Sumo Museum, Sports museum in Ryogoku, Japan
The Sumo Museum is a sports museum in Ryogoku that displays historical artifacts, woodblock prints, champion portraits, and ceremonial items related to Japan's traditional wrestling. The collection spans centuries of this sporting tradition through objects and documents.
The museum opened in 1954 to preserve and document sumo wrestling's evolution across centuries of Japanese history. Its establishment marked a formal effort to safeguard this time-honored sport for future generations.
The collection displays traditional kesho-mawashi ceremonial aprons and historical documents that reveal sumo's deep connection to Shinto rituals and practices. You can see how these spiritual ties are woven into the fabrics and records on view.
The museum is located inside the Ryogoku Kokugikan arena and is typically open on weekdays for visits. Access may be limited during major tournament events, so check beforehand to plan your visit.
The museum features a gallery of portraits showing all wrestlers who reached the highest yokozuna rank in sumo history. This collection represents decades of elite achievement in the sport.
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