Kokugikan specials for the Natsu basho

[Akinomaki 34,809]

A very recommendable specialty when visiting the kokugikan is the chanko for 250 Yen (they ask you to have the coins ready).

Each basho the chanko of one heya in 3 variations is served, changing every 5 days.

For the Natsu basho it is the Tagonura-beya chanko, loved by also Kisenosato.

Salmon and salty flavor for days 1-5 (loved by all), beef and miso flavor for 6-10 (recommend by the oyakata) and sour and spicy noodle type (loved by Kisenosato) for 11-15.

You can go as often as you like from 12-16h (if anything is left). No other food is allowed in the restaurant room and no drinks (and you get neither tee nor water).

http://www.sumo.or.jp/honbasho/campaign.html#chanko

I go on days likely not sold out, this time days 3 and 6, since last time I had the same chanko on days 2 and 5. Going there to line up a few minutes before 12h is what I did and was among the first to get served. And after the yokozuna dohyo-iri finished I just managed to get there before the close to get a 2nd serving. One is not enough for a real lunch, I go for the rest with the other kokugikan "meibutsu" yakitori, the small for 650 Yen is just the right size, delicious also after hours is what it makes it special. I guess lining up again for the chanko at once is another option.

Edited April 21, 2015 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 34,809]

A very recommendable specialty when visiting the kokugikan is the chanko for 250 Yen

from 12-16h

http://www.sumo.or.jp/honbasho/campaign.html#chanko

and after the chanko, also shown next on the same NSK page and possible during the same time period, one can get a yokozuna(front)/ozeki(back) clear file for free on presenting the access screen showing oneself as a registered LINE or Twitter follower of the NSK. The pics just show the start page of the NSK LINE or Twitter: to show that on your smart-phone (and your ticket - and a survey to fill in) is the proof that you are a follower.

As long as it was restricted to LINE that was just, but the Twitter page can be shown as a browser page without even having a Twitter account (one has to scroll down a bit to hide the nagging login message).

Maybe they'll make a mark on the ticket to avoid double tries, but will they check the survey to avoid another try on another day?

I don't use a smart-phone, I'll try if they accept a tablet with the offline LINE screen (I doubt that there is an accessible WLAN available in the kokugikan).

[Asameshimae 220]

The chanko down there isn't bad at all. I do wish they didn't use disposable everything (last time I was there anyway), but you can't have everything I realize. The price is right anyway for a good sampling of chanko.

[Akinomaki 34,809]

Another thing of importance in the kokugikan are of course the sumo goods. You can get a limited overview of what is sold there at the kokugikan-shop site (at which you can order without going there) and plan what you want buy and what to spend. There is more in the shops than on the site though.
The site has the goods grouped by type and also a few groups for individual rikishi goods, namely the 3 yokozuna and Kisenosato plus the special hype rikishi: Endo and Ichinojo.
Several new goods for Terunofuji were just announced in the press, especially the extra popular mini-rikishi straps for mobile phones, named as the sign of being a popular rikishi, but it may take a while till he has a group on the site.

Both the strap and the mini-nobori for him are not on the site yet.

Last year for Natsu the hype around the last few mage-less-Endo straps was in the headlines, this year the straps of Endo with the sekitori ooicho-mage are sold. In the worst case scenario we won't ever see that on the dohyo.
Last year no rikishi mini-nobori were sold for the Endo with just an chon-mage at the time, but Ichinojo, who of course had no goods whatever last year at the time, has one this year.

I'm going especially for Ichinojo goods this year, my favorites are
the portrait+tegata colored paper board at 870 Yen: http://shop.kokugikan.jp/?pid=83610850
the shikona-only t-shirt at 1080 Yen: http://shop.kokugikan.jp/?pid=81921398
the rikishi mini-nobori for 760 Yen: http://shop.kokugikan.jp/?pid=84591349
for the mini-rikishi strap (for him maybe yukata-type only), rather Endo (collectors item?)

Of course the basho pamphlet for 550 Yen is a must as well, and the banzuke sheet (Iast year 55 Yen) at the baseball-magazine-sha booth.

I'll try to order the pamphlet with the yakitori in advance from the cha-ya, to get free tea at my masu-seat on day 3 and an extra torikumi-sheet with kensho data (on the Japanese version). I don't know which trifle order they'll accept, last year I had a real reason by ordering the hors d'oeuvre for bento, since that can't be bought at the shops.

