Sumo journal
Get to know sumo before you go.
Plan your visit, discover sumo culture and find advice for travel professionals. Explore our guides in your preferred language.
30 articles
Travel professionalsArranging private sumo for luxury travel clients
Turn your client’s interests, privacy preferences and travel plans into a private sumo enquiry for Tokyo or Osaka.
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FamiliesA parent’s checklist for booking private sumo with children
Planning sumo with children? Share their ages, interests and needs so the team can help arrange a session for your family.
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Travel professionalsPlanning sumo for corporate groups and incentive travel
Help us plan your group’s sumo experience: share the occasion, guest numbers and how everyone would like to take part.
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Sumo trainingPlanning a training visit to Japan for sumo coaches
Tell us about your club, coaching background and training goals so we can discuss the right instructor and programme for your visit.
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Planning your visitCan you experience sumo outside tournament season?
Understand how the professional calendar relates to private training, and what to confirm when your travel dates fall between tournaments.
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Travel professionalsHow to compare private sumo proposals
Compare venues, instructors, language support and what is included to find the private sumo programme that suits your clients.
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Travel professionalsHow to evaluate a sumo activity after a team event
Gather feedback on the instruction, participation and travel arrangements to help plan your next group sumo experience.
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Travel professionalsHow to fit private sumo into your Tokyo or Osaka itinerary
Allow time for the session, travel and preparation so your private sumo visit fits comfortably into the day.
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FamiliesHow to introduce sumo to children before a Japan trip
Use a few words, an official illustration and a simple question to help children approach sumo with curiosity.
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FamiliesKeep the family’s sumo discoveries going after your visit
A conversation, a favourite photograph and a few official resources can help your family remember what they discovered about sumo.
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Sumo trainingObserving sumo fundamentals: a coach’s note-taking guide
Make useful notes on the instructor’s demonstrations, explanations and feedback, with questions to explore during your sumo training visit.
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Sumo trainingOfficial sumo resources for visiting coaches and clubs
Prepare for a sumo training visit with official guides to terminology, basic movements, winning techniques and competition rules.
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Sumo cultureOshidashi and yorikiri: two different ways to force an opponent out
Two familiar winning techniques reveal why sumo involves different forms of contact and movement, even when the finish looks similar.
Learn more ↗Travel professionalsMaking a group sumo experience welcoming for everyone
Plan for different interests, abilities and comfort levels, with clear choices about participation and practical arrangements agreed in advance.
Learn more ↗Travel professionalsPhotography and filming questions for a private sumo event
Agree what can be photographed, recorded and shared before the session, especially for families, corporate groups and technical visits.
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Travel professionalsPlanning arrivals and departures for a group sumo event
Plan transport, meeting points and onward travel so your group can enjoy the session without rushing.
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Planning your visitPlanning private sumo training in Osaka
Plan your Osaka sumo visit around the venue, travel from Namba and the needs of your group.
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Planning your visitPlanning private sumo training in Tokyo
Build a Tokyo training visit around a confirmed venue, sensible travel time and the needs of everyone in your party.
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FamiliesPlanning sumo for a family with different confidence levels
Some family members want to jump in; others prefer to watch first. Plan a sumo visit that takes everyone’s confidence and interests into account.
Learn more ↗Planning your visitPrivate training, stable visits and tournaments: which sumo experience is for you?
Would you like to try sumo, watch wrestlers train or see a tournament? Find the experience that suits your Japan trip.
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Sumo cultureProfessional and amateur sumo: what visiting groups should know
Understand how professional tournaments, amateur competition and a private learning experience relate to your plans.
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FamiliesQuestions families should ask about access and facilities
Confirm the physical setting and practical arrangements that matter to your family before placing a sumo session in your itinerary.
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Sumo cultureHow to watch the finish of a sumo bout
Know what to look for as a bout ends, then discover the winning technique that decided it.
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Travel professionalsHow to plan a sumo experience around your client’s interests
Discover what matters most to your client, from cultural insight to family participation, and turn it into a specific request.
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Sumo trainingSharing what your club learned during a Japan training visit
Bring your notes, the instructor’s guidance and your follow-up questions together so your club can build on its Japan training visit.
Learn more ↗Planning your visitWhat to ask before booking your first sumo session
Know what to ask about the programme, instructors, venue and booking arrangements before your first sumo session.
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Planning your visitWhat to wear and bring to private sumo training
Get ready for private sumo training with practical advice on clothing, the mawashi, changing facilities and what to bring.
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Travel professionalsWhat is included in a private sumo experience?
Find out which spaces and instructors are reserved for your group, and confirm transfers, photography and other arrangements before booking.
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Sumo trainingWhy a sumo introduction starts with basic movements
Discover how sumo’s basic movements introduce the posture, footwork and traditions behind the sport.
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Sumo cultureSumo words to know before your first session
From dohyo and mawashi to shiko and kimarite, a few Japanese words will help you follow the demonstrations and ask questions.
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