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Nagoya sumo
Experience the excitement of the summer sumo tournament in Nagoya
Japan's annual summer sumo basho (tournament) takes place in Nagoya in July. Nagoya's sumo is held at the Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium which is within the grounds of Nagoya Castle; it's well worth having a look inside the castle before taking your seats at the sumo.
The rules of sumo are very simple. Two wrestlers attempt to push each other over. The first to fall out of the ring or touch the ground with any part of his body other than the soles of his feet loses. Bouts can be won or lost in a matter of seconds, although sometimes they go on for a minute or more generating huge waves of excitement in the stadium. There are no weight restrictions in sumo meaning a small wrestler can face someone three times his size; that's why weight gain is such an essential part of training. However there is something glorious about a small wrestler neatly side-stepping a huge giant.
When to go:
The Nagoya sumo tournament takes place in July.
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A quick note about our experiences: Our experiences are designed to be part of a complete, tailor-made travel package and are not available to book individually. This allows us to ensure every detail – from accommodation to transport – is perfectly coordinated for you. If you're interested in one of these experiences, we'd love to help you build a full itinerary around it!
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