Bento and gift sets list with prices: http://www.kokugikan.co.jp/obento.html

The number to call to order (the last one, for other than tickets) on this page: http://www.kokugikan.co.jp/toiawase.html

[Irakusamaru 77]

Does the website ship overseas? Or will I have to harass a Japanese friend to send stuff to me?

[Akinomaki 34,809]

Another thing of importance in the kokugikan are of course the sumo goods. You can get a limited overview of what is sold there at the kokugikan-shop site (at which you can order without going there) and plan what you want buy and what to spend. There is more in the shops than on the site though.

The site has the goods grouped by type and also a few groups for individual rikishi goods, namely the 3 yokozuna and Kisenosato plus the special hype rikishi: Endo and Ichinojo.

Several new goods for Terunofuji were just announced in the press, especially the extra popular mini-rikishi straps for mobile phones, named as the sign of being a popular rikishi, but it may take a while till he has a group on the site.

Both the strap and the mini-nobori for him are not on the site yet.

They are quick nowadays. Terunofuji has his own group now. http://shop.kokugikan.jp/?mode=grp&gid=1122505

In return, the minor yokozuna Harumafuji and Kakuryu groups have been dropped for now, Ichinojo as well.

Edited May 1, 2015 by Akinomaki

[808morgan 791]

I'll be there on the 19th, Chanko time! I got a 6 person box, my in laws are coming with my wife.

[Akinomaki 34,809]

A very recommendable specialty when visiting the kokugikan is the chanko for 250 Yen (they ask you to have the coins ready).

Each basho the chanko of one heya in 3 variations is served, changing every 5 days.

For the Natsu basho it is the Tagonura-beya chanko, loved by also Kisenosato.

Salmon and salty flavor for days 1-5 (loved by all), beef and miso flavor for 6-10 (recommend by the oyakata) and sour and spicy noodle type (loved by Kisenosato) for 11-15.

You can go as often as you like from 12-16h (if anything is left). No other food is allowed in the restaurant room and no drinks (and you get neither tee nor water).

I go on days likely not sold out, this time days 3 and 6, since last time I had the same chanko on days 2 and 5. Going there to line up a few minutes before 12h is what I did and was among the first to get served. And after the yokozuna dohyo-iri finished I just managed to get there before the close to get a 2nd serving. One is not enough for a real lunch, I go for the rest with the other kokugikan "meibutsu" yakitori, the small for 650 Yen is just the right size, delicious also after hours is what it makes it special. I guess lining up again for the chanko at once is another option.

The chanko loved by all on day 3 was not what I would call delicious, but seemed very healthy and good for stamina. Last year, when that feature was still quite new, lining up 5 minutes before the start I was among the first 3 to be served, this time about 80 were before me in the line. I got my 2nd serving after the juryo dohyo-iri this time, then there was no waiting time and no danger of the stock running out.

There was at that time also water and green tea on sale, which made this light meal quite a bit more delightful. They changed the demands to "no alcohol may be brought in and no chanko may be taken out."

I hope on Friday it will taste better, Shikoroyama-beya chanko last year in comparison was really excellent.

[Akinomaki 34,809]

one can get a yokozuna(front)/ozeki(back) clear file for free on presenting the access screen showing oneself as a registered LINE or Twitter follower of the NSK. The pics just show the start page of the NSK LINE or Twitter: to show that on your smart-phone (and your ticket - and a survey to fill in) is the proof that you are a follower.

I don't use a smart-phone, I'll try if they accept a tablet with the offline LINE screen (I doubt that there is an accessible WLAN available in the kokugikan).

They accept the offline (loaded at home) LINE NSK start page on a tablet: just one glimpse at it, the anonymous survey was in Japanese (it doesn't look like an English one is available). Only a stamp on the ticket, so I'll get another on Friday. To have the clear-file getting handed over by ex-Kotooshu, one surely has to expect a long line-up. He wasn't there when I lined up, I just managed to finish the survey in the short line then. There is a schedule that lists which oyakata is on duty, but it doesn't show the exact time he is actually there.

Ex-Homasho was again available for the fans, his intai-zumo pamphlets are placed at every information corner.

Of course the basho pamphlet for 550 Yen is a must as well, and the banzuke sheet (Iast year 55 Yen) at the baseball-magazine-sha booth.

I'll try to order the pamphlet with the yakitori in advance from the cha-ya, to get free tea at my masu-seat on day 3 and an extra torikumi-sheet with kensho data (on the Japanese version). I don't know which trifle order they'll accept, last year I had a real reason by ordering the hors d'oeuvre for bento, since that can't be bought at the shops.

