A Former Sumo Wrestler Shares the Truth About Sumo Stables and How to Visit Them with Proper Etiquette

★Please Note★ The "sumo morning practice viewing" described in this article refers to the general morning practice viewing offered by sumo stables other than our Kawasaki Stable. Our Kawasaki Stable offers a completely different experience that is not merely "viewing" but a unique "hands-on experience." Please read until the end for details about Kawasaki Stable's distinctive features.

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Hello, I'm Sakurai, a former sumo wrestler. I was a professional sumo wrestler for 6 years, and now I operate Kawasaki Stable, a former sumo stable facility that maintains its original sumo equipment and is open to the public to share the greatness of sumo with the world.

At Kawasaki Stable, we not only explain sumo traditions and culture but also provide opportunities for anyone to experience real sumo training with former wrestlers on the dohyo (sumo ring) and prepare and enjoy chanko meals with former wrestlers. We take pride in offering a unique experience unlike the typical "sumo stable morning practice viewing" available nowhere else in the world.

Many visitors to Kawasaki Stable have told us, "I've been to morning practice viewings at other sumo stables, but Kawasaki Stable is several times more amazing." This proves that many sumo fans are visiting other sumo stables for morning practice viewings, indicating a real demand for this experience.

In fact, Naruto Stable, where I belonged, also opened its morning practice to the public. I remember many people visiting Naruto Stable every day just to watch our practice. From my perspective as a former sumo wrestler, I would like to explain the basics of sumo stables, how to visit morning practices, proper etiquette when visiting, and how our Kawasaki Stable differs from the morning practice viewings at other sumo stables.

Basic Knowledge About Sumo Stables You Should Know Before Visiting

There are various customs and taboos for general morning practice viewings at sumo stables. Additionally, regular sumo stables do not provide explanations for visitors. Therefore, if you want to fully enjoy the morning practice viewing, or if you don't want to be ejected from the sumo stable for violating a taboo, you should familiarize yourself with the basics of sumo stables in advance.

What Exactly Is a Sumo Stable?

What is a sumo stable? Looking at the term alone, it might seem to simply refer to a place. However, a sumo stable is not just a place where sumo wrestlers train. From the perspective of a former sumo wrestler, let me explain the characteristics of sumo stables.

Sumo Stables Are Clans (Groups) of Wrestlers

The essence of a sumo stable is that it's a clan (group) that unites specific sumo wrestlers. Currently, there are over 40 sumo stables in Japan. Nearly 600 wrestlers must belong to one of these stables. Wrestlers develop their strength by training daily with other wrestlers from the same stable.

Only retired wrestlers with exceptional achievements can own a sumo stable and become the head of a clan (group). Once a wrestler joins a sumo stable, they cannot transfer to another stable of their own volition. That's how absolute the sumo stable clan (group) system is as a fundamental unit supporting sumo.

In the sumo grand tournament, the official competition arena for sumo wrestlers, wrestlers from the same stable never face each other except in championship deciding matches. Incidentally, there's also a higher-level concept called "ichimon" (family) that encompasses multiple stables. Sumo stables belonging to the same ichimon have close relationships and sometimes conduct joint training sessions across stables.

Sumo Stables Are Living Quarters, and the People There Are Like Family

While I explained that sumo stables are clans, they are simultaneously living quarters for the wrestlers. When wrestlers pass the new recruit examination to embark on their sumo career, they decide which stable to join.

The hierarchy in the sumo world combines meritocracy with an Asian patriarchal structure. Once you enter a sumo stable, you naturally start at the very bottom of the ladder, and you won't be recognized as a full-fledged wrestler until you achieve certain results.

A full-fledged wrestler refers to the "juryo" rank in the sumo hierarchy. Once you reach juryo, you receive a substantial salary, can receive support from numerous fans and sponsors, and can acquire the financial means to live independently. In the sumo world, advancing to juryo also means you can discipline yourself and progress in the way of sumo without needing to be supervised.

Therefore, when recognized as a full-fledged wrestler at the juryo rank, you are permitted to live independently. This implies that wrestlers cannot live independently until they reach juryo! This may be shocking, but it's true. Even at 30 or 40 years old, wrestlers below juryo rank are not permitted to live independently.

So what do they do? They live communally with other wrestlers in the sumo stable. Wrestlers sleep, eat, divide household chores like cooking and laundry, and devote themselves to training daily at the stable. That's why for many wrestlers, the sumo stable is not just a training ground, but a home. When you visit a regular sumo stable's morning practice, you'll only see the training hall with the large dohyo. However, in reality, there are various distinctive facilities such as living spaces for the wrestlers, kitchens to prepare meals for many wrestlers, and bathrooms.

