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Sumo Wrestling

Sumo wrestling is a competitive contact sport where two wrestlers (rikishi) attempt to force one another out of a circular ring (dohyo) or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally.

The Japanese consider sumo a gendai budo (a modern Japanese martial art), though the sport has a history spanning many centuries. The sumo tradition is very ancient, and even today the sport includes many ritual elements, such as the use of salt for purification, from the days sumo was used in the Shinto religion.
2012sumo

Grand Sumo tournaments last for 15 days and are held 6 times a year, Once in Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka, and three times a year at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo. Dates for the Grand 2012 Sumo Tournaments are below:

2012 Grand Tournament Schedule:

Tournament Venue Advance Tickets Sumo Ranking First Day Last Day
January Kokugikan (Tokyo) Dec 10th, 2011 Dec 21st, 2011 Jan 8th, 2012 Jan 22nd, 2012
March Osaka Prefecture Feb 5th, (Sun) Feb 27th (Mon) March 11th (Sun) March 25th (Sun)
May Kokugikan (Tokyo) April 7th, (Sun) April 23rd(Mon) May 6th (Sun) May 20th(Sun)
July Aichi Prefecture May 17th, (Thr) June 25th (Mon) July 8th (Sun) July 22th (Sun)
September Kokugikan (Tokyo) Aug 4th, (Sat) August 27th (Mon) Sept 9th (Sun) Sept 23rd(Sun)
November Fukuoka Center Oct 6th, (Sat) Oct 29th, (Mon) Nov 11th (Sun) Nov 25th (Sun)

Life as a rikishi is highly regimented, with rules laid down by the Sumo Association. Professional sumo wrestlers are required to live in communal "sumo training stables" known in Japanese as heya where all aspects of their daily lives, from meals to their manner of dress are dictated by strict tradition.

Sumo Wrestler Morning Training Tour (7:30am-11:00am) We will take you to a "real" Sumo stable to enjoy a live Sumo training session and than your guide will take you around Ryogoku (Sumo Temples and shops which are unique to Ryogoku). For information on Sumo training packages please contact us
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