Bento and gift sets list with prices: http://www.kokugikan.co.jp/obento.html

The number to call to order (the last one, for other than tickets) on this page: http://www.kokugikan.co.jp/toiawase.html

The pamphlet for the Natsu-basho this year again is special, last year it were the gyoji, this year the (higher) yobidashi and tokoyama. The kesho mawashi rikishi photos (I like best) this year were in the March pamphlet though (the gyoji as well).

The chaya accept any order, also with a 2nd floor seat ticket, but there you have no free tea, so it is not worth the trouble of calling. This year I also got no refill for my teapot and no extra torikumi sheet. Sumo popularity on the rise seems to permit reduced service.

I didn't find the right number to just call for non-ticket related orders though, the first guy just accepted my wish when I told him I had got that last year and then gave me the number of the same cha-ya.

Edited May 18, 2015 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 34,809]

For the Natsu basho it is the Tagonura-beya chanko, loved by also Kisenosato.

Salmon and salty flavor for days 1-5 (loved by all), beef and miso flavor for 6-10 (recommend by the oyakata)

You can go as often as you like from 12-16h (if anything is left). No other food is allowed in the restaurant room and no drinks (and you get neither tee nor water).

The chanko loved by all on day 3 was not what I would call delicious, but seemed very healthy and good for stamina. Last year, when that feature was still quite new, lining up 5 minutes before the start I was among the first 3 to be served, this time about 80 were before me in the line. I got my 2nd serving after the juryo dohyo-iri this time, then there was no waiting time and no danger of the stock running out.

There was at that time also water and green tea on sale, which made this light meal quite a bit more delightful. They changed the demands to "no alcohol may be brought in and no chanko may be taken out."

I hope on Friday it will taste better, Shikoroyama-beya chanko last year in comparison was really excellent.

Friday's did taste better, but still no match for the Shikoroyama-beya chanko.

This time I lined up shortly after 12h in the hope to have less waiting time, but was just a bit too late and met a stop because the dining hall was declared full with about 144 persons. The good thing then was that it there was no crowd at the cash desk and ordering water (Evian) was no problem, but the chanko was apparently near the end and I got not much meat in the soup.

My 2nd serving (after the juryo dohyo-iri again) had at least twice as much content.

The torikumi break after the juryo dohyo-iri is too short to fully enjoy the meal. With the chilled water one can cool down the chanko to be able to start eating at once and also quicker, but to make it to the start of the makushita joi-goban one would have to pour it down without relishing it.

To sum up the correct rules: bringing food and drinks remains prohibited by the sign on top of the stairs, the sign at the entrance to the dining hall only says "no alcohol may be brought in and no chanko may be taken out" and one can buy tea or water together with the chanko. One also can buy as much servings at once as one wants to eat.

[Akinomaki 34,809]

A comment on my visit on Friday.

Miyagino-oyakata was the first at the ticket booth to hand me the Japanese torikumi-sheet without me having to ask for it.

Having only a 2nd floor seat ticket means getting rejected at the first floor entrances after the start of makushita at around 13h, thus one has to stay in the hall after that, as long as one can sit in one of the still unoccupied masu seats.

I like to move around in the kokugikan a lot, so it is no fun for me to have only a seat ticket and being confined to one box. I left after the juryo dohyo-iri, as more and more of the regular guests slowly poured in.

Watching from the 2nd floor is not the thing I like, for me only watching from the first row of the A seats is still acceptable and about as good as from the last row in the 1st floor. In the 1st floor you go down the comfortable stairs to the better seats, in the 2nd floor you have to climb uncomfortable stairs to get to the worse seats (I had row 13 of 14). There you see and hear rather the fans than sumo, watching the daily video on the forum is a better makuuchi experience.

The A seats have a table attached, I could stay there till after the makuuchi dohyo-iri, when the business people arrived. Ex-Takamisakari went by to climb up to a broadcast booth, in his guard uniform, so it was for radio and not NHK TV.

I used the break to have a look at the yusho portraits from close-by, passing KONISHIKI and his group.

After Endo I had enough and went down again, to find out the better way of enjoying sumo live with a cheap ticket:

Having a glimpse from the 1st floor doors when the torikumi start and otherwise watching the rikishi leaving.

