The Kyushu Basho is one of the six honbasho, the official professional sumo tournaments that decide every wrestler’s rank and salary. It has been held in Fukuoka every November since 1957, and since 1981 in the Fukuoka Kokusai Center, a dedicated hall by the port in Hakata ward. For a visitor, it is a rare chance to see the sport’s biggest names — yokozuna, ozeki and all forty-odd top-division wrestlers — in a venue far more intimate than Tokyo’s Kokugikan. This guide gathers everything you need: dates, tickets, seats, schedule, rules and travel.
| Dates | Sunday 8 – Sunday 22 November 2026 (15 days) |
|---|---|
| Venue | Fukuoka Kokusai Center, 2-2 Chikkohonmachi, Hakata-ku |
| Doors | 8:45 (days 1–12), 10:30 (days 13–14), 10:00 (final day) |
| Top-division bouts | about 15:45–18:00 |
| Tickets | Official general sale opened 19 Sept 2026; many dates sold out, no same-day box office |
| Official prices | chair ¥2,000–6,000 · boxes ¥19,000–56,000 · ringside ¥20,000 |
Kyushu Basho 2026 dates
The tournament starts on Sunday 8 November (shonichi, opening day) and ends on Sunday 22 November (senshuraku, final day). The middle Sunday, 15 November, is called nakabi. The ranking list for the tournament, the banzuke, is published on 26 October 2026. Each top-division wrestler fights once a day, fifteen times in total; the one with the best record lifts the Emperor’s Cup on the last day.
The days that sell out first are the two opening days, the weekends and the final three days. Weekdays in the first week are the easiest to get. Our day-by-day schedule and advice on the best day to go goes into detail.
How to get tickets in 2026
Tickets are sold by the Japan Sumo Association through Ticket Oosumo (its official site, with an English version), Ticket Pia, 7-Eleven stores and a phone line. After several lottery presales in August and early September, the general sale opened on 19 September 2026 at 10:00 Japan time. For 2026 the official pages are blunt: there is no unreserved seating and no same-day sale at the venue. If your date shows « sold out » (完売), the official route is closed.
That is where tours come in. Japanese travel agencies buy seats in advance and resell them as packages with a guide. They are more expensive than a bare ticket, but they are legitimate, they come with English explanations and they are still bookable for many dates. Avoid resale websites: the Japan Sumo Association’s terms prohibit ticket resale, and a resold ticket can be refused at the gate. Our complete guide to Fukuoka sumo tickets covers every channel.
The best sumo tours in Fukuoka at a glance
| Tour | Duration | Price from | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament Viewing Tour (H.I.S.) | 4 h | about $108 | First-timers who want live English commentary |
| Watch Sumo Tournament and Visit Sumo Spots (gotcha) | 4.5 h | about $127 | Combining the arena with wrestlers’ haunts |
| Entry to the Grand Sumo Tournament (Nippon Tickets) | 1 day | about $99 | Independent visitors on a sold-out date |
| Tournament Tour with Local Guide & Tickets (Yummy Guide) | 2 h + bouts | about $633 | A briefing, help at the gate and a reserved seat |
| Morning Sumo Practice and Hakata Old Town | 2–3 h | about $76 | Seeing training up close (November only) |
| Sumo Experience with Chanko-nabe Lunch & Show | 2 h | about $114 | Families, and visitors outside November |
Prices are those displayed on GetYourGuide in October 2026, in US dollars per person; they vary by date and seat category. Read our detailed comparison of Fukuoka sumo tours before booking.
Seats and prices
The Fukuoka Kokusai Center has three kinds of seats. Tamari seats are cushions right at the edge of the ring (¥20,000, no food, no phones, no photos, adults only). Masu boxes are the traditional tatami squares for two to four people where you sit on cushions, shoes off (¥19,000 to ¥56,000 per box). Chair seats run around the upper part of the hall (¥2,000 to ¥6,000 per person). Weekend prices are slightly higher. The full price table and our advice on which block to pick are in our Fukuoka Kokusai Center seating guide.
Read also:Seats and prices at the Fukuoka Kokusai Center
What a tournament day looks like
Doors open at 8:45 on days 1 to 12. The morning belongs to the lower divisions — young wrestlers in their teens, bouts every minute or two, almost empty stands. From about 14:15 the juryo (second division) wrestlers parade into the ring, then fight. Around 15:45 comes the highlight of the day: the dohyo-iri, the ring-entering ceremony of the top division, followed by the yokozuna’s solo ceremony. The top-division bouts follow until about 18:00, and the day closes with the bow-twirling ceremony, yumitori-shiki. Your ticket is valid all day and lets you leave and come back.