At our Kawasaki Stable, you can see all of these sumo stable facilities in detail. Now, in the sumo stable, which serves as living quarters, there is an order beyond the wrestler hierarchy. It's a traditional order based on Asian family values. You will see various people when you visit a sumo stable, so it's good to know about them in advance.

Oyakata (Stable Master):

• The oyakata is the head of the sumo stable. He manages the stable and instructs wrestlers to improve their skills. Many oyakata are former successful wrestlers. During morning practice, you'll see someone sitting in an elevated position, observing the practice and occasionally giving instructions. That's the oyakata. In the sumo stable, he is like a "father" to the wrestlers.

• Incidentally, when an oyakata retires and passes the stable to a new oyakata, the stable's management policy might change significantly. Some stables are even closed when the oyakata retires. The oldest continuously operating stable is Dewanoumi Stable, which has existed for about 160 years. Meanwhile, the oldest existing stable, Isegahama Stable, has been around for 240 years, but even this prestigious stable was discontinued at one point.

Okamisan (Stable Master's Wife):

• The okamisan is the wife of the oyakata, positioned as the "mother" to the wrestlers if the oyakata is the "father." She supports the wrestlers' daily lives, sometimes guides young wrestlers' lifestyle habits, and maintains discipline in the stable. She likely won't appear during practice.

Elder Wrestlers and Junior Wrestlers:

• The hierarchy among wrestlers is determined not only by their rank but also by when they joined. Wrestlers who joined earlier are considered "elder brothers," and those who joined later are "younger brothers." In Asian family culture, younger wrestlers must respect elder wrestlers.

The term "disciple" comes from the concept that the oyakata is a "master" who instructs wrestlers in sumo techniques, making the wrestlers his disciples. Such hierarchies and ranks exist within the sumo stable. It's a very distinctive worldview, and I remember struggling to understand the stable's order and rules when I first joined. Especially since sumo is not just a sport but also a traditional ceremony and religious ritual. That's why the order and rules must be strictly observed. Continuing to follow these sumo-specific rules is what maintains sumo as a "tradition."

Life in a Sumo Stable

What kind of life do wrestlers lead in a sumo stable? Here, I'll focus on wrestlers below juryo rank who live in the stable.

Sumo Training

Training is the most important aspect for wrestlers. They train every day except for one day off per week. The training conducted by all wrestlers in the stable is called "morning practice." Morning practice begins with purifying the sacred dohyo and includes various basic training and practical training called "butsukari-geiko." Training is conducted by all wrestlers regardless of rank, but lower-ranked wrestlers enter practice in the early morning, while higher-ranked wrestlers are allowed to start training a bit later.

Through this training, wrestlers acquire not only tremendous charging power but also flexibility that's unimaginable from their massive bodies. Morning practice ends in the morning, and wrestlers use their free time in the afternoon for individual training.

At Kawasaki Stable, you can step onto the dohyo and experience the actual morning practice menu under the guidance of former wrestlers. Everyone who wishes to participate can join. Standing on an actual dohyo is a rare opportunity, and it's an excellent chance to understand what kind of training wrestlers do daily and the purpose behind it.

Sumo wrestlers' Diet

Eating is an important part of our training as wrestlers. The average daily calorie intake for a typical wrestler is said to be 7,000 calories. That's three times the intake of an average Japanese adult male and more than twice that of an American adult male.

Wrestlers who undergo intense training daily would simply lose weight if they didn't eat enough. However, in the world of sumo, which has no weight classes, body weight is a crucial factor. Wrestlers must consume more calories than they burn during training while maintaining nutritional balance to increase their weight. That's why meals are considered training, and especially for lunch, wrestlers need to eat meals planned by the stable rather than choosing their own food. This sumo stable meal is called chanko."

Chanko - our soul food. (The image source is Tomoegata)

Incidentally, we wrestlers don't eat breakfast. This is because it's scientifically proven that eating three meals a day reduces the rate of nutrient absorption. Wrestlers who skip breakfast and become completely hungry after intense training eat their lunch vigorously, storing many calories and nutrients to gain weight.

Dinner can also be taken at the stable, but higher-ranked wrestlers sometimes take other wrestlers out to eat. In those cases, looking back, I think we ate enormous amounts of food. There were times when we ate almost all the meat at a yakiniku restaurant, and I've seen surprising bills at sushi restaurants.