Interesting to see who accepts any wish, to give a sign, have a photo taken and to hold a child (as a common joke they pretend to leave and carry away the child), who a few and who none at all. Some take the long route outside to meet all the fans, some leave inside to avoid as much as possible. Some who I didn't see might have used yet another route.

Terunofuji was the last to leave before the end of the day, Endo was not to be seen, outside of the kokugikan many were waiting likely especially for him (and Ichinojo perhaps). Yokozuna/ozeki of course leave underground with cars.

Edited May 18, 2015 by Akinomaki

[orandashoho 719]

Interesting visit report. Thank you. I often wondered what it is like to Be There.

[Unkonoyama 103]

Interesting to see who accepts any wish, to give a sign, have a photo taken and to hold a child (as a common joke they pretend to leave and carry away the child), who a few and who none at all. Some take the long route outside to meet all the fans, some leave inside to avoid as much as possible. Some who I didn't see might have used yet another route.

Terunofuji was the last to leave before the end of the day, Endo was not to be seen, outside of the kokugikan many were waiting likely especially for him (and Ichinojo perhaps). Yokozuna/ozeki of course leave underground with cars.

Thank you very much for your report. Out of curiosity, which rikishi were the most generous in spending time with the fans?

[Akinomaki 34,809]

Just from what I recall from my impressions (virtual apologies to the rikishi I forgot or missed or wrongly put in a general category):

- Chiyomaru, Homarefuji and Kitataiki were the most friendly (and/or seemed to me the most likable characters)

- the foreigners generally were those hurrying away, the Mongolians less than the others

- Ikioi and Aminishiki were surprisingly friendly when you assume that their higher popularity might lead to being more snobbish

- Yoshikaze looked very banged up but still gave signs - nobody was that impolite to ask for a photo

Whom I didn't see at all were Kyokutenho and Endo, those from the later bouts were yet to come, esp. Ichinojo

Edited May 25, 2015 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 34,809]

This year's campaigns http://www.sumo.or.jp/honbasho/campaign.html
A very recommendable specialty when visiting the kokugikan is the chanko for 250 Yen (they ask you to have the coins ready).
Each basho the chanko of one heya in 3 variations is served, changing every 5 days.
For the Natsu basho this year it is the Kasugano-beya variety chanko.
Soy sauce flavor (loved by all) for days 1-5, salt flavor (loved by Tochiozan) for 6-10 and miso flavor (recommended by the oyakata) for 11-15.
You can go as often as you like from 12-16h (if anything is left). No other food is allowed in the restaurant room and no drinks - you have to buy them there - and likely can't if you enter with the first rush.
To get in with that first filling of the room, you'd have to line up at least 10m before 12h. After the lunch rush you can usually get in without waiting - but may have to wait till the next pot of chanko is ready.
After the yokozuna dohyo-iri finishes one can manage to get there before the close, to get a 2nd serving. Lining up again for the chanko at once is another option for more - one serving won't fill your stomach.

The present this basho for registered NSK LINE followers is a Hakuho badge - Twitter isn't mentioned anymore.

The first 300 each day can get one, by showing the coupon screen you get by answering a survey sent via LINE by the NSK. That also starts at 12h, so lining up there first and then for chanko would be necessary to be sure to get one - you might have to spend over 30 minutes though for both specials.

At the sumo goods, this year they have a combination of the NSK Hiyonoyama mascot and the manga Hinomaru-zumo.

New goods as usual can be checked at the kokugikan-shop site (at which you can order without going there), to plan what you want buy and what to spend. There is more in the shops than on the site though.

All varieties of the Japonica sumo note books seem to available again: http://shop.kokugikan.jp/?pid=99236313

Shodai goods appear - but with a face that could be anybody http://shop.kokugikan.jp/?pid=99447081

Kotoyuki looks much more interesting http://shop.kokugikan.jp/?pid=99446971

Kagayaki already has goods, after one miserable makuuchi appearance

Ichinojo and especially Endo are still on hype at the goods - and Ikioi is doing well

Endo is equal to Hakuho in respect to goods - both have 33 items. Only Kisenosato (19 items) and Terunofuji (13) also have their own categories at the moment.

[Obana 229]

Is there also a queue for the tote bags on the waso (Japanese clothing) days?

[Akinomaki 34,809]

This year's campaigns http://www.sumo.or.jp/honbasho/campaign.html

A very recommendable specialty when visiting the kokugikan is the chanko for 250 Yen (they ask you to have the coins ready).

