We'll be in Tokyo in September, during the sumo wrestling tournament. Does anybody know of a way to buy tickets in advance? Per the website, their telephone service agents only speak Japanese (I don't). While the company JTB will sell tickets, it's at a significant markup. Any other ideas?

Thanks!

Jeff

Have you reserved a hotel? If it's a good one, the concierge may be able to handle this for you.

The way sumo tickets are selling these days I wouldn't be too worried about it!

Naw, not so, the best tickets are still hard and expensive to come by. And it is true that while you can order some tickets from the English language website, but you have to have a local address in Japan with someone there who can pay for them when they are delivered.

So indeed, if you are staying at a good hotel, asking them for help in advance is the best bet. Only the better hotels are likely to be of assistance.

Naw, not so, the best tickets are still hard and expensive to come by. And it is true that while you can order some tickets from the English language website, but you have to have a local address in Japan with someone there who can pay for them when they are delivered.

So indeed, if you are staying at a good hotel, asking them for help in advance is the best bet. Only the better hotels are likely to be of assistance.

How expensiive are they? Ballpark?

I went to this same tournament almost two years ago (i.e. mid-sept in tokyo) and while the very very prime seats do sell out quickly, there are many tickets available right at the arena's box office on the same day. IIRC, I paid about $50 USD for so-so seats (I think the cheapest were around $20) and saw via the stadium chart that there were some pretty good seats fo $80-$120 USD. The ring seats (really a small table and 4 pillows) averged under a $1K and quite possible a lot cheaper and some a lot higher. There's a seating chart w/prices on the 'net somewhere and I'll post it if can find it.

So, I wouldn't worry about booking that much in advance unless you want the best tickets. Have a great time!

How expensiive are they? Ballpark?

Much less than you think...and they often give them away!

Much less than you think...and they often give them away!

Cool. Free is good.^ How do I sign up for that?

There's a seating chart w/prices on the 'net somewhere and I'll post it if can find it.Here (http://www.sumo.or.jp/eng/ticket/hanbai_jokyo/index.html) is a list of prices. I think a chart is buried somewhere in this site, but at least this will give you a start.

http://www.sumo.or.jp/eng/ticket/hanbai_jokyo/index.html

I've never heard of them giving tickets away for one of the main tournaments in Tokyo, but others may know better. Cheapest seats are Y2,000 and they head up to the range of Y20,000 or more. The most expensive tickets must be bought from a 'sumo teahouse' which expects you to buy several other things as well as the tickets, plus you have to be introduced.

I was introduced to one Tokyo sumo teahouse once and should, in theory, know them and be on their list, but I've forgotten entirely who it is and how to contact them!

Much less than you think...and they often give them away!

Well, not quite. Somebody is paying for them, and then giving them away. No different than getting "free" game tickets from a supplier or vendor. Been guilty of that myself (both giving and receiving, at the second ring of zashiki, which run about 10,000 yen per person).

Well, not quite. Somebody is paying for them, and then giving them away. No different than getting "free" game tickets from a supplier or vendor. Been guilty of that myself (both giving and receiving, at the second ring of zashiki, which run about 10,000 yen per person).

Why do you always ruin it for me:mad:;)?

I once took my mother and her friend to the Kyushu basho. I bought them regular seats, and a sumo elder invited them down to his zashiki area. He spoke no english but they said they ate lots of food and drank far too much sake.

I wasn't joking about the availability of sumo tickets.......they have had a hard time selling out these past few years.

And in the really good seats (the ones really up close to the dohyo), you may even have the honor/experience of having one of the sekitori (sumo wrestlers) join you in your seat...or should I say on your seat...with you still in the seat. :p;):D

You can see some ticket information in English here:
http://www2.neweb.ne.jp/wd/shiki/page.banzuke.english.html
I think you can pay by fax with a credit card, but you still need
somewhere in Japan to receive tickets. (Hotels maybe?)

Sumo Ann-nai-sho (Ann-nai-sho means "Information desk")
consists of 20 traditional wholesellers and they are traditionally
approved to "Bundle" sumo tickets with foods and souveniers.
(That's why there are no ticket without food/souvenir for weekends.)

Tickets goes on sale on Aug.4th (Tokyo time, of course.)

There's also more "modern" outlet such as "Ticket Pia", "E plus", "Lawson tickets", "CN playguide" and other playguides, but I haven't found one
who says they speak English...

I seem to be on some sort of sumo association mailing list and they still send me (c/o our Tokyo office) the largely illegible bansuke (listing of wrestlers) six times a year and a color calendar annually.

I don't think you can fax a credit card except to that "sumo tour" feature where they force you to pay double face value or more -- when I dealt with whatever teahouse I dealt with (and we did call them "teahouses," not "sumo information desks") the premium we had to pay for food and schlock was way less than that. This particular one is trying to rip off tourists, IMO. It is hard to imagine that even the very best sumo ticket is worth paying $800 for and there is ABSOLUTELY no need to pay any premium for food and souvenirs on the second floor or above.

I don't think you can fax a credit card except to that "sumo tour" feature where they force you to pay double face value or more -- when I dealt with whatever teahouse I dealt with (and we did call them "teahouses," not "sumo information desks") the premium we had to pay for food and schlock was way less than that. This particular one is trying to rip off tourists, IMO. It is hard to imagine that even the very best sumo ticket is worth paying $800 for and there is ABSOLUTELY no need to pay any premium for food and souvenirs on the second floor or above.

If you look carefully, $800 (91,000 yen) is the price for four (1 masu box).
It's true that they are charging almost double by selling foods and souveniers, but it's still not as high as tours, and this mark up used to
be a part of sumo tradition.
"Sumo Ann-nai-sho" is just a modern name of association of "Cha-ya" or
"Tea house" when Sumo association started to sell tickets through play guides and broke long tradition of Chaya dominating the sale of tickets.

If you look carefully, $800 (91,000 yen) is the price for four (1 masu box).
It's true that they are charging almost double by selling foods and souveniers, but it's still not as high as tours, and this mark up used to
be a part of sumo tradition.
"Sumo Ann-nai-sho" is just a modern name of association of "Cha-ya" or
"Tea house" when Sumo association started to sell tickets through play guides and broke long tradition of Chaya dominating the sale of tickets.

Aha, that price is for 4 people then? Not terrible. To quote Roseanne Rosannadanna, "Never mind!"

Bear in mind that 4 western-sized people in one of those little boxes will be pretty darn uncomfortable. Also bear in mind that at the end of the day when the tea house guy brings you your souvenir chotchkas, it is customary to give a non-trivial tip, like Y2-3000 -- the only exception I have ever found to the "no tipping" rule in Japan.

You can't get ripped off for food in the seats they call "Tamari Haunt" since no food is permitted in those seats, so that might be the best deal if you want the real close-up experience. The souvenirs they sell you (basically mandatory) will cost about Y3000 minimum, plus the tip. But yes, as has been pointed out, in those seats you need to be prepared to move fast if 500lbs+ of wrestlers comes hurtling at you!

Incidentally, I don't see where on that page you can click on the order form.

Incidentally, I don't see where on that page you can click on the order form.

Order from is in Japanese page only, but they would accept enquiry by e-mail.
Send a enquiry stating:
Date, type of seat, No. of person, Contact (Name, address, tel, fax, e-mail),
Any questions, comments. They would reply what seats are available, before
transaction starts. Then you should do the rest by fax, I suppose.