Off to Japan and Sumo for the first time!

[Tadanisakari]

Hey everyone,

On Monday, a few of my friends are making the pilgrimage from America to Japan for the first time. We will be spending about a week in Tokyo, then exploring Honshu a bit on our way to Nagoya for the final three days of the Nagoya Basho!

We were wondering, what things must a sumo fan see during their first trip to Tokyo? Of course, we plan on going to Ryogoku, though it's a shame all the rikishi will be in Nagoya so we won't be able to catch asageiko. Does anyone recommend a particular chanko join in Ryogoku? What's there to do in the Kokugikan during the "off-season"?

Thanks all. Enjoy the basho!

[Jonosuke]

Previously I put HERE some information on Ryogoku area hotel and chanko places and much have not changed since then. I intend to update it with more information on the new Chanko chain by Masaru Hanada - the latest one opened in Shinjuku's Kabuki-cho district where you find far more than Chanko (Clapping wildly...)

I am not sure whereabouts in the States you are from but this time of year, it's notoriously hot and muggy in Nagoya (as well as in Tokyo but a little better) so most Chanko places won't be crowded. It's certainly not the food for summer so it's more amazing to see Masaru opening a new store in July.

Nagoya should be pretty crowded though with folks going to the Expo but if you can take the heat, you should have no trouble at the Ozumo. Try to get there early to see all early bouts and experience the whole thing. Enjoy.

Oh..say Hello to our Rijicho if you happen to bump into him there...

Edited July 9, 2005 by Jonosuke

[Mark Buckton]

Museum in Kokugikan / photo museum (Tues IIRC) and lots of chanko places will be open. Kokugikan shop too.

Yasuda gardens / Eko-in and Yokoami (gardens?) are all worth seeing.

[Burainoan]

assorted thoughts...

* my personal favorite chanko place in the Ryogoku area is Sumochaya Terao, in Ishiwara, about a 10-minute walk from Kokugikan. (03) 3626-7541 for reservations. if memory serves, it is down the street from Niba(?) Elementary School, just off of Kuramaebashi Dori

* you mustmustmust go to the Edo-Tokyo Museum, located just behind the K'kan. one of the coolest museums in Japan. near Kichijoji Station is the E-T Open Air Architectural Museum, which is also very nice, and is home to some of Miyazaki's design inspirations for "Spirited Away."

* Shibuya (Hachiko Exit) should be wandered around in at least once. evening is better, because then some of the bands are out.

* Meiji Jingu (shrine). the most popular shrine in Japan and where all new yokozuna do their first dohyo-iri. Harajuku Station off the Yamanote.

* Tomioka Hachimangu in Koto-ku has ozeki and yokozuna names enshrined in stone. unfortunately not sure about directions.

* in Nagoya, there is a really cool (figuratively and literally) orchid museum located just south and diagonally across the intersection from Yabacho Station on the No. 4 Meijo Line. 10:00 - 20:00, closed Wednesdays.

* while in Nagoya, you should also have some "miso-katsu." a local specialty, and good stuff.

[Otokonoyama]

In Nagoya:

Tokugawa Art Museum

Toyota Automobile Museum

Atsuta Shrine