Dolphins Arena

Discover the thrill of Japanese sumo wrestling at a genuine tournament in Nagoya. Attend with a guide who will fill you in on what's happening so you gain a deeper understanding of the matches and the sport as you watch from your seats. Meet your guide at Meijo koen station and get ready to immerse yourself in the world of Japanese sumo wrestling. Learn all about the history and traditions of sumo as you head for the arena. Marvel at the magic of the dohyo-iri ceremony as the wrestlers enter the ring. Feel the excitement continue as these incredible athletes demonstrate their authentic art in an electric atmosphere.

The grand sumo tournament tour in Nagoya is a small group tour with real-time commentaries by a sumo expert guide. Nagoya is conveniently located from the nearby Osaka / Kyoto area; about 50-minute train ride from Osaka and 34-minute from Kyoto. What decisively differentiates this tour is: Firstly, each traveler will receive three items below which are hard to come by. 1) A pamphlet showing photos and profiles of each wrestler with English translation. The guide will walk you through it as you watch each fight. 2) A cheering towel for a particular wrestler. The guide will show you how to use it when the wrestler is going to fight; cheering a particular wrestler will significantly increase the joy of watching. 3) A sumo booklet which tells pretty much all about sumo. Secondly, what also sets apart this tour is use of an earphone guide system. Your guide will provide real-time commentaries through your headset throughout the tour. Toward the end of the tournament, you will ① Enjoy the fights and have lots of fun. ② Get excited with your fellow travelers while cheering a wrestler with your cheering towel. ③ Learn a lot about sumo by listening to your guide’s real-time commentaries. You will watch the bouts by top-division wrestlers for 3 hours from 15 o’clock. While some might think “the longer the viewing hours, the better,” our experience tells otherwise; in the past, those who started to watch much earlier got bored over time and left the arena before the top division match started! Hence, let’s start watching the bouts at 15 o’clock with all our might. Apart from viewing the tournament itself, this tour includes an optional walking tour in Nagoya Castle where the sumo arena is located. Nagoya is the fourth-most populous city in Japan. It is also known as the home of Toyota, the world's largest automotive company. While Nagoya is the third largest metropolis Japan, the city made a humble start from Nagoya Castle built by the Tokugawa clan who ruled Japan for almost three centuries. Built in early 17th century, the castle exhibits most of the traits Japanese castles offer. Learn from your expert guide: 1) The historical backdrop when the castle was constructed. 2) How the Tokugawa clan mobilized the feudal lords who were once antagonistic toward the clan. 3) Architectural techniques used to build it. 4) Its effectiveness as a fortress / dungeon. Last but not least, marvel at the beauty of the Honmaru Palace featuring extensive use of valuable hinoki cypress wood, decorative metal fittings, and the fine art gracing the walls, ceilings, and sliding doors.

○ Group Session (14:00-18:00) ① We will gather to the left of the ticket counter at the main entrance at 14:00. A friendly interpreter who speaks English will be waiting for you! Details of the meeting point will be provided up to 2 days before the day of the event. ② We will enter the venue. There will be a guide talking about the history and rules of sumo. ③ We will watch sumo matches from the A seats. ・After arriving at your seat in the venue, you are free to move around. ・Around 15:20, there will be the "nakabi," where a ceremony before the matches of particularly strong sumo wrestlers begins. We will watch this ceremony from our seats. ・From 16:00 to around 18:00 is the highlight. Japanese TV broadcasts will begin as well. It's the time when particularly strong sumo wrestlers start their intense matches.Witness it with your own eyes and join in the excitement of the venue! ・Around 18:00, after the final match, the tour will be disbanded.