Going to see a Sumo tournament at the Ryogoku Kokugikan National Sumo Arena is an experience that I will never forget. I went with my boyfriend Kevin, and my friend, Aman. It was Aman's idea to go see the tournament, and I'm so grateful that she suggested it. Aman is a huge fan of Japanese culture and loves to experience exotic things. She was also the one who suggested we attend a geisha tea ceremony, which was a unique experience in itself.
When we arrived at the arena, we were amazed at how everything was focused on sumo. From the sumo restaurants, sumo statues, and even the sumo vending machines that dispensed sumo-related items, it was clear that sumo was a major part of Japanese culture.
We also noticed that there were souvenirs available with each sumo wrestler's face on them. Fans could purchase sumo posters, keychains, and other memorable stuff to commemorate their favorite wrestlers.
One thing that I found particularly cute was the sumo ice cream. It was super adorable and tasted great. There were also other snacks in the shape of sumo wrestlers, such as chocolate and bread.
The sumo fights themselves were fascinating to watch. As someone who is used to watching Muay Thai fights, it was interesting to see how the sumo wrestlers would simply push each other around. There wasn't much pain involved, but it was still intense and exciting. Each match last like 20 seconds too.. so interesting to know and see.
I also learned that sumo tournaments are not held all the time, so I felt very lucky to have been able to visit Japan when one was happening. It was a fun and exotic experience that I would highly recommend to anyone visiting Japan.