Ryōgoku, Sumo district in Sumida-ku, Japan
Ryōgoku is a neighborhood in Sumida-ku organized around the Kokugikan Sumo Stadium, where tournaments and training happen throughout the year. The district has narrow streets lined with small shops, restaurants, and multiple sumo training stables that form the core of daily life here.
The neighborhood takes its name from the Ryōgoku Bridge, completed in 1659 to cross the Sumida River and connect Edo and Shimōsa provinces. Over time, it evolved into Tokyo's main hub for sumo wrestling and training.
Sumo wrestling shapes daily life here, visible in the way people dress, the shops they frequent, and how the neighborhood is organized around training and competition. The sport is woven into the local identity in ways that feel natural rather than staged for visitors.
The neighborhood is well-connected by public transport and easy to explore on foot with clear streets and signage. Many restaurants here serve chanko nabe, the traditional hot pot that sumo wrestlers eat, giving you access to authentic local cuisine.
You can visit sumo stables early in the morning to watch wrestlers train, giving a glimpse into the daily reality of the sport that few outsiders typically see. These training facilities are embedded in the neighborhood fabric and set it apart from other Tokyo districts.
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