The sumo show with hot pot
A two-hour evening in a restaurant built around a sumo ring: retired wrestlers demonstrate, a best-of-three bout is fought, and an all-you-can-eat meal with chanko-nabe runs through the show.
The short answer
Is the Asakusa sumo show with hot pot worth the price, and how real is it?
For most first-time visitors who like the idea of eating chanko-nabe within arm's reach of a clay ring, yes. Retired professional wrestlers demonstrate their morning exercises and classic techniques, a moderator explains the rules in English and Japanese, and a best-of-three bout is fought while an all-you-can-eat meal is served. The ring is a real dohyō, the wrestlers are real, and the stew is the one wrestlers eat to train. What is not real is the stakes. The listing itself calls this a fun, family-friendly show, different from a serious morning practice tour. Take it as a lively dinner with a sport at the centre and it earns its price; arrive hoping for a tournament and it will not.
Five things to know first
- Length
- 2 hours.
- The meal
- All you can eat, built around chanko-nabe.
- The bout
- A best-of-three match by retired wrestlers.
- Your turn
- Optional, with limited places.
Life in a sumo stable
Six pieces of stable life behind the stew
A wrestler's whole week is built inside a heya, a stable. These six pieces of that life, as the English Wikipedia describes them, explain why a meal of chanko-nabe sits at the centre of a sumo evening. They are background on the sport, not this show's running order.
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The wooden nameplate at a sumo stable's street door The house
Heya
A professional wrestler has to belong to a heya, the stable where he lives, eats, trains and sleeps with an elder in charge. Wikipedia's words for the life are quasi-monastic and militaristic. A stable takes its name from the elder share its head coach owns, so a change of master often means a change of name.
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Wrestlers stretching in a stable practice room First light
Keiko
The youngest wrestlers are up with the dawn for chores and warm-up stretches, and they train before they have eaten; the salaried men turn up last. Wikipedia notes that no morning is skipped.
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A chanko-nabe table laid out on tatami The pot
Chankonabe
After practice comes the stew, traditionally the first meal of the day, then a nap. The pattern of no breakfast, a large lunch and sleep is meant to help wrestlers put on weight. There is no fixed recipe: a dashi or chicken broth, protein such as chicken, tofu or fish balls, and vegetables like daikon and bok choy. Seniors and stable guests serve themselves first.
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Nobori banners on a frame outside the Kokugikan Pecking order
Sekitori
Professional sumo has six divisions. Wrestlers in the top two, jūryō and makuuchi, are sekitori: salaried, given at least one attendant, entitled to a private room and first use of the bath. Everyone below shares a dormitory and does the housework. A banzuke publishes the ranking before each tournament.
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Hair being dressed beside a sumo ring at an event The topknot
Chonmage
Wrestlers are expected to grow their hair long and form a topknot, the chonmage, a samurai-style hairstyle. Those in jūryō and makuuchi wear a more elaborate version, the ōichōmage. Because the style is so bound up with the sport, cutting it marks the end of a career.
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Wrestlers serving chanko at a charity food stand After the last bout
Danpatsu-shiki
A career closes with the topknot being cut in a ceremony called danpatsu-shiki. Guests each snip a few strands, and traditionally the retiring wrestler's master cuts the last ones. Holding it at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan takes at least thirty tournaments as a sekitori. Wikipedia adds that most retirees leave the association, and that the majority find work in chankonabe restaurants.
Sources: the English Wikipedia articles on heya, chankonabe, rikishi, sumo, danpatsu-shiki and the Ryōgoku Kokugikan. Nothing here describes what a given show will contain.
Show or tournament
This hot-pot show or a Tokyo Grand Sumo Tournament?
