Inside A Sumo Sanctuary: A Family’s Unforgettable Day with Magical Trip

One week ago, we had an amazing time with the Authentic Sumo Experience in Tokyo by Magical Trip Tours. I didn’t really know what to expect and was filled with so much joy at the end of it. Today, I was listening to The Mel Robbins Podcast talking about Ways To Bring Back the Happiness, Energy and Fun. The Sumo Experience was doing all of that!

Despite having been in Japan for nearly 9 years, I have been to a Sumo tournament only once – and that was actually half a year before I moved here. Since I’m always trying to explore more about Japanese culture, we grabbed the opportunity to join this tour when it arose. Here is my full review in case you are also considering to join the tour.

The booking process

The booking process is very straightforward. On magical trip’s website, you can find the calendar with available tour dates and the booking button right underneath. The costs are stated on the first page but as you continue you will see that there are actually different price categories depending on the ages of children. A price differentiation welcome by every family I am sure.

You can make it a private tour but have to cover the costs of the seats that are not filled.

You have to enter your name and contact information, coupon codes if available, dietary restrictions and any notes if applicable.

It is possible to cancel the tour 24 hours in advance free of charge which is really quite good.

You can pay by credit card or PayPal. Afterwards you will receive your booking confirmation with all the details. When I say details, I mean details the way Japanese provide guidance. There’s hardly anything that is not mentioned.

It’s a really straightforward and easy booking process from the magical trip website.

The Authentic Sumo Experience

Feature 1: Background Information

Feature 2: Sumo exercises demonstration

Feature 3: Become a Sumo yourself

Exercise

Then it was up to us. They asked everyone who wanted to participate in the exercises to change into shorts and the shirt (gift by the tour). I was so happy to see that almost all the women present were going to participate.

There is only one changing room. The tour guide sent the men first, the women second to get changed.

When we came back out the sumo wrestlers and bus driver (also a former sumo wrestler) were not shy to start putting the Mawashi on us. This was truly an experience that a) didn’t expect to have at all and that b) was very different from what I imagined. These things are so simple but sit very tightly…

We did 3-4 exercises next to each other, individually in front of the whole group and a group exercise. It was a lot of fun already.

The Push

Then they demonstrated a new exercise to us. Basically, one sumo has to push the other out of the ring while the other puts their whole weight against it. As the one who pushes, you have to rest your forehead on their chest and basically grab their breasts with your hands. (That’s when Globy started to beg me to not do it haha)

The tour participants were allowed to choose the sumo they wanted to push. Again, all the women also participated (except for me which I kind of regret but didn’t want to stress Globy out too much). It is hard to describe but this exercise turned into such a spectacle thanks to the sumos’s acting and entertaining abilities. My face was hurting from laughing and it was just such a joyous atmosphere.

The Fight

Lastly, they demonstrated a real match to us. Firstly, they showed us moves that are not allowed. Here again, their entertainment and acting skills were superb.

In three rounds, they demonstrated us how differently a match can unfold.

Then it was up to the participants to try their luck. Similarly to the round before, it was just a spectacle and everyone had huge smiles on their faces after their attempts as did the audience.

After the fight, the sumos took a shower and got ready for lunch. We also got a chance to rinse our feet from the sand and to change back into our normal clothes.

Feature 4: Joint lunch

Feature 5: Hand stamp Picture

Lastly, they invited us to create a joint picture where one sumo and all of us (within one group, so the 5 of us as a family), left their hand prints on a paper and then signing it. We got this along with some Sumo rice crackers.

Is the tour suitable for children?

In other words, How did the girls like the tour? When I told Globy that we would be joining this tour, she was not excited. The whole night before and on the morning of the tour she kept expressing her not wanting to go. We all went and as soon as we were in motion it was ok.

The tour guides were very kind, involved the girls in conversations which gave the tour experience a good start. The girls were just 6, just 4 and 2 at the time we went to the tour.

