Tokyo: Authentic Sumo, Not A Show With English Guide

What a fun and unique experience! We're very glad we went.

My wife and I have been to several sumo practices over the years and the actual grand tournament four times. Believe me when I tell you, this was not a good experience or value in comparison to the other sumo morning practices that I have attended. There were over 60 tourists programed into a small area watching this practice. Most people couldn’t see over the person in front of them. Once people started video, you couldn’t see anything. This tour was totally oversold. Very disappointing. I am a huge sumo wrestling enthusiast, and know a lot about the sport. Also the instructions for the meeting area or not totally clear. There were a few people who never actually made it.

Had a great experience. Learned a lot (especially from the handout). It is must see while in Tokyo.

So glad we did this . Genuine sumo trainees at their morning session, not a lame ‘show’.

Our guide was friendly and helpful. Gave us info about the area we were in and about the wrestlers we were going to watch.

First time viewing Sumo. Even though it was practice, I learnt a lot. Enjoyed the ambiance and interaction between the wrestlers.

Was fantastic seeing the sumos training and dunking it out, would have loved to be able to ask some questions, but the information sheet was useful. And if your looking to see live sumo this is a solid option

90 mins was about right! It was very interesting to watch and take pictures at the end. Viewing was fine from all areas Perhaps the first part of the warm up went on 5-10 mins too long, but I suppose we are observers, rather than dictating how they train. Overall a good experience; if hesitating, you should not and just book it!

What am experience to tick off your bucket list. Was so great to watch the hard work the guys put into their sport and see their culture. 100% recommend this to anyone visiting Japan.

Interesting to watch. They pack the tourists in though so there was restricted visibility. Would have been better if it weren't so packed with tourists

The guide was amazing and the experience extremely cool! Highly recommended to anyone visiting Tokyo!

loved the sumo wrestlers. dedicated athletes who work incredibly hard at their sport we took a cab directly and it was easier for us from the area we were staying

Here is the final version of your review, including your statement about the rating: Unfortunately, this experience was far worse than I could have imagined and was, frankly, a complete waste of time and money. If there were a rating below zero stars, that is what I would choose. To begin, upon our arrival, the sumo practice had already commenced, and the sumo wrestlers were already on the training floor. This was incredibly disheartening, as I was explicitly told that our group would be the first to arrive in the morning. This leads me to my next point: there was clearly another group present before us. This was incredibly confusing and frustrating, as it directly contradicted the information I received and suggests a significant lack of organization. Furthermore, the seating arrangements were incredibly uncomfortable and offered a very poor view of the practice. It was difficult to see what was happening due to the inadequate seating. Adding to the frustration, while there were some other seats that appeared to offer a better view, those were quickly occupied by the group that had already arrived. Finally, I was quite disturbed to notice that the front row seats appeared to be reserved for local Japanese attendees only. This practice is unfair, unethical, and was not disclosed beforehand. As a tourist, I felt relegated to a less desirable viewing position based on my nationality. Overall, I cannot recommend this event in the strongest possible terms. The fact that the practice had already started when we arrived, coupled with the presence of another group despite being told we were the first, the uncomfortable seating with poor views, and the apparent discriminatory seating practices, made this an absolutely disastrous experience. Viator needs to address these issues urgently, as this was a complete rip-off.

This was a great morning out. After booking, the company responded quickly to questions sent via email. When we arrived at the meeting point the guide was easy to find with a big sign. After a short pleasant walk we had a fun morning watching the practice.

We didn't catch our guide's name but she was very efficient and spoke: English, French and Japanese that we heard. The tour leaves the A3 exit at exactly 7:45 don't be late. We took the train and were let out on the other side of the station. Allot yourself an extra 10 min to find the "A3 exit". Sumo practice was fantastic. A great experience.

Interesting experience & well planned. Tour guide very helpful & friendly & speaks excellent English.

An amazing experience; 2 hours watching an incredibly intense sumo training session. So close to the action you could almost feel the explosive power being generated by the wrestlers. Our guides were charming and helpful, speaking very good English and providing a useful fact sheet detailing sumo terms. Recommended without hesitation.

All in all, this was an excellent way to experience Sumo wrestling and the culture that surrounds the sport. I was amazed as I watched the training of these unconventional athletes. It was truly a wonder to have a front row seat to the process! The tour operator was knowledgeable and really went above and beyond! Even after the tour was over, she took it beyond herself to help me get a Pasmo card for the train. A true lifesaver since my Japanese is non-existent :) Truly above and beyond service!

Our guide was helpful in explaining the sumo practice session, which we all enjoyed. It is in a small room so you get to experience the sounds and sweat as well as the sight.

Sitting on the floor or small tools/seats may be uncomfortable for westerners for the duration of the venue.

Super cool, authentic, and up-close experience, got to have full immersion in Sumo wrestling practice. Guide was so sweet and hospitable!

The morning practice provided glimpse into the world of Sumo wrestling. The practice session was quite educative as it showcased most of the training exercises. The practice bouts were intense and revealed the highly competitive nature of the sport. The seating place for visitors did get quite crowded with people from an other tour also present, some joining while the session was underway. Seating was somewhat squeezed. The Viator guide, however, took great care to ensure that all the Viator customers were comfortably seated. The photo session with the wrestlers at the end was fun. On the whole, it was an enjoyable experience and I would recommend highly recommend the tour.

From the welcome at my metro station to the sumo training hall was very warm. The sumo training was impressive to watch. I recommend it!

An incredible experience. I would think this is even better than going to a large, formal competition in some ways, as you’re up close with the sumo’s and when they fight, it’s pretty serious! Highly recommend, was the highlight of the trip, especially for my teenagers.

Overall, it was very interesting to see the Sumo wrestlers doing their training. 30 mins(may be a bit longer) consist of streching, preparing their bodies for wrestling. Then their younger ones started to challange each other and it was good to watch. Then more powerful ones started to wrestle against each other and it was really interesting. Our guide was so polite and helpful. She was on time at the right place. They distributed a description of history and training details, which was sufficient to learn and understand during training. Summary: well worth to go and watch. Enjoyed it!

I loved this experience! The tour guide was so friendly and knowledgeable! She was very kind and had a book full of information about sumo. She also answered dozens of our questions with detailed informative answers. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone who would want to see a sumo practice and/or learn more about sumo!

The sumo training was great! but the host who was supposed to meet us as some point, left the whole group, it wasn´t there, so we had to call. Thanks to some japanese people who were on the group, knew the language we were able to get there.

Excellent tour and highlight of our stay in Tokyo. Naomi was warm and friendly and was happy to answer the 20+ questions our group had both before and after the training. Thank you Naomi!

Disappointed with the tour in general. Meeting place instructions were perfect followed by a 10 minute walk to the stable. Once there, we were directed to a sitting area and that was it… sitting and watching practice for 1-1/2 hours. But we decided to leave before that time as our tour guide said that’s all that was scheduled. Not what I was looking for.

An up close look at these amazing athletes. The tour was well organized and the hosts were very helpful and informative.

If you like and respect athletics this is a great event. The tradition and hard work these wrestlers embody is on full display. You don’t need to have a background on sumo to appreciate what you will see. The guides provide enough context for anyone to pickup an understanding of the sport.

This activity immerses us in the heart of tradition. The hour went by fast, too fast. It was very impressive. Sumo wrestlers are athletes who are surprising in their strength and flexibility. It is a real training session and not a show, which was all the more interesting. Our guide spoke French, which was a plus for us.