Sushi is one of the favorite food for us. (The image source is REONA Sushi)

At our Kawasaki Stable, you can experience making "chanko," the traditional sumo stable cuisine, under the supervision of wrestlers, and share a meal with wrestlers. Fortunately, "chanko" is popular with guests from all countries. Please ask us wrestlers plenty of questions while dining together to learn about our personalities and true feelings.

Assisting Higher-Ranked Wrestlers

One of the duties of lower-ranked wrestlers is to assist higher-ranked wrestlers. This is called the "tsukebito" system. Lower-ranked wrestlers learn the wrestler's mindset from higher-ranked wrestlers.

Wrestlers who become tsukebito perform various tasks, from carrying baggage to supporting higher-ranked wrestlers during practice, and taking care of their personal needs during the sumo grand tournament. The number of tsukebito varies depending on the rank of the higher-ranked wrestler, and it's not uncommon for a yokozuna (the highest rank) to have nearly 10 tsukebito.

In the past, if a higher-ranked wrestler had a bad or strict personality, there were cases of violence against tsukebito, but such cases have decreased in recent years due to guidance from the Japan Sumo Association. However, when I was a tsukebito, I always maintained tension to avoid disrespecting the higher-ranked wrestlers. It was an experience that taught me the harshness of the sumo world.

Salary

Salary disparity is severe depending on the wrestler's rank. Higher-ranked wrestlers at juryo or above receive a minimum basic salary of over 10 million yen (about $70,000) annually, while yokozuna receive 40 million yen (about $280,000) annually. This is just the basic salary; adding bonuses for each bout in the sumo grand tournament, performance bonuses, and sponsorship money, a yokozuna's annual income easily exceeds 100 million yen (about $1 million). It's truly a Japanese dream.

However, lower-ranked wrestlers receive no salary at all! Until they reach juryo, they are given only a few thousand yen (200-300 dollars) monthly as pocket money. This is also true for wrestlers who once reached juryo but then fell to lower ranks. This makes it impossible to live independently. However, lower-ranked wrestlers live in the stable with no living expenses, and since their lives are centered around training, they don't need money for entertainment. That's why it's acceptable.

I remember those days when I looked forward to being taken out by senior wrestlers or higher-ranked wrestlers, or being invited to events by stable supporters.

Viewing Morning Practice at Sumo Stables

As explained, a sumo stable is a clan of wrestlers, a training ground, and living quarters. It's not a tourist facility, and normally, people unrelated to sumo cannot visit. However, some sumo stables open their morning practices to the public and allow viewings. You might want to know:

How can I make a reservation to watch morning practice? Can I step onto the dohyo and take photos with wrestlers? And other such questions.

Let me share the real information from my perspective as a former wrestler.

Important: Morning Practice Is Not Originally for Tourists

First, I want you to understand that sumo stables are not tourist facilities, and morning practices are not opened to entertain tourists.

Sumo stables have opened their morning practices as a service to local people and supporters, purely as a volunteer activity. Evidence of this is that sumo stables that open their morning practices to the public do not charge viewing fees. Originally, morning practice viewings were not commercial products but existed through the goodwill of sumo stables.

Due to this origin, you cannot expect to receive sufficient explanations from sumo stable staff or ask wrestlers for photos during morning practice viewings. Very rarely, an extremely friendly wrestler might interact with tourists, but such cases are extremely rare. Not only can you not expect such services, but as mentioned later, there are various customs and taboos in morning practice viewings.

You'll understand all of these if you understand the original purpose of opening morning practice viewings.

Current Sumo Stables Where Morning Practice Viewing Is Possible and Timing

Currently, very few sumo stables open their morning practices to the public. If you're lucky, you might be able to watch morning practice at the following stable. And it's free!

Sumo Stables Open to the Public for Free Morning Practice Viewing:

As you can see, there are very few options, and you cannot make any reservations in advance. The reason so few stables are open to the public now is that various problems have arisen due to the influx of tourists. Several stables have ceased public viewings because people appeared who lacked respect for the sumo stables and wrestlers, or who failed to follow the rules.

Therefore, morning practice viewings for free are now something you can only observe if you're quite lucky.

Can You Predict When Morning Practice Will Be Held?

As mentioned above, most sumo stables do not disclose whether morning practice will be held or not. However, there are some hints:

Sundays are often days off

Most sumo stables give wrestlers one day off per week. On holidays, wrestlers act freely, and while many wrestlers train individually, the group training known as morning practice is not held. It's better not to go for morning practice viewing on Sundays.

