumo stadium website. Price: $20. If you’re not interested in a tournament or there isn’t any at the time of your visit, you can check out the Sumo Museum. Keep in mind it’s closed on weekends and national holidays. Admission is: FREE

If you’re really into Sumo there are two other things you can try. One is to try Chanko-Nabe the Sumo wrestlers special stew. In case you can’t get a ticket to a popular Sumo wrestling show you can still go to Kappo Yoshiba restaurant which used to be a Sumo training stable and taste a traditional Chanko-Nabe that makes Sumo wrestlers so big and strong!

The other is to visit a morning Sumo training session at a stable and see where & how Sumo wrestlers’ train every day. Admission is: FREE. Yes, you read that right! There are many places in Tokyo where you can watch a free Sumo practice so don’t get fooled and pay $70 or more for an agency.

You can visit on most mornings from 7:30 am except March, July, and November because at these times the Sumo wrestlers are visiting other parts of Japan (as mentioned above).