We’re going to Japan and have set the itinerary for our family holiday. One of Justin’s big goals for the trip was to attend a Sumo tournament, and our luck was in because there is the Nagoya July Grand Tournament during our visit. There are just 6 Grand Tournaments run per year run in various locations around Japan. With a bit of juggling we have been able to make it work.
Purchasing tickets is tough, though. Sumo is massive in Japan, and everyone wants a ticket. Including the scalpers! From when they go on sale they often sell out in just a few days, and you need to act fast to lock down tickets. With us having a family of 5, it was even harder. Lucky for us, we now have our tickets and are really looking forward to going along. Here’s how we got them.
Tickets go on sale at defined periods prior to the event. You can find out when the events are on through the official sumo website, which also includes when the tickets go on sale.
There are different types of seating available, like any event, and after checking the options we decided to go with traditional western seating. This seating is generally up higher and provides an allocated western style seat like we are used to. There are also seats closer to the action, on traditional Japanese matts, with or without catering. You can even get a ‘box’ but this is limited to 4 matts in an assigned area which really wasn’t suitable for our family.
There are a few different ways to secure tickets:
Directly
Tickets go on sale through the official website on the advertised dates about a month or so in advance. We initially logged in right on the 10am listed time and tried to secure our seats. All went well until we hit submit, and then it wouldn’t process. Same problem a few times in a row until we refreshed and realized the seats we were after were already sold out!! So summary here, you need speed and luck to secure tickets through this method. In the words of a ticket sourcer & supplier, he wished he knew how they worked out to buy up tickets that fast as it isn’t that easy for him!
Official Reseller
Listed on the official website is a number of official ticket resellers. The problem we found was they were all Japanese language only, meaning unless you have nailed your language prior to going, or know someone, it is a hard way to go. Google Translate will only get you so far!
Ticket Sourcer & Supplier
In Japan there is a range of ex-pats helping people just like us secure tickets to sporting events like the Baseball and Sumo. We came across Buysumotickets.com (no prizes for how we came across them in an online search) and they were able to help us lock down our elusive tickets. There are others of course that can help, but seriously these guys were great. There is no guarantees. You place your order prior to the event or on ticket launch, they try to fulfil the order with tickets they source through multiple methods like lining up and the official suppliers. You pay a small to moderate fee for the service, one that we were happy to pay per ticket given it ensured we get a chance to check out sumo on our trip to Japan. Another option under this category is travel agents / tour provider who operate in the same way. Places like Voyagin for example.
On the day from the office box
Each day there are a certain number of tickets in general admission available on a first come first served basis. The lines can be big, starting early, and then the interesting bit. Japan is such a respectful culture, that many will enter the arena early and leave a piece of newspaper on their seat to return to later in the evening when the main show is on. Perhaps a plan C if you really want to go!
Scalpers
Tickets were on sale within minutes of them being sold out on the official sumo site. The resale price was huge, 4-5 times the original price, and in lots of 2 to 4 and sometimes singles. For us as a group of 5, we were nearly going to have to buy 3 and a 2, until we found out about the ticket sourcer & supplier above. If you are too late, and want to get there, don’t like early morning lines, this may well be your only option. Sites like Stubhub and Viagogo have many on sale at inflated prices. But at least you can get a ticket!
Sumo tickets allow one pass out per ticket per day, so it is possible to enter and leave, and then return later. Our plan is to check it out in the morning to get to know our seats and the arena, and then return later in the afternoon for the main event. Let me explain why.
Sumo actually opens at 8:00am in the morning and runs all the way through to 6:00pm in the evening at most events. Early in the morning are the lower ranked sumo, and generally those watching are close friends and family. The stadium is empty and there is no atmosphere. The big guns, those high ranks, come out around 3pm in the afternoon and compete until the end of the day. So to see the best, with the best atmosphere, many don’t arrive until 3pm to see the finest go at it.
We are so excited to go to Japan, and a big part of that is checking out cultural items like the Sumo. It is part religion, part sport and unlike anything we have here in Australia. We are prepared to come home with our three sons wrestling in their undies for the next few months!