I'm going to be going from Tokyo to Kyoto in the first week in November this year. While I'm aware there are no Basho's going on, I've heard it's possible to get a quick look at the guys practising! Can anyone shed any light on the matter, namely how, where and when this is possible?! Thanks in advance!

Jimbo, your question interested me so I did some google search in Japanese. The keywords I used are 1. Sumo-beya (beya or heya, meaning a room, the traditional way to call sumo-team/clubs), 2. Keiko(trainning), 3.Kengaku (visit to see). The first site I found was about Michinoku-beya and it says visitors are welcome. The location is 5 minute walk from Ryogoku station. It sounds like you can visit sometime from 7.00am but sometimes they are out to train with sumos from other heyas. In order to avois this, the site says to call the Michinoku-beya the day before till 10pm. The number is 03-3633-7258 in Tokyo. It would be one of those young sumos who answers so you have to speak in Japanese (unless a Hawaian sumo picks up the phone!). If nobody is in this heya the day you visit, most other heyas are also in the same area. Take a walk and you might find one who let you see their &quot;keiko&quot;. The site also says you can see (or maybe even get a copy of) the sumo-beya map of Ryogoku area at Ryogoku station, West-Exit. Curiously this site has pages in French but not in English. Try the following site if you read French or Japanese. Or if I can help, you can post your questions here.<BR><BR>http://perso.club-<BR>internet.fr/fujimori/Keiko-jp.html<BR><BR>Address of Michinoku-beya <BR>1-18-7, Ry&ocirc;goku, Sumida-ku, TOKYO<BR><BR><BR>

There are some details of how to visit Sumo practice and training sessions in the Moon guide to Japan (thought by many Japanophiles of my acquaintance to be far and away the most accurate and detailed, even though several years old). I can't put my hand on my copy right now, but as I recall, visiting one of these sessions requires rising very early in the morning.<BR><BR>Peter N-H<BR>http://members.axion.net/~pnh/China.html

<BR>If you can extend your stay just a bit, then you could catch the start of Kyushu Basho on the 9th. You could fly from Fukuoko to NRT or KIX for your return flight home on the 10th.<BR>

Bonsoir All,<BR><BR>here are a few links about sumo:<BR><BR>http://www.scgroup.com/sumo/<BR><BR>for general informations and day to day results of the current basho (from last Sunday until the 26th)<BR><BR>http://www.sumo.or.jp/eng/index.php<BR>The site of the Nihon Sumo Kyokai (Japanese sumo association). There are informations about visiting heyas.<BR><BR>http://www.banzuke.com/<BR>Sumo archive and mailing list, full of informations from the best connaisseurs.<BR><BR>The TIC in Tokyo should be able to help you organize a visit of a heya.

I just forgot one point: November is Kyushu basho (tournament), so there will be hardly anyone left in the heyas in Tokyo.

In the site I mentioned above, the author says the best time to visit keiko is a week before a basho because all the sumos will be trainning very hard and seriously (contrary to after basho). So if you will really be in Tokyo in the first week, your could actually be quite lucky as kyushu basho will start on 09 Nov. On the pages in French she mentions a few manners to remember (especially for foreigners) including be there at latest by 08.00am.<BR>Please check it out.

Bonjour Nori,<BR><BR>I know the site you're referring to (devoted to Kirishima, one of my favorite rikishi, a very classy former Ozeki). They give the name and address of Michinoku beya in Kyushu, where all the wrestlers will already be at least 1 to 2 weeks before the basho. Sorry to be such a party pooper, but I know from experience that November, March, and July are not good months to see sumo in Tokyo. <BR><BR>Jimbo, you might however make good use of the site Nori has found by getting to the Chanko Kirishima restaurant<BR>(2-13-7, Ry&ocirc;goku, Sumida-ku, TOKYO ,<BR>right in front of Ryogoku station West exit T&eacute;l. 03-3632-8710)<BR><BR>where you might follow some matches on TV while filling up with a hearty plate of chanko nabe.<BR>

Alright, Jimbo now you have to consider including a side trip to Kyushu if you really want to see Sumo keiko in November, would you ? Sorry, on the Japanese web page, it said the best time to visit &quot;keiko&quot; is a week before one of the bashos but further down (far away)it did say &quot;Except for the main-basho in Tokyo, sumo-beyas will be almost empty from sometime before and till after basho. <BR><BR>Hi Florence how are you doing under very often gray sky in Geneva? I liked it better when it was the coldest, -6 degrees on my balcony in the morning a few days ago. It doesn't matter, I will be in Japan next Saturday.

<BR>Kyoto to Hakata in 3 hrs 33 min or less. It's a fine ride and I believe that the shinkansen reaches it's maximum speed (highest speed of all shinkansens nationwide) between Hiroshima and Kokura.<BR>