Morning Sumo Practice
Overview
Sumo is the traditional sport of Japan, famed throughout the world for the enormous wrestlers going head-to-head in a true clash of heavyweights. However, the sport is often misunderstood and in the West the level of athleticism, strength and pure determination required to succeed at the top level are rarely appreciated.
Our morning training experience is designed to provide you with a genuine insight into the lives of the sumo wrestlers and the training that is required to excel at this sport. You will be met by a professional guide at your hotel at 7am. You will then be taken to a sumo stable to see the morning training known as 'asa geiko' in Japanese. Attending training is a very close up experience as you will be sat on tatami mat flooring just a couple of metres from the practice 'dohyou', the sumo ring. From here you will see the wrestlers go through their paces, with repeated leg raises, practice arm thrusts and some unusual lifting of weights - often heavy logs or sacks of rice. Training usually concludes with a winner-stays-on match up where one wrestler takes on all comers until he is defeated, at which point the new champion takes over.
You are allowed to take photographs but flash photography is strictly forbidden. Other house rules include no talking in loud voices (whispering is usually okay) and no pointing of the soles of the feet at the ring. And with the threat of being removed by the stable master or one of his 'boys' it really is best not to step out of line!
This is a truly unique experience and one you will never forget.
Sumo is the traditional sport of Japan, famed throughout the world for the enormous wrestlers going head-to-head in a true clash of heavyweights. However, the sport is often misunderstood and in the West the level of athleticism, strength and pure determination required to succeed at the top level are rarely appreciated.
Our morning training experience is designed to provide you with a genuine insight into the lives of the sumo wrestlers and the training that is required to excel at this sport. You will be met by a professional guide at your hotel at 7am. You will then be taken to a sumo stable to see the morning training known as 'asa geiko' in Japanese. Attending training is a very close up experience as you will be sat on tatami mat flooring just a couple of metres from the practice 'dohyou', the sumo ring. From here you will see the wrestlers go through their paces, with repeated leg raises, practice arm thrusts and some unusual lifting of weights - often heavy logs or sacks of rice. Training usually concludes with a winner-stays-on match up where one wrestler takes on all comers until he is defeated, at which point the new champion takes over.
You are allowed to take photographs but flash photography is strictly forbidden. Other house rules include no talking in loud voices (whispering is usually okay) and no pointing of the soles of the feet at the ring. And with the threat of being removed by the stable master or one of his 'boys' it really is best not to step out of line!
This is a truly unique experience and one you will never forget.
When:
Sumo wrestlers train Monday to Friday although there are often unscheduled holidays. However, these are on a stable by stable basis and rarely will all stables be closed. During the six annual tournaments there is no morning training and for the Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka tournaments (March, July and November) the wrestlers usually leave town around one week prior to the opening day. If you are keen to visit a stable do check the tournament dates and make sure these do not coincide with your visit.
Perhaps the best time to see training is around 7-14 days before a tournament. This is when you can see the wrestlers at their most serious as they really get down to the final hard work before the competition.
Where:
The vast majority of sumo stables are located in Tokyo with most of these being in the Ryugoku area, just across the Sumida River from the histroic district of Asakusa. The specific stable you will visit depends on the training schedule of the stables.
Sumo wrestlers train Monday to Friday although there are often unscheduled holidays. However, these are on a stable by stable basis and rarely will all stables be closed. During the six annual tournaments there is no morning training and for the Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka tournaments (March, July and November) the wrestlers usually leave town around one week prior to the opening day. If you are keen to visit a stable do check the tournament dates and make sure these do not coincide with your visit.
Perhaps the best time to see training is around 7-14 days before a tournament. This is when you can see the wrestlers at their most serious as they really get down to the final hard work before the competition.
Where:
The vast majority of sumo stables are located in Tokyo with most of these being in the Ryugoku area, just across the Sumida River from the histroic district of Asakusa. The specific stable you will visit depends on the training schedule of the stables.