Visit to a Sumo Training Stable in Tokyo, Rugby World Cup 2019, Japan.

Taken at Ryogoku JR Rail Station, Tokyo 

Sunday 6^th October 2019

Getting up early was becoming a theme on this Japan holiday. As I was in Japan, I wanted to attend a Sumo Wrestling Contest, but there were no tournament dates that coincided with the days we were in Tokyo. So, instead I booked a visit to a Sumo Training Stable in the Ryogoku district of Tokyo.

You can visit training stables by arranging a visit yourself, I did see this information on line by due to time constraints decided to book a tour. I booked this tour through Viator, and had received an email with instructions to meet at the Ryogoku JR Station at 0630. From Akihabara it was very easy to get to the meeting point, literally just across the river by train.

Ryogoku district of Tokyo is the location of the sumo stadium, many sumo stables, the sumo hall where tournaments take place and chanko restaurants- the area also lots of statues depicting many sumo poses along the street.  

Sumo Stable, tourist seating area 

Sumo Stable, tourist seating area 

The Sumo stables are the places where sumo wrestlers live and train. There are several dozen sumo stables currently in existence and many are located in the Ryogoku area.

We were on time and the guide was waiting for us, sadly four people were over ½ an hour late and we had to wait for them- I did not agree with this as it was a large group, about 20 people who had all made the meeting point on time, but I am not the tour guide!

Once assembled the group walked from the station to the stable. It was located in a none descript, square concrete block of flats. The training ground was on the ground floor with the wrestlers accommodation above. Inside the wresters were waiting for us.

The group was instructed to sit cross-legged on a platform covered in Tatami matting located above the sandy training ring, in silence. No talking was allowed, no eating or chewing gum, no flash photography or videos. Only the Stable Master who was coordinating the training was allowed to speak, smoke and move.

The training went on until 10.30- that’s a long time sitting cross-legged! But it was worth it, the display was fascinating and the wrestlers strong and far more agile than I had imagined. 

Sumo Training Stable, Tokyo

Sumo Training Stable, Tokyo

Look how small we are?????

Statues in Ryogoku Tokyo 

Statues in Ryogoku Tokyo 

Statues in Ryogoku Tokyo 

Chanko Restaurants  Ryogoku Tokyo 

I had planned to eat a late breakfast at a chanko restaurant to sample the food needed for the wrestlers to maintain their bulk, but sadly they don’t open until lunch time and we had other plans for the rest of the day. As we set off on an ambitious plan to see as much as Tokyo as we could in what was left of the day.