Grand Sumo July Tournament (Nagoya Basho) 2026
Sumo's summer tournament moves into Nagoya's brand-new IG Arena for the first time — fifteen days of top-division bouts in a gleaming 17,000-seat venue.
When · Where
- When
- 2026/07/11 23:30 – 2026/07/26
- Where
- IG Arena (Aichi International Arena)（1-1 Sannomaru, Naka-ku, Nagoya, Aichi (Meijo Park)）
- City
- Nagoya
- Getting there
- A 2-minute walk from Meijo Koen Station on the Meijo subway line; about 20 minutes from Nagoya Station.
- Price
- Tickets required. Arena chair seats start from about ¥3,500; ringside and box (masu) seats cost more. Buy via the official Japan Sumo Association ticket site.
Good to know for visitors
- Getting there
- A 2-minute walk from Meijo Koen Station on the Meijo subway line; about 20 minutes from Nagoya Station. Open directions in Google Maps ↗
- Booking & entry
- Check tickets and details on the official page (button above).
- Paying
- Tickets required. Arena chair seats start from about ¥3,500; ringside and box (masu) seats cost more. Buy via the official Japan Sumo Association ticket site.. Smaller venues in Japan are often cash-first — carry some yen (cards/IC not guaranteed).
- Language
- Mostly in Japanese — a translation app on your phone helps.
- Good for
- culture seekers, groups of friends
Highlights
- The first-ever Nagoya basho at the new IG Arena, replacing the old Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium
- Top-division (makuuchi) bouts climaxing each afternoon from around 15:30
- The dohyo-iri ring-entering ceremony and yokozuna grand champion's solo ritual
Background & story
Grand sumo, Japan's national sport with roots in Shinto ritual, holds six 15-day tournaments a year; the July basho has been Nagoya's summer fixture for decades and moved to the new IG Arena in 2025.
Good to know
Lower-division bouts start in the morning when seats are empty and easy to find; arrive early, then watch the top division fill the arena from mid-afternoon. Same-day tickets are limited, so book online ahead.