The 2026 sumo tournament calendar spans six major tournaments held across Japan throughout the year, with three prestigious tournaments at the legendary Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo. Whether planning an in-person visit or watching from abroad, this complete guide covers everything you need to know.
📅 Full 2026 Grand Sumo Tournament Calendar
The Japan Sumo Association organizes six tournaments annually, each lasting 15 days. The 2026 schedule reflects the traditional tournament rotation across different venues — including the debut of the brand-new IG Arena in Nagoya.
| Tournament | Location | Dates | Tickets On Sale |
|---|---|---|---|
| January (Hatsu Basho) | 🗼 Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo | January 11–25, 2026 ✓ Completed | December 6, 2025 |
| March (Haru Basho) | 🏯 EDION Arena Osaka | March 8–22, 2026 ✓ Completed | February 7, 2026 |
| May (Natsu Basho) | 🗼 Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo | May 10–24, 2026 ✓ Completed | April 4, 2026 |
| July (Nagoya Basho) | 🏯 IG Arena, Nagoya ★ | July 12–26, 2026 ✓ Completed | May 16, 2026 |
| September (Aki Basho) | 🗼 Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo | September 13–27, 2026 | August 8, 2026 🎫 On sale now |
| November (Kyushu Basho) | 🏯 Fukuoka Kokusai Center | November 8–22, 2026 | September 19, 2026 |
Highlighted rows indicate Ryogoku Kokugikan (Tokyo) tournaments. ★ The July Nagoya Basho marks the debut of the new IG Arena (Aichi International Arena), replacing the former Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium. Capacity: ~17,000. For detailed ticketing information and booking strategies, see our complete ticket buying guide.
🗼 Ryogoku Tournaments: Tokyo's Holy Trinity
Three tournaments take place at the Ryogoku Kokugikan, sumo's most iconic venue located in central Tokyo. These tournaments are considered the most prestigious and draw the largest crowds.
January (Hatsu)
Launches the 2026 sumo calendar
May (Natsu)
Spring championship
September (Aki)
Autumn tournament
The three Tokyo tournaments span different seasons — winter (January), spring (May), and autumn (September) — each with unique weather considerations. Check our seasonal clothing guide to dress appropriately for your visit.
Why Choose Ryogoku?
- ✅ Most prestigious venue - sumo's spiritual home
- ✅ Central Tokyo location - easy access (see our directions guide)
- ✅ Best atmosphere - passionate local crowds
- ✅ Sumo Museum on-site - free admission
- ✅ Nearby stables - visit morning practice too (read our free morning practice guide)
🏯 Other Tournament Venues
🏯 Osaka (March)
EDION Arena Osaka hosts the March tournament, positioning it as the second major venue on the annual circuit. This location appeals to visitors seeking to explore Japan's second-largest metropolitan area while experiencing sumo culture outside Tokyo's intensity. For tickets, seating options, and a full visitor guide to the Osaka tournament, see our dedicated Osaka Sumo Wrestling guide.
🏯 Nagoya (July) — New Venue in 2026
The brand-new IG Arena (Aichi International Arena) made its sumo debut in July 2026, replacing the Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium after over 60 years of service. Designed by renowned architect Kengo Kuma, the IG Arena seats 17,000 — making it the largest dedicated tournament venue outside Ryogoku — and features modern climate control, a welcome upgrade for the notoriously hot Nagoya summer basho. Its first tournament was won by Aonishiki in a three-way playoff.
🏯 Fukuoka (November)
Fukuoka Kokusai Center (Fukuoka International Center) hosts the November Kyushu Basho, concluding the annual tournament calendar. This final tournament determines rankings for the following year, making it crucial for understanding wrestler progression.
Regional Tournament Benefits
- 💰 Lower ticket prices than Tokyo
- 🎫 Better availability - easier to get tickets
- 🏙️ Explore different cities - Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka
- 👥 Local atmosphere - authentic regional culture
⏰ Daily Tournament Timeline: What to Expect
Sumo tournaments follow a remarkably consistent daily schedule, allowing visitors to plan their attendance strategically based on which divisions they wish to watch. For a comprehensive hour-by-hour breakdown with arrival time recommendations, see our complete tournament day timeline.
📅 Typical Tournament Day Schedule
🌅 8:00–8:30 AM: Doors Open
Early arrival secures optimal viewing positions and allows exploration of the venue's sumo-themed attractions and merchandise. Ryogoku typically opens at 9:30 AM.
⚔️ 8:30 AM–2:00 PM: Lower Division Matches
Jonokuchi, jonidan, sandanme, and makushita wrestlers compete. These young rikishi display raw determination and intense competition. Attendance is minimal during these hours, providing an intimate atmosphere and prime seating opportunities.
🥈 2:30–3:40 PM: Juryo Division
Second-highest division matches. Wrestlers here are one step away from the makuuchi elite, and their bouts showcase refined technique and strategic depth.
