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| Grand
Tournament Information | To the Ryogoku Kokugikan | To
the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium | To
the Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium | To
the Fukuoka Kokusai Center (Kyushu) |
To the Ryogoku Kokugikan
1-3-28 Yokoami
Sumida-ku, Tokyo 130-0015
Japan
phone: (in Japanese) 03-3623-5111
The Ryogoku Kokugikan is less than a 2 minute walk from Ryogoku Station on the JR Sobu Line and can be seen from the station platform.
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Time Table
| 2009 September Grand Tournament Time Table |
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Venu Opens |
Matches Start |
Juryo Ring
Entering Ceremony |
Makuuchi Ring
Entering Ceremony |
| 1st day |
from 8:00 AM |
from 8:30 AM |
from 2:20 PM |
from 3:40 PM |
2nd day -
7th day |
from 8:00 AM |
from 8:40 AM |
from 2:30 PM |
from 3:50 PM |
| 8th day |
from 8:00 AM |
from 8:35 AM |
from 2:30 PM |
from 3:50 PM |
9th day -
12th day |
from 8:00 AM |
from 8:40 AM |
from 2:30 PM |
from 3:50 PM |
| 13th day & 14th day |
from 8:00 AM |
from 10:35 AM |
from 2:30 PM |
from 3:50 PM |
| final day |
from 8:00 AM |
from 10:00 AM |
from 1:55 PM |
from 3:25 PM |
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* Please note that the Ring Entering Ceremony time is subject to change without notice.
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Venue Guide - Ryogoku Kokugikan
1st Floor Seating
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Take a look at a
typical day's action from the first floor seats.
Click on the photo to open a QTVR window. Quick Time is required to view QTVR. |
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If you do not have
Quick Time, you can down load it from here.
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| Click and drag on the open QTVR window to
track up, down, left or right. Use the "shift" key to zoom in, the "control" key
to zoom out |
Main Entrance
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This is where tickets
are taken and visitors receive a list of the day's matches. (Foreign visitors
also receive an English language sumo guide, as well as a list of the day's top
matches in English.) Fans with tickets for the Japanese style box seats on the
first floor would then proceed to the Sumo Service Entrance |
Sumo Service Entrance
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Located to the left of
the Kokugikan lobby, the large corridor that serves as the Sumo Service Entrance
is divided into individual "houses" numbered 1 to 20.
The number of the "house" to be used is printed on the back of each ticket. Presenting
it to anyone of the ushers attached to the "house" in question guarantees a quick
an efficient walk to the waiting Japanese style box. A stroll down this corridor
gives the fan a real sense of what a traditional visit to sumo is all about. |
Sumo Museum
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The Sumo Museum is the
official repository for several hundred years of sumo history.
Their Exhibition Room, located to the right of the Kokugikan lobby offers a fascinating
and informative rotating display covering various aspects of this rich tradition.
Admission is free but during the three Tokyo Grand Sumo Tournaments limited to
actual tournament ticket holders. A look at some of the items on exhibit is available
on the Nihon Sumo Kyokai main page. |
Lobby
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The highlight of a walk through the Kokugikan's lobby is the large display case located at the back. In it a visitor can see the Emperor's Cup, the symbol of the top division championship, as well as the many other trophies awarded to the tournament winner. |
Refreshment & Souvenir Stands
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Refreshment & Souvenir
stands can be found in several locations throughout the arena offering a wide
variety of items designed to commemorate a day at the sumo.
Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are available and the Japanese style
box lunches are a complete meal in themselves.
And no trip to the Kokugikan would be complete without trying the venue's famous
"yakitori" or barbecued chicken on a stick. |
Kokugikan Cafe
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A new refreshment stand, The Kokugikan Cafe, will be opened for business on the 2nd floor, west aisle from 10:00 to 5:00 each tournament day.
Ice cream, hot dogs, steamed dumplings and a variety of other snacks are available. |
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