Hot-pot showGrand Sumo Tournament
FormatAn exhibition by retired wrestlers, with a moderatorRanked wrestlers fighting over fifteen days
WhereA restaurant in Asakusa built around a ringThe Ryōgoku Kokugikan, an arena in Sumida
WhenDates in the booking calendarJanuary, May and September in Tokyo, says Wikipedia
What is at stakeNothing: it is a showcaseRank and the tournament title
FoodAll-you-can-eat meal built around chanko-nabeBought separately; the arena has restaurants and a chanko tasting hall, says Wikipedia
Your partWatch, learn the rituals, maybe take the ring turnWatch from your seat
Seats and the ticket
The room, the seats and what the ticket lists
Everything below is as the listing states it. Your confirmation adds the exact room and the meeting point.
- The setting
- A restaurant in Asakusa with a real sumo ring, a dohyō, at its centre. The listing says every seat has a view of the ring and that you may be seated with other guests.
- Who runs it
- The show is staged by the Asakusa Sumo Club and sold through the activity provider. This guide is separate from both, and GetYourGuide handles the booking.
- Seat types
- Standard seats in the main room, standard seats in a neighbouring annex, VIP front-row seats and VVIP central seats. The listing says the show content is the same in both standard rooms, so check the room on the booking page before you pay.
- The meal
- An all-you-can-eat meal with chanko-nabe at its centre and one complimentary drink; further drinks are paid for. Vegetarian and vegan meals need booking at least two days ahead, and gluten-free and halal meals are not available.
- Commentary
- A moderator speaks in English and Japanese throughout.
- The ring
- Exercise and technique demonstrations, a briefing on what wrestlers may and may not do, then a three-round match between former professionals. According to the listing, a traditional dance by geisha opens the evening.
- Souvenirs
- A printed photo with the wrestlers and a souvenir set; the listing says the contents vary with the season.
- Who can come
- The listing calls the show family-friendly. Infants under twelve months should not attend, and as wheelchair places are few, say so at booking.
Hot pot or sushi
A sumo show with hot pot or a sushi class: which Tokyo meal to book?
Sumo show with hot pot
Sushi-making class
Length
2 hours
1.5 hours
What you do
Watch demonstrations and a bout, with an optional ring turn
Learn to shape nigiri yourself under a sushi chef
What you eat
An all-you-can-eat meal with chanko-nabe
Nigiri with tuna and salmon, made by you
Drinks
One included, more for sale
A separate drink menu for an extra charge
Diets
Vegetarian and vegan on request two days ahead; no gluten-free or halal
Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, with a day's notice
Language
Moderator in English and Japanese
Instructor in English and Japanese
Mood
Loud, seated and shared
Hands-on and quiet
Rating on GetYourGuide
4.8, thousands of reviews
4.9, over 1,600 reviews
Best for
Groups, families and the sumo-curious
Cooks, couples and anyone who wants a skill to take home
Book the show, then fill the rest of your Tokyo day
A sumo meal, a sushi class, a market and a mountain
The sumo meal comes first. Beside it sit the sushi class this page weighs it against, a fish-market walk and a long day out toward Mount Fuji, each a separate booking with its own calendar.
Sushi-making class
A beginner nigiri class of about an hour and a half, with tuna and salmon, a sushi chef to guide you and a happi coat to wear. This page sets it against the sumo meal.
Tsukiji walking tour
A two-hour guided walk through the Tsukiji outer market and past the Hongwanji temple. Food bought from the stalls along the way is paid for separately.
Mount Fuji day trip
A long day out of Tokyo around the Fuji lakes and the springs of Oshino Hakkai. The view of the mountain depends on the weather and cannot be promised.
More to book in Tokyo
Around Asakusa
Sumo's world, and the streets of Asakusa
Pictures of stable life, a tournament hall and the streets around Sensō-ji. None of them was taken at this show, in its room or of its wrestlers.
Getting there and planning the night
Reaching Asakusa, eating well and choosing a seat
By metro
Wikipedia has Asakusa Station as the far eastern stop of the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, shared with trains of the Toei Asakusa Line and the Tobu Skytree Line. The booking page and your confirmation give the exact meeting point, which may vary with the seat type you choose, so follow that rather than the station name alone.
Pick the seat first
Choose between the main room and the annex for standard seats, or step up to VIP or VVIP for a closer view. The listing recommends VIP for the nearest experience of the ring.