🎭 3:40 PM: Ring-Entering Ceremony (Dohyo-iri)
The spectacular makuuchi wrestler entrance. This ceremonial procession showcases wrestlers advancing to the ring in ranked order, wearing ornate silk aprons. The atmosphere shifts from routine competition to cultural grandeur.
🏆 5:00–6:00 PM: Top Division (Makuuchi) Matches
The highest-ranked wrestlers compete late in the afternoon. Yokozuna (grand champions) and ozeki (second-rank champions) typically perform between 5:00–6:00 PM. The final matches feature the tournament's most celebrated competitors, often deciding championship outcomes.
🎭 Tournament Ceremonies and Traditions
Beyond the wrestling itself, special events and ceremonial elements define the sumo tournament experience.
🙏 Dohyo-Matsuri (Ring Consecration Ceremony)
Held the day before the tournament opens, this sacred Shinto ritual purifies the ring before competition begins. The ceremony involves burying sacred items (salt, squid, rice, chestnuts) in the dohyo's center to invite kami (Shinto deities) and ensure purity.
💡 Insider Tip
Though not widely publicized, these ceremonies are typically open to the public, offering visitors a glimpse into sumo's spiritual foundations.
🎌 Yokozuna Dohyo-Iri (Grand Champion Ceremony)
This breathtaking ritual follows the makuuchi wrestlers' entrance. Only yokozuna perform this ceremony, showcasing elaborate movements, powerful stomps (shiko), and dynamic poses while wearing ceremonial aprons and a sacred rope. In 2026, both Yokozuna Hoshoryu and Onosato perform this ceremony.
🏹 Yumitori-Shiki (Bow-Twirling Ceremony)
Concluding each tournament day, a designated wrestler spins an oversized bow in the dohyo in a ritual rooted in samurai traditions, symbolizing victory and gratitude to the kami.
🎫 Tournament Ticket Options
Single-Day Tickets
Provide flexibility and are available for individual tournament days. Prices vary based on day and seating:
- Chair Seats C (highest, rear balcony): ¥3,500 weekday / ¥4,000 weekend
- Chair Seats B: ¥5,000 weekday / ¥5,500 weekend
- Chair Seats A: ¥8,000 weekday / ¥8,500 weekend
- Box Seats (Masu) (4-person): ¥40,000–48,000 per box
💰 Budget Tip
Weekday tickets represent excellent value, especially for the lower divisions viewed during morning hours. Final days (Days 13–15) and weekends command premium pricing.
Strategic Day Selection
Day 1 & Day 8
Free international broadcast - good for newcomers
Day 15 (Finals)
Championship drama - highest prices
Mid-Tournament
Weekdays balance cost & competition quality
See our complete Ticket Buying Guide for step-by-step purchase instructions.
📺 How to Watch Live: Japan vs. International Options
🇯🇵 Attending in Japan
Tickets for Tokyo tournaments at Ryogoku Kokugikan sell online through the official Japan Sumo Association website and authorized vendors. Advance booking is strongly recommended, particularly for weekends and final days.
- Most vendors accept international credit cards
- English-language interfaces available
- Same-day tickets sometimes available for weekday lower-division sessions
🌍 International Broadcasting
📡 NHK World-Japan (FREE)
Provides free live coverage of Days 1, 8, 14, and 15 for all six tournaments through its website and streaming app, accessible worldwide without a VPN.
- Live broadcasts: 5:10 PM JST (except Day 15, starting at 4:30 PM JST)
- "Grand Sumo Highlights": Condensed match coverage with English commentary, twice daily during tournaments
- Accessibility: Website, mobile app, no subscription required
📺 Premium Options
- JME.tv — Live English coverage with full Makuuchi bouts (~$25/month subscription)
- Official JSA YouTube channel — Free daily highlight clips
- TVJapan (North American cable) — Full two-hour makuuchi matches daily with English/Japanese audio
🏆 2026 Tournament Champions and Notable Results
The 2026 sumo season has already produced remarkable moments — four tournaments decided, two still to come.
| Tournament | Champion | Record | Notable Achievement |
|---|---|---|---|
| January (Hatsu) | Aonishiki (Ozeki) | 12-3 (playoff) | First Ukrainian champion; first new ozeki yusho in ~20 years; Emperor attended Day 8 |
| March (Haru) | Kirishima (Sekiwake) | 12-3 | Third career title; earned Ozeki re-promotion for May 2026 |
| May (Natsu) | Wakatakakage (Komusubi) | 12-3 (playoff) | Second career title, beating Ozeki Kirishima in a playoff; both yokozuna withdrew injured |
| July (Nagoya) | Aonishiki (Sekiwake) | 12-3 (3-way playoff) | Third Emperor's Cup at the IG Arena debut, beating Atamifuji and Kirishima in the playoff; regains Ozeki rank for September |
| September (Aki) | — (next up) | Sep 13–27 | Tickets on sale now; Aonishiki returns at Ozeki |
| November (Kyushu) | — (upcoming) | Nov 8–22 |
🌟 Historic Moments in 2026
Aonishiki (Danylo Yavhushyshyn, Ukraine) has defined the season's storyline. He opened 2026 with back-to-back Emperor's Cups as the first Ukrainian wrestler to claim multiple makuuchi titles — with Emperor Naruhito attending the Hatsu Basho on Day 8, the first imperial sumo viewing in six years, and a record 3,469 kensho (sponsor prize banners) hung in a single tournament. Then came the fall: an ankle injury forced him to sit out the entire May basho and cost him his Ozeki rank. His redemption in July was immediate — a third Emperor's Cup from Sekiwake, beating both yokozuna along the way, earning re-promotion to Ozeki for September.
