Check with your hotel’s concierge or the Tokyo Journalabout the possibility of catching a sumo match while in town. You should attempt to book your tickets well in advance as they sell-out quickly.

If you are like us (unable to obtain tickets), you may have to content yourself with a walk around the stadium and the nearby sumo village. Sumo wrestlers as far as the eye can see. The crowd around the stadium treats the event like it’s the Academy Awards. Even though I didn’t have tickets, I actually found myself getting caught up in the excitement. The amazing thing is that while fans view the wrestlers as being nearly god-like, the wrestlers just seem to wander around aimlessly in the public. Sumos waiting in line for train tickets, Sumos riding a bikes home from the market. They’re really just everyday kind of guys. . . . who happen to weigh over 400 pounds and could crush you without blinking!