Ryōgoku Kokugikan is a sporting venue located in Tokyo, Japan with a seating capacity of up to 10,000 spectators. This is a venue that hosts sumo wrestling tournaments three times a year and was built in 1985. Apart from sumo wrestling tournaments, the venue is the go to place for boxing and concerts too. This hall is open throughout the year even when there are no sporting events happening in the place.
The Ryōgoku Kokugikan takes pride in being the centre of the sumo world. This is also a place where a lot of sumo wrestlers live and train together. Apart from the sumo stables, the Ryōgoku Kokugikan also has restaurants that serve Chanko- the traditional meal of the sumo wrestlers. The best part is that you can taste the food and know more about the local cuisine of Tokyo. These restaurants are managed by the old wrestlers that live nearby the Ryōgoku Kokugikan.
Highlights
• Watch the sumo wrestling tournaments at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in its full glory.
• Visit the venue even when the tournaments are not going on to know more about the place and its history.
• Take a stroll through the sumo stables near the Ryogoku Kokugikan to know more about the lifestyle of the sumo wrestlers.
• Try out the local dishes in restaurants near the Ryogoku Kokugikan run by former wrestlers.
• Eat the Chanko nabe- the staple dish consumed by the wrestlers at the Ryogoku Kokugikan.
• Shop for traditional Japanese souvenirs like hand knitted footwear in shops located near the Ryogoku Kokugikan.
How To Reach
1. By Car: The Ryogoku Kokugikan is 16 km from the city centre, it will take 31 min via Route 4.
2. By Train/ metro: Take a train to Ryogoku station which is 230 metres away from the Ryogoku Kokugikan. You can reach the activity location from the train station with a 3-minute walk
Best Time To Visit
Ryōgoku Kokugikan is open throughout the year, so you can plan your visit to this place at any time of the year.
1. The best season to visit Ryōgoku Kokugikan will be the autumn season from June to August because this is the time when the climate is pleasant.
2. The best day in the week will be the weekdays due to less crowds regardless of any time of the year.
3. The best time of the day to visit Ryōgoku Kokugikan will be morning due to less crowds and a favourable temperature.
Other Essential Information
- If you are visiting the Chanko restaurants, do ask for alternatives for the food items listed there, if you have any dietary preferences.
- Wrestling tournaments happen three times a year, but you can still visit the Ryōgoku Kokugikan even when no tournaments are going on.
- It’s better to go with a traditional Japanese speaker as many places in the Ryōgoku Kokugikan require translation.
- Apart from Ryōgoku Kokugikan, you can find several attractions near the venue
Visit the sumo stables
As the name suggests, this is the place where the sumo wrestlers train and live too. Many of these sables are located nearby the premises of the Ryogoku Kokugikan so that you can check them out too. Here, you can know more about the lifestyle of the wrestlers along with how they train. If you are planning to visit this place, you will require the help of a Japanese speaker. This is because most of the explanations about these places happen in Japanese.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)