相撲博物館, sumō hakubutsukan
A small, quirky museum tucked inside the arena's first floor, dedicated to the history of sumo, particularly artifacts and ceremonial clothing, almost entirely in Japanese only. The collection rotates several times a year. During sumo tournaments, it is open daily, but only to tournament ticket holders.
Mon-Fri 10:00-16:30; closed Sat Sun & holidays·Free
DoSumida
両国国技館 / Sumo
The largest sumo arena in Japan with a capacity for 10,000 spectators, this is where grand tournaments or basho are held in January, May and September, starting on the second Sunday of the month. These tournaments last for 15 days, and are filled with ceremony and ritual which observe strict hierarchies not just for the wrestlers, but also for the referees and callers. The competition each day begins around 09:00 with the amateurs, and from there, wrestlers compete in progressing order of seniority. The professional wrestlers start around 14:35, but the excitement begins when the top division makuuchi (幕内) enter the ring in the dohyō-iri (土俵入り) ceremony at 15:50. The tournament culminates when the high-rank yokozuna (横綱) and ozeki (大関) have their bouts, around 18:00. If you have seats far from the ring, but arrive early, it is possible to borrow some seats close to the ring until mid-afternoon, when most spectators begin to arrive. English pamphlets describing the day's program and sumo in general are available, and radios with live English commentary can be rented. Food is available inside, at somewhat inflated prices. There are now signs prohibiting you from bringing in outside food and drink, but enforcement is spotty.
Advance-booking Western-style chairs on the second floor are ¥3,600, ¥4,900 and ¥8,400; Japanese-style box seats on the first floor are ¥9,200, ¥10,300 and ¥11,300. These can be purchased at ticket outlets and convenience stores, starting the month before the match. The Japan Sumo Association has an official English website handling online ticket sales. You can also buy sumo tickets by reserving through specialized third-party online ticket sellers, which charge higher markups; while there are generally no issues, the Sumo Association discourages purchases from these sites. In the past, unsold seats have been sold on the day of the tournament, but in the mid-2020s this has not been the case as all seats usually sell out soon after tickets go on sale
江戸東京博物館 Edo-Tōkyō-hakubutsukan
This bizarre multi-story edifice suspended in midair and bearing not a small resemblance to a Star Wars Imperial Walker (meant to be a replica of an old raised warehouse) covers the history of the metropolis, starting from 1590 when it was selected as Japan's new capital Edo, all the way through the Kanto earthquake and firebombings of World War II. The museum is built with the latest technology including life-size replicas of entire buildings and the Nihombashi Bridge. Free informative tours are available in several languages, depending on which volunteers are around; audio guides in several languages always available. Pair it up with a visit to the more intimately sized Fukagawa Edo Museum in nearby Kōtō ward, just a couple of stops away on the Toei Ōedo subway line.
Tue-Sun 09:30 - 17:30, Sat 09:30 - 19:30; last admission 30 minutes before closing time·Adult ¥1,300, age 65 and over ¥650, university student with ID ¥1,040, younger students with ID free; ¥100 discount for advance purchase
巴潟
One of Tokyo's oldest chanko joints, operating for over 100 years, specializing in a slightly unusual miso-flavored soup. Lunch sets at ¥840/1260 weekdays/weekends are just about the cheapest chanko you'll find anywhere and a good option for the solo traveller. Dinner starts from ¥2940/person for the Tomoegata (miso) or Yahazuyama (dashi) set and goes up to ¥8400 for the aptly humongous 9-course Yokozuna.
Tue-Sun 11:30-14:00, 17:00-23:00