Each basho the chanko of one heya in 3 variations is served, changing every 5 days.

For the Natsu basho this year it is the Kasugano-beya variety chanko.

Soy sauce flavor (loved by all) for days 1-5, salt flavor (loved by Tochiozan) for 6-10 and miso flavor (recommended by the oyakata) for 11-15.

You can go as often as you like from 12-16h (if anything is left). No other food is allowed in the restaurant room and no drinks - you have to buy them there - and likely can't if you enter with the first rush.

To get in with that first filling of the room, you'd have to line up at least 10m before 12h. After the lunch rush you can usually get in without waiting - but may have to wait till the next pot of chanko is ready.

After the yokozuna dohyo-iri finishes one can manage to get there before the close, to get a 2nd serving. Lining up again for the chanko at once is another option for more - one serving won't fill your stomach.

The report: Kasugano-beya chanko is delicious, much better than Tagonoura (what Kisenosato likes etc) last year. The queue is endless already 20 minutes before noon. I lined up around a quarter past 12, when the queue was very short, but hardly moving. You have to wait till enough people have left, and maybe also till the next pot of chanko is ready. Just after one in front of me gave up and left, it moved again - while it had grown behind me again till the outside. I managed to get to my table just 5 minutes after lining up.

I buy cold water with the chanko (they sell Evian), to cool it just enough to be able to eat it at once - no significant loss of taste (unless you love it as spicy as possible).

That costs 180Yen, like all soft drinks.

Unfortunately I had to skip Kakuryu's dohyo-iri to just make it the 2nd time before the close. Ordering 2 servings of chanko at once is no problem.

The queue for the badge was long as well - but the start was 12:30, not 12h. I waited till it was gone - at that time (especially on a day not sold-out) apparently there are not more than 300 who already got one.

I manged to get it with my offline tablet (no free WiFi in the kokugikan). You had to activate a coupon with LINE and they push "coupon used" on the screen before they give you the badge. The screen changed and they apparently won't notice when it displays an error screen. Maybe all others come with their always online smart phones and the screen looks similar there.

It is a bit of a disappointment though, barely 2.5cm in diameter: the pic makes you think it'd be much bigger.

The present this basho for registered NSK LINE followers is a Hakuho badge - Twitter isn't mentioned anymore.

The first 300 each day can get one, by showing the coupon screen you get by answering a survey sent via LINE by the NSK. That also starts at 12h, so lining up there first and then for chanko would be necessary to be sure to get one - you might have to spend over 30 minutes though for both specials.

I have never been there on a waso day and have no idea how the queue for the bags looks like - I don't think there are limited numbers for that anyway, so no need to line up early.

They rent kimonos there for around 8000yen - any foreigner can try that as well.

Ordering that before on the net makes it a bit cheaper,

Edited May 11, 2016 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 34,809]

Now to the goods. Before the basho, the kokugikan shop site changed the whole appearance, I don't think any of the old links will work anymore.

I don't know if that ever happened before: yesterday the first Ura goods were on sale - for a new juryo!

Also as magnet with this Kototsurugi design: http://shop.kokugikan.jp/?pid=101982207 (list below)

The "makuuchi rikishi magnets" (but Ura appears as the default one) have a a really wide variety, a heavily bandaged Amuru is especially funny

My favorites remain the rikishi mini nobori http://shop.kokugikan.jp/?pid=101634067

This time I took only 3 from the new ones: Shodai, Mitakeumi and Kotoyuki

Shodai goods appear - but with a face that could be anybody
Kotoyuki looks much more interesting

a

I asked at the shop if they will be forced to change it - since the "huh" is now forbidden - they said "nothing like that (will happen)"

Edited May 11, 2016 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 34,809]

Today on the NSK Twitter https://twitter.com/sumokyokai
new goods and some shops were presented

I don't know if this was really new, it was new to me yesterday. Though it is not a very good Snoopy look-alike, I couldn't resist buying it:

The red kesho mawashi has Snoopy in hiragana and also a big hiragana ㋜ (I only found this katakana one in Unicode)

[Akinomaki 34,809]

Souvenir from the kokugikan yesterday, day 3 of the ozumo Natsu basho (only Snoopy, on the right is Para-chan) - bigger

apparently there are 2 more, I'll look for the gyoji on day 10

Edited May 11, 2016 by Akinomaki

[rhyen 1,584]

try a profile shot of snoopy?

[Akinomaki 34,809]

in profile he looks even less like Snoopy