"How to become a good spectator of SUMO"

1. Tickets:
Sumo tournament is held in January, May and September every year at Kokugikan in Tokyo, and tickets are sold from the beginning of the previous month of tournament. Before getting tickets, I recommend you to look into the tournament's schedule and confirm the date you wish to watch the match. (Please refer to

http://www.sumo.or.jp/ )

2. Seat:
The seat is classified into two categories: chair seat and "Masuseki" with tatami mat. "Masuseki" is divided with wooden partition on every side 1.3m(51.2inch); each 2 people in front and behind, to accommodate total of 4. From this position, sumo wrestler's heavy breathing, thud of hitting their body collision, and gyoji's (referee) voice can be felt very close before your eyes and you are able to relish the real pleasure of sumo in Masuseki.

3. How to enjoy SUMO:
Although sumo tournament program on TV is broadcasted from 3:00pm, but in reality, the match is already starts from morning. Since the match of rookies start from 9:00 am, it's also a nice idea to watch hopeful young wrestler and root for him. Besides, it's not so crowded in the hall in the morning, and I recommend you to spend the whole day seeing Kokugikan. A number of shops sell lunch boxes, souvenir, beer, relish, etc., spectators watch the match in a relaxed mood while having Japanese typical lunch box called "Makunouchi bento", while drinking beer with relish.

At 4:00pm, a ceremony named "Yokozuna dohyo-iri" that combines tradition and formality is observed by Yokozuna (a sumo wrestler of the highest rank). After the ceremony, matches of popular and powerful wrestlers start one after another. During heated matches, spectator cheer and rant, filling the whole scene with excitement. After 5:00pm on the last day of tournament, a ceremony of "San-yaku soroibumi" is observed where three wrestlers stand to make a fan shape on dohyo (ring) and stamp a shiko, raising their right and left feet alternatively. When this ceremony is completed, atmosphere of hall reach the climax, and the remaining three matches are held in all excitement. All matches completed, "Yumitorishiki" ceremony to show appreciation of the day with Japanese bow is observed by junior-grade sumo. On the last day of tournament, the first-prize winner and good fighting wrestlers are recognized on dohyo.

A sumo wrestler's loincloth, "mawasi" is made from cotton cloth, 46cm (18inch) wide and spanning 100m(328 feet) long. When wrestler wants to challenge with greater enthusiasm than usual he tightens his mawasi so hard so as not to be caught by his mawasi, even not to put the finger on.
Trivial may be the knowledge, but such information may help you enjoy sumo from a different point of view, and make the match even more enjoyable.