Wakatakakage's May title was its own surprise: with Yokozuna Onosato resting a shoulder injury and Yokozuna Hoshoryu withdrawing on Day 2 with a hamstring injury, the Komusubi seized the wide-open Natsu Basho for his second career championship.
🌟 Special 2026 Sumo Events
Beyond the six honbasho, 2026 features remarkable milestones and international events in the sumo calendar.
🏯 Terunofuji Retirement Ceremony (January 31)
The 73rd Yokozuna Terunofuji held his danpatsu-shiki (topknot-cutting retirement ceremony) at Ryogoku Kokugikan on January 31, 2026. Approximately 330 participants made the ceremonial final cut — including former Yokozuna Hakuho — in a moving tribute to one of sumo's most resilient champions. Terunofuji simultaneously assumed the Isegahama stablemaster name, beginning a new chapter as a trainer of future champions.
🗼 Paris Grand Sumo Tournament (June 13–14) — Completed
Grand sumo returned to France for the first time in over 30 years on June 13–14, 2026 — and sold out the 15,000-seat Accor Arena. Both Yokozuna Hoshoryu and Onosato took part in the largest overseas sumo event in decades, organized by AEG Presents France with MUFG EMEA as title sponsor. Ozeki Kotozakura claimed the overall title, defeating Kirishima on Day 1 and then Yokozuna Hoshoryu in the deciding championship bout.
🏟️ IG Arena Nagoya Debut (July 12–26) — Completed
The brand-new Aichi International Arena (IG Arena), designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Kengo Kuma, hosted its first sumo tournament in July 2026. Replacing the Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium which served sumo for over 60 years, the 17,000-seat IG Arena delivered air conditioning — a long-awaited relief for the famously hot Nagoya Basho — and a debut for the history books: Sekiwake Aonishiki won a dramatic three-way playoff to christen the new venue. The same arena hosts judo and wrestling events at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in September–October.
🗺️ Planning Your Tournament Visit
✅ Pre-Visit Checklist
- ☐ Book tickets 1-2 months in advance for optimal selection
- ☐ Choose your tournament (Tokyo = most prestigious, regional = better availability)
- ☐ Select strategic day (Day 1/8 free broadcast, Day 15 finals, mid-week budget)
- ☐ Reserve hotel near venue (Ryogoku area for Tokyo tournaments)
- ☐ Plan arrival time (early for lower divisions, 3 PM for ceremonies)
- ☐ Check weather and dress appropriately (see our What to Wear guide)
- ☐ Bring comfortable clothes for extended sitting
- ☐ Cash for merchandise and food vendors
💡 Pro Tips
- Arrive early to secure preferred seating and explore the venue
- Visit morning practice before the tournament (see our Morning Practice Guide)
- Expect a full 10-hour experience - tournaments are cultural immersion
- Bring a cushion if sitting in masu seats (floor seating)
- Download NHK World app for free highlights and coverage
🎯 Summary
Sumo tournaments represent one of Japan's most accessible cultural experiences, transcending language barriers through universal appreciation for athletic prowess, discipline, and ancient tradition. Whether attending in person or watching internationally, the 2026 tournament calendar offers six opportunities to witness this magnificent sport — plus special events including the Paris Grand Sumo Tournament and the debut of the IG Arena in Nagoya.
Quick Reference
- 🗼 Tokyo tournaments: January 11–25, May 10–24, September 13–27
- 🏯 Regional tournaments: Osaka Mar 8–22, Nagoya Jul 12–26, Fukuoka Nov 8–22
- ⏰ Best viewing time: 3:40–6:00 PM (ceremonies + top division)
- 🎫 Ticket release: ~1 month before each tournament — September tickets on sale now
- 📺 Free watching: NHK World-Japan (Days 1, 8, 14, 15)
- 🌟 2026 so far: Aonishiki 3 titles (Ozeki reclaimed), Wakatakakage's yokozuna-less Natsu win, Kotozakura took sold-out Paris
🎟️ Top-Rated Sumo Experiences in Tokyo
Tournament seats sell out fast — these bookable experiences run year-round, including tournament viewing with guaranteed tickets during basho weeks.