Grand Sumo Tournament — September (Aki Basho)

Three of the six annual Grand Sumo tournaments are held in Tokyo, and each one turns the Ryogoku district — the historic heart of the sport — into a place of pilgrimage for fans. The September tournament, the Aki Basho, unfolds over fifteen consecutive days inside the Ryogoku Kokugikan, the purpose-built sumo arena where a suspended roof modelled on a Shinto shrine hangs above the raised clay ring. For a first-time visitor it is an unforgettable introduction to a sport that is equal parts athletic contest and centuries-old ritual.

What to expect

Each day builds from the lower divisions in the early afternoon to the top-division makuuchi bouts in the late afternoon and early evening, culminating in the ring-entering ceremonies and the highest-ranked wrestlers. Individual matches last only seconds, but the salt-throwing, stamping and drawn-out face-offs that precede them are a spectacle in themselves. Seating ranges from traditional tatami box seats at floor level to Western-style chair seats further back; the Kokugikan also has its own sumo museum and famous chanko-nabe hotpot.

The 2027 tournament runs 12–26 September, with advance tickets on sale from 7 August 2027. Tickets sell out fast, especially for weekends and the closing days — buy early through the Japan Sumo Association's official English ticket service. The arena is about a one-minute walk from Ryogoku Station.

The autumn Grand Sumo Tournament is held at the Ryogoku Kokugikan, the national sumo hall in Tokyo's Ryogoku district. Fly into Haneda (HND), closer to the city, or Narita (NRT). The venue sits right beside Ryogoku Station on the JR Sobu line, with an exit almost at the door; Ryogoku is also on the Toei Oedo subway line. From Haneda, take the Keikyu line and transfer to the JR Sobu line, around 40 minutes total. From Narita allow 90 minutes or more. The hall is a two-minute walk from the JR exit, making it one of Tokyo's easiest major venues to reach.

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