On a quick side note: The sanctuary is not very spacious and there is no space for prams or strollers. If you were coming with a baby you should be prepared to hold it most of the time. There was a space where I would have maybe laid my baby down with a blanket. The space serves as a walk through space though so also not ideal.

They were quite impressed when we entered the sanctuary. It was the first time for them to see a sumo stable. We sat down in the audience seats and I could tell all of it was a bit foreign to them.

After we got home, there was no other topic than Sumo. They hadn’t wanted to participate in the exercises at the sanctuary but had paid attention. The evening was filled with them doing sumo exercises non stop. Baby grabbed the t-shirt that the tour had gifted us and was hard to get out of it. She was so happy to run in it.

I’m so glad we did the tour as a family as it will be a memory no one will forget and we will cherish forever. Moreover I strongly believe in the power of experiences, of being in new places, with new people and learning from this and to have been able to grant one more experience to our girls.

Does the tour deliver on its promise?

On the website, one section talks about what makes the tour unique, the other talks about what is included:

Experience the actual training of sumo wrestlers in a real sumo stable	The Sumo wrestlers demonstrated all of their most important exercises to us. It wasn’t a full training session however and for demonstration purposes only.
A guide explains the history and traditions of sumo with many tips for enjoying sumo matches	There were two guides and they switched up the explanations between them, between using power point style images via a beamer, posters they held up and videos. This made it easy to follow and to stay engaged.
At last, you will have a Sumo match with a rikishi! (Only if you want.) Women and children can also participate!	Yes and yes. Our group consisted of a lot of couples in their 40s to early 50s. I loved seeing almost all the women participate in all exercises and more importantly in the matches as well. I didn’t do the match as Globy was begging me not to. The sumo wrestlers tried to be very encouraging to everyone to participate (to my kids too) but totally ok when someone didn’t want to.
Make chicken dumplings for chanko-nabe, a dish that builds the body of a sumo wrestler, and eat them together!	We did eat with them and the sumo wrestlers continued to be so kind and funny. It was a really lovely atmosphere. However, we didn’t make the dumplings ourselves. They had already prepared everything and they were cooking in the Hot Pot when we arrived in the kitchen area.
Easy Access! 10 minutes from Yokohama Station, 20 minutes from Tokyo Station, 30 minutes from Shinjuku Station!	The train is actually only 8 minutes from Yokohama. It is a little misleading as you will have to take a short walk from the station to then take a bus that will take you to the stable with a 5-10 minute drive. They do show this on their website in one of the videos.
SUMO Experience You can practice traditional Sumo training	After a demonstration of the most important exercises, all participants get the chance to go through them themselves. Wearing the Mawashi (loincloth) was an interesting part of the experience!
4 Hours of a Local Guide Our local guide will share many historical and cultural facts to enjoy Sumo more deeply	The tour guides will meet you at the train station with signs that are not to miss and take you back at the end of the tour. Our guides were very kind and part of making this an unforgettable experience.
Sumo Wrestler’s Lunch Chanko Nabe Hot Pot, a meal for Sumo wrestlers to make their bodies bigger, is included	They had decked two tables that participants found enough space to sit and it was delicious. They had extra forks and spoons for our kids when we asked for it.
Tour Photos Guide will take some photos during the tour and share it later by email	They do! After the event you will receive an email asking for your feedback. Once you provide it you will get access to the tour photos.
Original designed T-shirt “Enter the Sanctuary” original T-Shirt is included for each customer	We all received our T-Shirt. They only had one in size 100cm but therefore gave us another Size S for free. Baby was intent on wearing her Size S T-Shirt which is like a dress for her to Kindergarten the next day.

Conclusion

Sumo is such a widely recognized part of Japanese Culture without most people knowing too much about it. I am very glad to have learned more about it through this tour. Experiencing it, feeling it myself has made me more curious about it. I was extremely expressed by their strength and have a different appreciation of the sport now. The best was on the one hand to see the sumos and how fun and entertaining they were. On the other hand, I was so glad for my girls to make this experience, for us to have made this experience as a family as it will truly be one we will remember forever.