March Osaka Sumo Tournament

The March Osaka Sumo Tournament, officially known as the Haru Basho (Spring Tournament), is one of six annual honbasho (Grand Tournaments) held throughout Japan. The event takes place at the Edion Arena Osaka over fifteen consecutive days, typically commencing on the second Sunday of March. While Tokyo hosts three tournaments annually at the Ryogoku Kokugikan, the Osaka tournament is the only professional grand tournament held in the Kansai region, attracting a large and enthusiastic local following. The tournament features rikishi (sumo wrestlers) competing in a round-robin format to determine the champion of each division.

The daily schedule begins with lower-division matches in the morning, with the highest-ranking Makuuchi and Juryo division wrestlers appearing in the mid-to-late afternoon. Each bout is preceded by traditional rituals, including the stamping of feet to drive away spirits and the throwing of salt for purification. The live experience is defined by the tension of the shikiri (preparation period) and the tachi-ai, the explosive initial charge when the wrestlers lunge from the white starting lines. National broadcaster NHK provides daily coverage, though the scale and acoustic intensity of the arena are best experienced in person. You can read more about the history of sumo here.

Tickets for the Osaka tournament typically go on sale in early February and frequently sell out on the first day. Visitors are encouraged to book through official channels well in advance. For an authentic experience, “box seats” (masu-seki) are available, where spectators sit on cushions in a squared-off floor area, though standard stadium chair seating is also available in the upper tiers. To see the most prestigious rituals, spectators should be in their seats by 2:00 PM for the Juryo and Makuuchi ring-entering ceremonies (dohyo-iri). See here for information on how to buy tickets and here for a brief introduction to the sport.