Fewer opportunities for morning practice viewing in March, July, and November

This is because during periods when sumo grand tournaments or regional tours are held outside Tokyo, wrestlers are not in Tokyo.

If wrestlers are not in Tokyo, naturally, morning practice is not held at the sumo stable. And wrestlers definitely go to regional areas in March, July, and November every year. You can consider that there are no opportunities for morning practice viewing in these months.

More opportunities for morning practice viewing in January, May, and September when sumo grand tournaments are held in Tokyo

Of course, even in months other than March, July, and November, wrestlers may be in regional areas for events other than tournaments, so morning practice is not guaranteed.

However, in January, May, and September, when sumo grand tournaments are held in Tokyo, wrestlers are highly likely to be in Tokyo, and there are more opportunities for morning practice viewing.

If you visit Tokyo during these periods, you might be lucky enough to watch morning practice. However, there are three points to note:

1. Even during these months, wrestlers do not train intensely during the tournament period. Higher-ranked wrestlers often have injuries and do lighter training to adjust their condition.
2. Wrestlers sometimes have joint training sessions with other stables, called "degeiko." On these days, you might find no one at the stable, or you might see more wrestlers than usual. Unfortunately, degeiko schedules are not disclosed, so it's completely dependent on luck. Some stables do not open their
3. Some stables do not open their practice to the public during the sumo grand tournament or about a week before and after it.

How to Watch Morning Practice With Certainty?

As mentioned earlier, many sumo stables have stopped opening morning practice viewings to the general public due to reasons such as poorly mannered tourists.

However, some sumo stables have gradually started accepting morning practice viewings if managed by tour companies. This approach is based on the idea that if tour companies can pay sufficient attention to tourists' behavior, it won't interfere with morning practice and will help promote sumo widely across the world.

I won't disclose specific stable names, but the following tours are very popular. If you can make a reservation, you can safely and surely participate in morning practice viewing. Please consider these options:

What You Can Do During Morning Practice Viewing

Whether you visit individually or through a tour company, there's no difference in what you can do once you enter a sumo stable for morning practice viewing.

All you can do as tourists is to watch the practice while following the sumo stable's rules. However, if you view through a tour company, you'll have proper seating prepared and can watch the practice relatively comfortably.

You might also receive guidance about the surrounding area and explanations about sumo from your guide before entering the sumo stable.

Etiquette During Morning Practice Viewing

While detailed rules may differ by sumo stable, the following rules are generally established. Be sure to understand the rules explained by the sumo stable or tour company before viewing, and behave accordingly to avoid being asked to leave during the viewing.

1. No photography with shutter sounds or flash
2. No talking
3. Don't wander around the sumo stable
4. Set your mobile phone to silent mode or turn it off

These above are manners to avoid disrupting the concentration of wrestlers who are seriously engaged in morning practice.

5. No eating, drinking, or smoking
6. Don't step onto the dohyo

The training area is a sacred place. Eating, drinking, and smoking are strictly prohibited as they would defile this place. Also, the dohyo itself is a sacred place. Never step onto the dohyo. You'll be immediately asked to leave if you do.

7. Never attend if you're feeling unwell

Wrestlers are careful about their health management. Even if you've reserved a tour, it's considerate not to participate if you're feeling unwell.

8. Don't make noise, litter, or loiter in the surrounding area

Naturally, ordinary people live around the sumo stable. Making noise before the start of morning practice, being loud after viewing, or littering around the sumo stable causes trouble and becomes a nuisance to local residents. Please be careful.

How Our Kawasaki Stable Differs from Regular Morning Practice

I've explained the general morning practice at sumo stables, but our Kawasaki Stable offers "the most open and closest experience to understanding sumo culture and the truth about wrestlers." Kawasaki Stable was originally a sumo stable and is now operated by former wrestlers. That's why we can offer a friendly sumo experience without taboos.

There is probably no other facility in the world where anyone can experience not only viewing but also actual sumo training and part of a wrestler's life.

Compared to regular morning practice viewing and sumo shows held at restaurants, we have the following features:

What do you think? Both morning practice viewing and restaurant sumo shows have their own merits.

However, our Kawasaki Stable offers a unique experience that can't be found anywhere else in the world. We're fully booked during high season, and even during off-season, we welcome many guests. Also, everyone including children can enjoy it, and everyone can interact with us wrestlers. Please participate in our Kawasaki Stable experience.

We host it together with the tour company MagicalTrip. We are looking forward to see you at Kawasaki Beta!!