Wrestlers to watch in November 2026
The 2026 Kyushu Basho has real stakes. Yokozuna Onosato won the September tournament in Tokyo with a 12–3 record, his sixth title. Yokozuna Hoshoryu missed September through injury. Ozeki Aonishiki, born in Ukraine, finished one win behind and is on a promotion run: a title in Fukuoka could make him the first European-born yokozuna in history. Sekiwake Fujinokawa (11–4 in September) is pushing for ozeki. Check the official banzuke, published on 26 October, before you go — and read our guide to sumo rules and ranks to follow the story.
Getting to the Fukuoka Kokusai Center
The hall stands at 2-2 Chikkohonmachi, Hakata-ku, next to the Fukuoka International Congress Center and the Sun Palace. From Hakata Station, take a Nishitetsu bus from stop F towards the « Kokusai Center / Sun Palace-mae » stop (about 15 minutes) or a taxi (about 10 minutes). The nearest subway station, Gofukumachi on the Hakozaki line, is a 12-minute walk. Fukuoka Airport is only two stops from Hakata Station by subway, which makes a sumo afternoon possible even on a short stopover. Directions, food and etiquette: see our guide to the Fukuoka Kokusai Center.
Quiz: which sumo experience in Fukuoka is right for you?
Three quick questions — we match you with the ticket or tour that fits your budget, your dates and your group.
🤼 A guided viewing tour with live English commentary
Ticket, official banzuke, English booklet and a guide who explains every bout from your seat — the best first sumo day.
Check availability on GetYourGuide →Read our guide →🤼 A flexible tournament entry ticket
Your seat for one day of your choice, and you come and go as you like. Cheapest way in once the official sale is sold out.
Check availability on GetYourGuide →Read our guide →🤼 A reserved seat with a local guide
Pre-entry briefing on rules and rituals, help at the gate, then a reserved seat — the premium option for sold-out dates.
Check availability on GetYourGuide →Read our guide →🤼 Tournament + sumo spots tour
A guide takes you to the arena and the places where wrestlers live and train during the Kyushu Basho.
Check availability on GetYourGuide →Read our guide →🤼 Morning sumo practice (asa-geiko)
Watch real training at a stable near Hakata Station, then walk the old town — only during the tournament weeks.
Check availability on GetYourGuide →Read our guide →🤼 Sumo show with chanko-nabe lunch
Demonstration, rules explained, a chance to step in against a wrestler and the famous sumo hot pot — available all year.
Check availability on GetYourGuide →Read our guide →Live availability
- ✔ Pros
- A smaller, more intimate hall than Tokyo’s Kokugikan
- All the top wrestlers, with title and promotion stakes at the end of the year
- Easy to reach from Hakata Station and the airport
- Combine with Fukuoka’s food stalls, Dazaifu and autumn colours
- ✘ Cons
- Official tickets sell out fast and there is no same-day sale in 2026
- Box seats are cramped for long legs and sold for 2–4 people
- Little English signage inside — a guide or a primer helps a lot
Planning the rest of your stay
Sumo fills an afternoon, not a trip. Mornings during the tournament are perfect for watching a stable’s training session — see our guide to morning sumo practice in Fukuoka — and evenings for Fukuoka’s open-air food stalls, the yatai. Our Fukuoka in November guide suggests a three-day plan, and if you cannot make November, our sumo tournament calendar lists every 2026 and 2027 date in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Kyushu Basho?
The Kyushu Basho is the November Grand Sumo Tournament, one of six official professional sumo tournaments held each year in Japan and the only one in Kyushu. It takes place at the Fukuoka Kokusai Center in Fukuoka.
When is the Kyushu Basho 2026?
From Sunday 8 November to Sunday 22 November 2026. The 2027 tournament is scheduled for 14–28 November 2027.
Can you buy sumo tickets at the door in Fukuoka?
Not in 2026: the official ticket site states there is no same-day sale at the venue and no unreserved seating. Buy in advance or book a tour that includes a ticket.
What time should I arrive at the sumo tournament?
Arrive by 15:30 to see the top-division ring-entering ceremony and all top-division bouts, which end around 18:00. Fans who want the full experience come from the morning.
Is the Fukuoka sumo tournament suitable for children?
Yes. Children aged 4 and over need their own ticket; younger children sit on an adult’s lap. Ringside (tamari) seats are reserved for people aged 16 and over.
Affiliate disclosure: this guide contains affiliate links to GetYourGuide. If you book through them we earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Prices are indicative and were checked at the time of writing — the live price on the booking page always prevails.