Ryōgoku Kokugikan

Travellers who visit Tokyo in January, May or September should not miss the opportunity to attend a Grand Tournament at Tokyo's Kokugikan. Ringside tickets cost ¥14,300, boxes cost between ¥9200 and ¥11,300 per person, and arena tickets will set you back between ¥2100 and ¥8200. Tickets can be purchased up to a month prior to the tournament, or you can simply turn up on the day (you'll have to arrive very early, say 6am, to snag seats during the last days of a tournament). If you need additional assistance booking tickets, particularly from abroad, check out www.buysumotickets.com; it charges a ¥1200 service fee per ticket purchased.

During the rest of the year, you can swing by the Kokugikan's small Sumō Museum, or visit one of the neighbourhood stables and watch the wrestlers practise.