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Hatsu-Basho Sumo Tournaments - Tokyo Hotels .com

A wrestler at Hatsu-Basho Sumo Tournament

Probably Japan's most famous sport, sumo wrestling has a history spanning centuries. The premise of the sport is simple: Two wrestlers of extraordinary size and weight attempt to either topple the opponent or push each other out of the ring. The tradition remains intensely popular to this day, and several grand sumo tournaments are held at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Ueno-Asakusa-Ryogoku Tokyo.

The largest of these is probably the Hatsu-Basho, or New Year's Tournament, which is held in January. It is truly a spectacle to behold--a sport immersed in tradition, Shinto ritual, and drama. Tourists planning to attend will want to reserve tickets for the event well in advance, since sumo tournaments consistently sell out weeks ahead of time.