Sumo Museum: Sumo Museum (相撲博物館)

About the Sumo Museum:

The Sumo Museum was opened in September 1954, but it was relocatd Ryogoku Kokugikan (両国国技館 Ryōgoku Kokugi-kan) upon the completion of the hall in 1985.  The museum collects and preserves a wide variety of materials relating to sumo wrestling and its history. The collection includes sumo Nishiki-e (multi-colored woodblock prints), sumo dolls, Banzuke (official ranking list) and Kesho-mawashi (the silk belt with a large heavily embroidered apron with thick tassels worn by upper ranked wrestlers). The displays of the exhibition changes six times each year. The museum also conduct research on sumo history as an integral part of Japanese culture.

About the Japan Sumo Association

The Japan Sumo Association (日本相撲協会, Nihon Sumō Kyōkai ) was officially founded in 1925, but the organization has existed since the Edo-period although the earlier form of the association differs from the association today.

Collection Size:  

• 3,700 Nishiki-e which depict sumo and its culture 

• 500 sumo dolls

Exhibitions:

• Photographs and woodblock prints, banzuke (official listings of rank) and the ceremonial aprons worn by the great rikishi, Sumo Wrestlers.

• Exhibitions may vary.  The museum changes exhibition displays six times a year.

​Note: The Guide uses the ALA/LC standard romanization, however, it also reflects different romanization system used by an individual institution.

Visiting the Museum

Admission: 

• Admission Fee: Free

We are constantly improving the guide contents and we want your opinion.

For all comments and questions about the Guide, please e-mail us:

mlaguide@nccjapan.net