2026– date –
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Ryogoku: A Visitor’s Guide to Tokyo’s Sumo Town
Ryogoku is the Tokyo district where sumo lives. On the old-Tokyo east side near the Sumida River, it is the neighbourhood built around the national sumo arena, the stables where wrestlers train, and the hot-pot that feeds them. If you ar... -
How to Get Sumo Tickets and What a Tournament Day Looks Like
Watching sumo live in Japan is easier to plan than many first-time visitors expect, once you know the calendar, the seat types, and where to buy. This is a practical planning guide for anyone hoping to sit in the hall for a grand tournam... -
Sumo Etiquette: What to Know Before Watching Live at the Kokugikan
Watching sumo live at the Ryogoku Kokugikan is welcoming and easy for a first-timer, but a handful of customs keep the hall running smoothly. Move to and from your seat only between bouts, stay quiet and still while a bout is underway, a... -
Myogiryu’s Retirement Ceremony: A Last Bout With His Sons
The former Myogiryu held his retirement topknot-cutting ceremony at the Ryogoku Kokugikan on October 5, 2025, marking his succession to the Furiwake elder name. It fell the day after the retirement ceremony of the former ozeki Takakeisho... -
Ichinojo’s First Championship at the 2022 Nagoya Tournament
On the final day of the 2022 July (Nagoya) Grand Sumo tournament, Ichinojo won his first top-division championship. No playoff settled it. Ichinojo had finished his work at 12-3, and the title was sealed when the yokozuna Terunofuji lost... -
Okinoumi’s Retirement Ceremony: An Oki-Island Farewell
Okinoumi is a former makuuchi wrestler of the Hakkaku stable who retired in 2023 and now serves in the Japan Sumo Association as the Kimigahama elder. His retirement ceremony was held at the Ryogoku Kokugikan on September 30, 2023, where... -
Kaisei’s Retirement Ceremony: The Brazilian Who Reached Sekiwake
On October 1, 2023, the former sekiwake Kaisei held his retirement topknot-cutting ceremony at the Ryogoku Kokugikan. Brazilian-born, Kaisei rose to sekiwake — the third-highest rank in sumo — and went further than any Brazilian wrestler... -
Tochinoshin: Retirement Ceremony, Family and Life After Sumo
Tochinoshin's retirement ceremony was held at the Ryogoku Kokugikan on February 4, 2024. The Georgian-born former ozeki had his topknot cut by roughly 300 people, his master made the final snip, and his wife came forward with flowers. To... -
Kakuryu’s Retirement Ceremony: A Mongolian Yokozuna’s Farewell
The former yokozuna Kakuryu, born in Mongolia, held his retirement topknot-cutting ceremony at the Ryogoku Kokugikan on June 3, 2023, in heavy rain. The day closed one of the sport's highest careers, yet it left a question hanging over w... -
An Unexpected Finish: Kotozakura Wins His First Title
At the 2024 November (Kyushu) Grand Sumo Tournament in Fukuoka, the ozeki Kotozakura won his first top-division championship at 14-1, when his co-leader Hoshoryu collapsed on a slipped grip in their final-day decider. Ozeki is the second...