Arrive hungry
The meal is part of the ticket, so skip a dinner beforehand. Vegetarian and vegan guests should ask at least two days before the show.
If you want the ring
With only a few challenger places, and a lottery when applicants outnumber them, a ring turn is a bonus rather than a reason to book.
With children
Adults and children are both welcome, since the listing describes the show as family-friendly; infants under twelve months should stay home.
Wheelchair seating
The listing marks the show as wheelchair accessible but says seating for wheelchairs is limited. Tell the booking page at the time you reserve.
By day in Asakusa
Sensō-ji, the Kaminarimon gate with its giant lantern and the Nakamise approach are all in the same district, so a sumo night pairs naturally with an afternoon among them.
Who should skip it
Anyone wanting a quiet, serious look at wrestlers training should look at the other sumo experiences on offer in Tokyo; this show is built to entertain a room.
Read these before you book
Six guides to the show, the stable and the district
- Start here Asakusa sumo show with hot pot: worth it? Is the Asakusa sumo show with chicken hot pot worth the price, and how real is it? What retired wrestlers do on the night, what the ticket covers, and who will enjoy it. Read the guide →
- Compare Sumo hot-pot show or sushi class? A sumo show with hot pot or a hands-on sushi class: which Tokyo meal should you book? Length, food, diets, mood and who each one suits. Read the guide →
- The pot What sumo wrestlers eat: chanko-nabe The stew behind the sport: what goes into it, why wrestlers eat so much of it, who gets served first and why a sumo show builds its dinner around it. Read the guide →
- The stable Life inside a sumo stable How a heya works: who runs it, who does the chores, why ranks decide the bath and the bedroom, and how a career ends. Read the guide →
- The real thing Real sumo in Tokyo: the Ryōgoku tournaments Where Tokyo's Grand Sumo tournaments are held, how often, and how a tournament differs from a sumo show. Read the guide →
- The district Asakusa before and after the show How to reach Asakusa, what the temple district offers by day and how a sumo evening fits around it. Read the guide →
FAQ
Questions before you book a table
Is the Asakusa sumo show with hot pot worth the price, and how real is it?
Yes for most first-timers who want a lively dinner with sumo at its centre: former wrestlers demonstrate and fight a three-round bout while you eat as much chanko-nabe as you like. The ring, the wrestlers and the stew are genuine; the stakes are not, since this is an entertainment show.
Is this a Grand Sumo Tournament?
No. By its own description the show is fun and family-friendly, and it differs from the serious morning practice sessions offered elsewhere. The real tournaments in Tokyo are fought at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan, in January, May and September, as Wikipedia has it.
Who are the wrestlers?
The listing says the three-round bout is fought by former professional sumo wrestlers, who also demonstrate exercises and techniques and brief guests on what is allowed in the sport.
Can I step into the ring?
A challenge to a wrestler is open to guests, with a few places at each show and a lottery to choose among applicants. Think of it as a bonus.
What does the geisha part involve?
The listing says a traditional Japanese dance performed by geisha opens the evening. The listing gives no further detail, and none is promised here.
What food is included?
A meal with chanko-nabe that you can keep going back for, one drink on the house and others to buy. Vegetarian and vegan plates need asking for at least two days beforehand, while gluten-free and halal cannot be arranged.
Which seat should I choose?
Standard seats come in two places, the main room and an annex next door, and VIP front-row and VVIP central seats sit closer to the ring. The listing says both standard rooms get the same show, and it points to VIP for the nearest view.
Is it suitable for children?
The listing calls the show family-friendly for adults and children, but infants under twelve months should not attend. Seating for wheelchairs is limited, so flag it when you book.
Can I cancel?
Yes: when you book through GetYourGuide the listing allows cancellation without charge until 24 hours before the start, and it also offers a reserve-now, pay-later route.
Is this the club's own website?
No. Asakusa Sumo Guide is an independent publication with no tie to the club, the wrestlers or the firm that runs the show. GetYourGuide handles any booking started from a link on these pages.