The Tokyo Sumo Tournaments occur in January, May, and September. Get your tickets and join the locals in cheering on the wrestlers at the iconic Ryogoku Kokugikan .

The stadium is a one-minute walk from Ryogoku Station on the JR Sobu Line or a five-minute walk from the Oedo Line exits of the same station.

During tournament season the station can get quite crowded, so arriving early is recommended.

The sumo tournaments at Ryogoku Kokugikan start quite early, at around eight in the morning. The order of the bouts begins from the lowest-ranked wrestlers and progresses until the big matches between top-ranked athletes.

By late afternoon, the entire hall is packed with excited fans waiting to witness the final bout between the top contenders, called musubi-no-ichiban.

The rules of sumo are straightforward: the first wrestler to set foot outside of the ring or to touch the inside of the ring with any part of his body except his feet is the loser.

You will notice colorful banners being paraded around the ring before a match. These are prizes sponsors offer to the wrestlers. The more banners you see, the more hyped-up the match.

Ringside seats are limited and even a bit dangerous, as there is always the chance a wrestler will fall out of the ring.

Masu-seki, box seats which can fit up to four people, give you a close-up view of the matches, and you can enjoy snacks and drinks while cheering on the wrestlers.

Arena seats on the second level are more affordable for casual visitors.

You can book box and arena seats from the Nihon Sumo Kyokai official site . It is best to reserve seats as early as possible, particularly if you want to get a box seat. Alternatively, you can look for a tour that includes tickets for the matches.