Sumo Grand Tournament 2009
 

Hello All!

My boyfriend and I are going to japan for a holiday from 21st march 2009 for 3 weeks. I would like to buy him tickets to see the Sumo in Osaka at the end of March as a surprise. I have been on the following website which gives lots of details about the tournament, prices, times, booking details etc but unfortunately it seems th only way for me to book would be by telephone in Japanese! Now I have been learning a few words from a phrase book but have no way of conducting a comversation to book tickets! Anyone know of any other way I can book e.g, through an agent or over the internet perhaps??
Also, the website seems to suggest that demand is high for these events, is it likely that I will not be able to get tickets at all??

Many thanks

Minifan x

What website?

Call them and ask for an operator who speaks English. With any luck they should have one who speaks enough to help you.

Hi Minifan,

I think if you are booking for March you should be ok for now. I have never seen the sumo in Osaka - I have only been in Tokyo so I have no idea how big the arena is in Osaka nor how many tickets will be available. I usually go in Tokyo and we are fine booking 3 - 4 weeks in advance usually. We do go for the cheapest seats by the way - it's more comfortable to do that trust me! In front of the ring there is no seating area - you get a reserved space on the floor. After 20 minutes or so it gets a little uncomfortable if you're not used to it!

Check this website Grand Tournament Schedule - Nihon Sumo Kyokai Official Grand Sumo Home Page

I don't think the tickets will be on sale for March yet? They are only just getting ready to sell the January ones - unless Osaka is different.

Website to try
 

Minifan,

Try BuySumoTickets.com

Tickets for Osaka are not on sale yet. That should happen after the January tournament is over.

Sumo Tickets
 

Hi,
I too am facing the same problem. I think Minifan and I were looking at the same website : Nihon Sumo Kyokai Official Grand Sumo Home Page
because I got the same information. The March Tournament tickets in Osaka do not go on sale until Feb. 9th, but the website does state that they do not take any overseas orders. Is the only way to purchase is to actually be in Japan? I won't arrive until March 2nd, and I fear the last day tickets would have sold out by then!! Any advice?

Thanks,
belledandy

I obviously can't promise anything, but I think you have more than a good chance to buy your tickets after you have arrived in Japan. They often even have hundreds of tickets available on the very day you want to go. Once the tournament gets started, how fast the tickets go largely depends on how the tournament itself develops, which no one knows right now.